Paul and Virginia

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Atheist, thus, and fanatic in turn, holding both life and death in equal
horror, she lived on for several years. But what completed the torments
of her miserable existence, was that very object to which she had
sacrificed every natural affection. She was deeply annoyed at perceiving
that her fortune must go, at her death, to relations whom she hated, and
she determined to alienate as much of it as she could. They, however,
taking advantage of her frequent attacks of low spirits, caused her to
be secluded as a lunatic, and her affairs to be put into the hands of
trustees. Her wealth, thus completed her ruin; and, as the possession
of it had hardened her own heart, so did its anticipation corrupt the
hearts of those who coveted it from her. At length she died; and, to
crown her misery, she retained enough reason at last to be sensible that
she was plundered and despised by the very persons whose opinions had
been her rule of conduct during her whole life.

On the same spot, and at the foot of the same shrubs as his Virginia,
was deposited the body of Paul; and round about them lie the remains of
their tender mothers and their faithful servants. No marble marks the
spot of their humble graves, no inscription records their virtues;
but their memory is engraven upon the hearts of those whom they have
befriended, in indelible characters. Their spirits have no need of the
pomp, which they shunned during their life; but if they still take an
interest in what passes upon earth, they no doubt love to wander beneath
the roofs of these humble dwellings, inhabited by industrious virtue, to
console poverty discontented with its lot, to cherish in the hearts
of lovers the sacred flame of fidelity, and to inspire a taste for
the blessings of nature, a love of honest labour, and a dread of the
allurements of riches.

The voice of the people, which is often silent with regard to the
monuments raised to kings, has given to some parts of this island names
which will immortalize the loss of Virginia. Near the isle of Amber, in
the midst of sandbanks, is a spot called The Pass of the Saint-Geran,
from the name of the vessel which was there lost. The extremity of that
point of land which you see yonder, three leagues off, half covered with
water, and which the Saint-Geran could not double the night before the
hurricane, is called the Cape of Misfortune; and before us, at the end
of the valley, is the Bay of the Tomb, where Virginia was found buried
in the sand; as if the waves had sought to restore her corpse to her
family, that they might render it the last sad duties on those shores
where so many years of her innocent life had been passed.

Joined thus in death, ye faithful lovers, who were so tenderly united!
unfortunate mothers! beloved family! these woods which sheltered you
with their foliage,--these fountains which flowed for you,--these
hill-sides upon which you reposed, still deplore your loss! No one has
since presumed to cultivate that desolate spot of land, or to rebuild
those humble cottages. Your goats are become wild: your orchards are
destroyed; your birds are all fled, and nothing is heard but the cry of
the sparrow-hawk, as it skims in quest of prey around this rocky basin.
As for myself, since I have ceased to behold you, I have felt friendless
and alone, like a father bereft of his children, or a traveller who
wanders by himself over the face of the earth.

Ending with these words, the good old man retired, bathed in tears; and
my own, too, had flowed more than once during this melancholy recital.