The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-08 00:00:00

1-nidshipmen,and other;Junior lieutenants and,
of the age of romance, always.make it a point*to
visit these tombs as soon as possible after their
arrival: if they can only get on shore_ for a feri`
hours, they hire or borrow horses, and prO4ed
with all haste to the interesting scene. On
reaching the spot to which they are directed
they enter a pretty garden, laid • out with great
care, and are conducted along a walk bordered
with bushes, bearing a profusion of roses, and
having a stream of the clearest water flowing on
each side : at the end of this walk the visiter sees •
a red glaring monument, which be is told is the
tomb of Virginia ; at the termination of
avenue, on the opposite side of the garden, ap;
pears another monument, exactly resembling the
first,• which is designated the tomb of Paul : a
grove of bamboos surrounds each. The traveller
Feels disappointed on beholding these red masses,
instead of elegant monuments of Pariah marble;
which would seem alone worth& of such a ptir:,
pose and such a situation ; but that is not the
only disappointment destined to be experienced
by him ; after having allowed his imagination to
depict the shades of Paul and Virginia hovering
about the spot where their remains repose--,t4.fut
having pleased himself with the idea that he I:lki
seen those celebrated tombs, and given a sigh to •
the memory of those faithful lovers, separated in
life, but in death united—after all this waste of
sympathy, he learns at last that he has been tinder
a delusion the whole time—that no Virginia,
was there interred, and that it is a ttlAitei of
doubt whether there ever existed such a persoil
as Paul ! What a pleasing illusion is then
•dis-
pelled ! How many romantic dreams, inspired
by the perusal of St. Pierre's talc, are doomed to
vanish when the truth is ascertained ! • The fact
is, that these tombs have been built to gtatity
the eager desire which the English haVe atwayn
evinced to behold such interesting mementos
formerly only one was erected, but the pro-
prietor of the place, finding that -all the
English visiters, on being conducted to this,
as the tomb of Virginia, always asked to ttt that
of Paul also, determined on building a simitaf
one, to which he gave that appellation. Many •
have been the visiters who have been gratified,
consequently, by the conviction that they had
• looked on the actual burial-place of that unfor-

tunate pair. These " tombs" are scribbled ovet
with the nattes of the various persons who have
visited them, together with verses and pathetic .
ejaculations, and sentimental remarks. St.
Pierre's story of the lovers is very prettily written,
and his description of the scenic beauties of tI!R
island are correct, although not even his pen can
do full justice to them ; but there is little truth
in the tale. It is said that there was indeed. a
young lady sent from the Mauritius to France,
for education, during the time that Monsieur de
la Bourdonnais was Governor of the colony, that
her name was Virginia, and that she was ship-
wrecked in the St. Geran. I heard somethinq
of a young man being attached to her, and dying-.
of grief for her loss ; but that part of the story
is very doubtful. The " Bay of the Tomb,"
• " the Point of Endeavour," the " Isle of
Amber," and the " Cape of Misfortune," still
bear the same names, and are pointed out as the
memorable spots mentioned by St. Pierre.—
Recollections of the Mauritius.