Letter. To M. Noé Brulart, Commander de Sillery

at Pans. Annecy, 17 February, 1632.

Vive > Jésus!

Sir,—You have written to me with marks of respect far beyond my deserts. Even the title of Mother is more honourable than suitable coming from you, Sir, whose birth and dignity make it a privilege to be your very humble servant. But I see plainly by the gracious frankness of your tone that you mean to set aside worldly etiquette and, as a true servant of God and a partaker, too, of the pure and simple spirit of our Blessed Father, you wish, in this wise, to treat with me. I cannot but admire how ingenuously his spirit breaks forth throughout your letter. To see the degree to which you, Sir, living in the world and occupied with public affairs, have acquired it, consoles me and makes me praise and thank our good God and beseech of Him to bestow it upon you in its fullness; for I regard it as one of the most precious gifts of the divine mercy. And, Sir, considering the grace God has conferred on me and the genuine kindness with which our true Father disclosed to me his heart, I candidly confess I ought to possess this treasure and to be adorned with it as you believe me to be.

’ The Bishop of Bourges was one of the postulators of the cause of beatification of St. Francis de Sales.

But alas! I must own, to my shame, so great has been my misery, that it seems to me I content myself with admiring and desiring the solid virtue which I saw in this great Saint without seriously applying myself, as one must needs do, to acquire it as he taught me. I say this witha sorrowful heart, but, as far as I know myself, with absolute truth. And I tell it to you, Sir, so that you may not esteem me better than I am, and that, in pursuance of the teaching of our Blessed Father, you will, nevertheless, continue to give me your affection and to accept me in the honourable association you desire to have with the daughters of the Visitation. For, even now, still holding to the doctrine of this great Father, I resolve and intend to begin seriously to practise more faithfully his gentle teaching, to which I am assuredly encouraged by the immense love and veneration God has given you for his spirit.

It is out of place, Sir, in me to speak thus to you, but I feel myself drawn to confide in you with all simplicity as if I had the honour of knowing you personally and quite intimately. You have opened my heart by the kindness, frankness, and trustfulness with which you have been pleased to speak to me, and, had I the capacity, I believe I could tell you wonderful things, grateful to your humility and devotion; but being an illiterate woman, I do not know what to say to you, Sir. Moreover, when our good God speaks Himself to the hearts of His servants, the creature must hold her tongue. I perceive that His divine light enlightens you and that the heat of His holy love animates you. What remains then, as our Blessed Father used to say, but to humble ourselves profoundly under God’s holy hand, to let ourselves be led by it in the ways and according to the ways of His good pleasure, to correspond to His grace by fidelity to the guidance of Providence as it affords us opportunities, and never in any way to resist whatsoever it will please Him to do in us. Our Blessed Father valued beyond measure these practices and faithfully observed them. His writings, which you read with so much care and love, are full of this doctrine. You will find in them, I am persuaded, all the consolation and instruction you need. The respect and the unparalleled devotedness which I feel for your soul will never allow me to forget you, Sir, before the divine Majesty. I will continually pray Him to preserve the virtue with which His goodness has endowed it and to perfect it according to His eternal designs, that you may enjoy to the full in eternity His never-ending blessedness after having long and efficaciously served Him and increased His sovereign glory in this life.

My soul with all its affections will ever desire this for you; for this I have prayed in the Holy Communion which I made for your intention. Do not doubt, Sir, that I am yours wholly in the divine Saviour, and that I will faithfully keep your secret as your goodness and trustfulness merit. I see from the terms in which Sister Favre writes to you that your virtue and piety have mastered her heart and given you all authority over her; nevertheless, since you wish it, I am writing to her about you.

[Several words illegible.| 1 consider them most happy in being able to communicate with you in the frank and simple spirit of our Blessed Father, and in giving you some little satisfaction by corresponding according to our lowliness with the nobleness of your affectionate, honourable, and useful benevolence, which I value beyond words. From this time forth we shall always revere and cherish you as our good Father and dear Sezgneury, and in this quality I remain with all respect and affection, etc.

Please excuse the scribbling of this letter; your kindness emboldens me to send it.