As their marriage was founded upon a mutual efteem, their paffion increafed inftead of diminifhing by enjoyment, till they became an example of conjugal duty to all that knew them. They had lived many years in this uninterrupted state of felicity, when Marini was obliged to make a voyage to Corfica, which was then disturbed by a rebellious infurrection, in order to fecure his patrimony, by encouraging his dependants to ftand firm in defence of their country. But the greatest affliction, and which abforbed all the reft, was his being neceffitated to part, for a while, from Monimia, who being then very big with child, was incapacitated to go with him as ufual. When the fatal time of parting was come, they embraced with the utmoft grief, and the warmeft prayers to Heaven for one another's fafety. As foen as this affecting fcene was over, Marini embarked, and having a fair wind, arrived fafe at Baftia in a few hours.

The fuccefs of the rebels being stopped, and the affairs of the ifland a little fettled again, our lover began to prepare for his return to Genoa; but as he was walking one day by the harbour where the fhips of burden lay, he heard two failors, who were juft arrived, talking of the death of a Genoefe nobleman's wife, then abfent from the

Republic.

Republic. This cafual circumftance greatly alarmed him, and excited his curiofity to liften farther to their converfation; when, after a little pause, he heard one of them mention the name of his dear Monimia. At these words his furprize and affliction was fo great, that he had not power to follow the mariners to fatisfy his doubt, but inftantly fwooned away, and when he recovered, found himself furrounded by his own fervants, lamenting over him. At the fame time that this happened to Marini, fomething of the fame nature equally diftreffed Monimia; for an imperfect account came to Genoa, by the Captain of a Venetian veffel, that a gentleman named Marini had been furprised, near Baftia, by a remaining party of rebels, and that he and all his attendants were killed by them. These two accounts involved our unfortunate pair in the greateft diftrefs. They immediately took shipping, in order to be convinced of what they fo much dreaded to know, the one for Corfica, the other for Genoa.-They were both failed, when a violent ftorm arose, which drove their veffels upon a little island in the Mediterranean.-Marini's fhip landed firft, where, whilft the reft of the crew were refreshing themselves, the inconfolable widower, as he thought himself, wandered, with one servant only, into a little wood that was near the fea fhore, to

give a loose to his immoderate grief. Soon after, the Genoefe fhip landed too, and the fame motive led Monimia, with one of her maids, into the wood where her husband was, lamenting his unfortunate condition. They had not been there long, before they heard each other's complaint, and drew nearer, mutually, to fee if there was any wretch living equally miferable with themfelves. But how great was the aftonifhment of both, when they met in a little path, and faw each other! The immoderate joy was fuch, and the tranfition from one extreme to the other fo inftantaneous, that all the power they had was to fall into each other's arms, where they expired in a few minutes after! Their bodies were conveyed to Italy, and were interred with all the folemnity and magnificence due to their quality and eminent virtues.

VIRTUE

THE SOLE

FOUNDATION OF HAPPINESS.

KNOW then this truth (enough for man to

know)

Virtue alone is happinefs below.

The only point where human bliss stands still,
And taftes the good without the fall to ill;

Where

Where only Merit conftant pay receives,
Is bleft in what it takes, and what it gives;
The joy unequall'd, if its end it gain,
And if it lofe, attended with no pain:
Without fatiety, tho' e'er fo blefs'd,
And but more relish'd as the moft diftress'd:
The broadeft mirth unfeeling Folly wears,
Lefs pleafing far than Virtue's very tears:
Good from each object, from each place acquir'd,
For ever exercis'd, yet never tir'd;

Never elated, while one man's opprefs'd;
Never dejected, while another's blefs'd;

And where no wants, no wifhes can remain,
Since but to wifh more Virtue, is to gain.

See the fole blifs Heav'n could on all beftow! Which who but feels can tafte, but thinks can know:

Yet poor with fortune, and with learning blind,
The bad muft mifs, the good, untaught, will find;
Slave to no fect, who takes no private road,
But looks through Nature up to Nature's God;
Pursues that chain which links th' immenfe defign,
Joins Heav'n and Earth, and mortal and divine;
Sees, that no Being any blifs can know,
But touches fome above, and fome below;
Learns, from this union of the rifing whole,
The first, laft purpose of the human foul;

And knows where Faith, Law, Morals, all began;
All end in love of God, and love of Man.

For him alone, Hope leads from goal to goal,
And opens ftill, and opens on the foul;

'Till lengthen'd on to Faith, and unconfin'd,
the bliss that fills up all the mind.

It

pours

He fees, why Nature plants in Man alone

Hope of known blifs, and Faith in blifs unknown: (Nature, whofe dictates to no other kind

Are giv'n in vain, but what they seek they find)
Wife is her prefent; fhe connects in this
His greatest Virtue with his greatest bliss;
At once his own bright profpect to be bleft,
And strongest motive to affift the reft.

Self-love thus pufh'd to focial, to divine,
Gives thee to make thy neighbour's bleffings thine.
Is this too little for the boundless heart?
Extend it, let thy enemies have part:

Grafp the whole worlds of Reason, Life, and Sense,
In one close fyftem of Benevolence:
Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree,
And height of blifs but height of charity.

God loves from whole to parts: but human

foul

Muft rife from individual to the whole.
Self-love but ferves the virtuous mind to wake,
As the fmall pebble ftirs the peaceful lake;

The