14. To Adelide

To the Lady Adelide, honoured for the nobility of her royal birth, but more noble by the power of her virtuous life, brother Anselm: may your earthly rank be so adorned with the adornment of virtues that you may attain to union with the King of kings in eternal felicity.

As to the garlands of psalms which your highness deigned to require of me, my lowliness, though faithful to you, could not carry out your request either more quickly or any better. For my obedience seconded your command the more devotedly that that command proceeded from holy devotion. Which devotion I wish and pray that Almighty God will so preserve and nourish for us as that He may refresh your mind on earth by His tenderest love, and in heaven by the blissful vision of Him. The small and worthless gift which my poor littleness sends to you let not your rich nobility despise. If, indeed, it is not encrusted with gold and gems, it is most certainly entirely composed with loving fidelity and given with faithful love. After the garland of psalms are added seven prayers, of which the first is not so much to be called a prayer as a meditation, wherein the soul of the sinner briefly contemplates itself; and contem plating despises, and despising humbles, humbling agitates itself with fear 01 the last judgment, and being thoroughly agitated, breaks forth into groans and tears. But among the prayers of holy Stephen and Mary Magdalene there are some which, if they are said in the inmost heart, when it is at leisure, rather tend to arouse love. But with all seven I, the servant and friend of your soul, exhort you to take heed, however well you may do it, with what humility and with what a feeling of fear and love the sacrifice of prayer should be offered. Farewell; both now and always farewell in God, and keep the little book sent as an earnest of my fidelity before God and of my prayers, such as they are. I will mention at the end of my letter that which the whole letter is meant to inculcate. All which will have to be left, despise, even while you have it, with an uplifted mind; and that alone which can blessedly be kept for ever, strive for with humble mind so long as you have it not. That of which I desire to convince you, I pray the Holy Spirit to convince you of, when I say for the third time, Farewell.