possessing all its beauty, unless I perceive in it, at least, one little hut. The habitation of man confers, on every species of vegetable, a new degree of interest or of majesty. I love to see the family of an Arab under the date tree of the desert---the hovel of a poor unindustrious Negro gives me pleasure, under the shade of a great gourd plant, which exhibits his complete set of household furniture. To the most ostentatious exhibition of splendour, I have frequently preferred the view of a little hamlet of fishermen, built by the side of a river. With inexpressible delight have I sometimes reposed, under the shade of the willows, and of the poplars, on which were suspended the bow nets, composed of their own branches. p. 286.

Thevenot assures us, that in the Indies, grooms defend their horses from the flies, by rubbing them every morning with the flowers of the pumpion. p. 303.

I am of opinion, that nature has placed

in islands the species of plants which are most beautiful, and best adapted to the necessities of man. An island is a little world in epitome. Finally, experience demonstrates, that there is not a single fruit-tree in Europe, but what becomes more beautiful in some of the islands along its coasts, than on the continent. p. 314.

These observations might be extended even to the very birds and quadrupeds, which are more beautiful, and of species more varied, in islands, than any where else. The elephants held in the highest estimation in Asia, are those of the island of Ceylon. The Indians believe them to be possessed of something divine; nay, more, they allege, that other elephants acknowledge this superiority. One thing is certain, they fetch a higher price all over Asia than any others. p. 316.

All these animals, after having occupied through the day the various sites of vegetation, return in the evening to the habitation

of man, with bleatings, with murmurings, with cries of joy, bringing back to him the delicious produce of the vegetable creation, transformed, by a process altogether inconceivable, into honey, into milk, into butter, into eggs, and into cream.

p. 320.

What smiling valleys opened to their view, along the river's side, and invited them to deviate from the road, by promising them objects still more lovely! What hills enamelled with unknown flowers, and crowned with ancient and venerable trees, endeavoured to persuade them to proceed no farther! p. 322.

Happy is he, in these days, who, instead of rambling over the world, can live remote from mankind! Happy the man who knows nothing beyond the circumference of his own horizon, and to whom even the next village is an unknown land! He has not placed his affections on objects which he must never more behold, nor left his reputation at the mercy of the wicked. He be

lieves that innocence resides in hamlets, honour in palaces, and virtue in temples. His glory and his religion consist in communicating happiness to those around him. If he beholds not in his garden the fruits of Asia, or the shady groves of America, he cultivates the plants that delight his wife and children. He has no need of the monuments of architecture to dignify and embellish his landscape. A tree, under the shade of which a virtuous man is reclined to rest, suggests to him sublime recollections.

p. 331.

Why do I this day stand in need of novelties to procure me pleasure? The mere animal is, in this respect, happier than we are what pleased him yesterday will likewise give him pleasure to-morrow: he fixes for himself a boundary, which he never exceeds; what is sufficient for him, always appears to him beautiful and good. The ingenious bee constructs commodious cells, but never dreams of rearing triumphal arches, or obelisks, to decorate her waxen city. A cottage was in like manner suffi

cient for man, in order to be as well lodged as a bee. What need had he of five orders of architecture, of pyramids, of towers, of kiosques? p. 333.

I stand in need of men, but my soul is troubled at the sight of them, while I reflect on the fatal reasons by which they are united, and that there is no possibility of interesting them, but by flattering their passions, and by becoming vicious as they are.

Religion has greatly the superiority over philosophy, in as much as it supports us, not by our reason, but by our resignation. She would have us, not on foot, and stirring about, but stretched on a bed of languishing: not on the theatre of the world, but reposing at the footstool of the Throne of God; not tormented with solicitude about futurity, but confident and composed. When books, honours, riches* and friends forsake us, she presents us, as a pillow for our head, not the recollection of our frivolous and

* Original, fortune,