To the Ever-Virgin and Immaculate Mother of God, Mary

My most holy Queen, since I am about to publish this poor little book of mine, which treats of love for your Son, I could think of no one better to dedicate it to than you, my dearest Mother, who among all creatures are his first lover. With this small tribute that I present to you, written by me for the sole purpose of making souls fall more deeply in love with Jesus Christ, I believe I shall greatly please your heart, which so desires to see him loved by all as he deserves. To you, then, such as it is, I consecrate it; and do you accept it and protect it, not so that I may receive praise from men, but that those who read it may henceforth correspond with greater reverence and affection to the tender and exceeding love that our most sweet Savior wished to show us in his Passion and in the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. I place it meanwhile at your feet, and I beg you to accept as your own both the gift and the giver, who has long placed all his hopes in you, and wishes and hopes always to call himself and to be, happy in you, most gracious Lady,

Your most loving, though most unworthy servant,

ALPHONSUS DE LIGUORI

OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MOST HOLY REDEEMER