not to feek in the world either the fulfome praise of admirers, or the criticism of jealousy. Add to thefe advantages an uncommon amenity of manners, a delicate fenfibility of difpofition, an attentive and conciliating politenefs, and you will have the idea of a life that was innocently pleasurable, Such was the life of Watelet.

"Every body heard of his philofophical retreat on the banks of the Seine. I fometimes paid him a vifit there. One day I met a new-married couple that were mutually delighted with each other; the husband still in the prime of life, and the bride not yet twenty years of age. Watelet feemed himself to derive happinefs from theirs, and their looks were expreffive of their owing it to him.As they fpake the French tongue with purity, I was furprized to hear them fay they were going to live in Holland, and that they were come to take their leave of him. When dinner was over, and when they were gone away, I had the curiofity to afk who this happy and grateful couple were. My friend led me into a corner of his enchanting ifland, where we both fat down. 'Liften,' faid he, and you will fee honour faved from shipwreck by virtue.'

"In a journey to Holland, which I undertook folely to fee a country for which man is conftantly contending with the fea, and which is enriched by ⚫ commerce in defpite, as it were, of nature, I was recommended to a rich merchant of the name of Odelman, a man as liberal in his house, as he was avaricious in his commerce. In his countinghouse, and at his table, I found a young Frenchman, of an interefting appearance and uncommon modefty of deportment. He was known in Hol land by no other name than that of Oliver.

"In vain Odelman, who was a man of plain manners, treated him like a friend, and almost as an equal; the young man, with a certain respectful dignity, always kept himself at a proper diftance; you would have faid, at that of a fon ever attentive and duteous to the will of his father, whom he was ferving for love.

"I fhewed him an attention of which he appeared very fenfible, and which he returned by a certain noblenefs of deportment, but with an air of humility and bafhfulness. At table he faid little, but with a manner, a decency, a choice of expreffion, that bespoke a well-educated man.After dinner he accofted me in the most obliging manner, and made me a tender of his fervices.

I did not take an undue advantage of it; but I begged him to affift me with his advice relative to the management of my expences, and to fome purchases I wifhed to make. To this friendly office he joined the kindeft attentions to the most affectionate care.

"I endeavoured to learn what had induced him to live in Holland. He replied, it was misfortune;' and in every thing that related to himself, I thought I perceived he did not wish to come to an explanation.

"In the mean time, while we paffed all the time he could fpare together, and with a complaifance that my curiofity fometimes fatigued, but never wore out, he gave me every information relative to whatever was interefting in Holland. He reprefented it as having no more than an artificial existence in its relations with all the nations of the univerfe, and continually occupied in fupporting and defending its dykes and its liberties. Impreffed with gratitude in favour of his new country, he spake of it with the expreffion of a fentiment to which his melancholy gave greater force, and which, though full of efteem for that country, was nevertheless mingled with the regret and recollection of his own. Ah!' would he fay, if

France

France did the fourth part as much to affift nature' as Holland docs to fubdue it!'And from a view of the manners of the Dutch, their laws, their laborious and painful industry, he led me to admire the prodigies that are brought about by neceffity.

"You may be fure I began to conceive a fin. gular affection for him. This is an entertaining young man,' faid I to Odelman, and I have the greatest reafon to fpeak in his favour. It was doubtlefs you that recommended him to fhew me fuch attention.' "Not at all," replied he, "but you are a Frenchman, and he idolizes his country. I am very glad, however, to profit by its lofs, for it has few more fuch to boast of. He is an affemblage of every eftimable quality; fidelity, intelligence, indefatigable application, readinefs in business, an extreme quickness and nicenefs of perception; a fpi it of order which nothing can escape; and above all, an economy--Ah! he is the man, indeed, that knows the value of money."

"The last article of his eulogium was not of my talle; and, in his excufe, I obferved, that it was allowable in the unfortunate to be avaricious.' "Avaricious! he is not fo," replied the Dutchman, "for he is not even covetous. Never, I

am

am well affured, did he defire the wealth of another; he is only careful of his own. But in the management of it he exhibits a parfimony, fo ingenuous and fo refined, that the Dutch themfelves are aftonished at it." · And yet there is nothing,' obferved I, about him, that betrays an interested difpofition. He talked to me about your wealth, and the wealth of Holland; but he talked of them without envy.'

"Oh! no; I told you he was not envious.--He feems to want even that defire of gain which is the very foul of our commerce. I have often propofed to him to adventure the profits of his labour in my fhips." No,' he would fay, I have nothing to risk. The little I poffefs, I cannot do without.' And when he has fometimes given way to my perfuafion, and expofed fmall fums to the dangers of the fea, I have feen him fo much agitated, till the safe return of the veffel, that he has loft his nightly reft. This is exacly the difpofition of the ant. Satisfied with what he can accumulate by labour, he never regrets his not acquiring more; and, preferving in his conomy an air of eafy circumftances, and of dignity, he appears, in refraining from every thing, to be in want of nothing. For inftance, you fee he is decently dreffed. Well, that blue coat, upon

which