Paul and Virginia (1788) is a novel by Bernardin de St. Pierre.
Inspired by his experiences in Mauritius as a young man, the novel was
written for children and adults alike. In its depiction of an ideal
lifestyle on an island where equality and harmony reign, Paul and
Virginia is a sharp critique of social conditions in pre-Revolutionary
France. It is also a fascinating, albeit problematic artifact of the
colonial era, arguing for emancipation while suggesting that slaves
could live happily and with dignity under the right conditions. Beloved
by such figures as Thomas Carlyle, Honoré de Balzac, and Alexander von
Humboldt, the once-popular novel is largely unknown to modern readers.
"On the eastern coast of the mountain which rises above Port Louis in
the Mauritius, upon a piece of land bearing the marks of former
cultivation, are seen the ruins of two small cottages. Those ruins are
situated near the centre of a valley, formed by immense rocks, and which
opens only towards the north. On the left rises the mountain, called the
Height of Discovery, from whence the eye marks the distant sail when it
first touches the verge of the horizon, and whence the signal is given
when a vessel approaches the island." On the beautiful island of
Mauritius, Paul and Virginia lead a simple lifestyle in harmony with
nature. Slaveowners, they aspire to treat their slaves with as much
dignity and respect as possible, much to the chagrin of their more
traditional neighbors. Despite their peaceful ways, the pressures of
modern commerce threaten to destroy the utopian existence they've built
for themselves in a valley not unlike paradise. With a beautifully
designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of
Bernardin de St. Pierre's Paul and Virginia is a classic work of
French literature reimagined for modern readers.
