Letter XX. To the Venerable Alessandro Luzzago, Brescia

He promises him to recommend him to the Lord, according to his request.

My very illustrious and honoured Lord, — The humble opinion of yourself which has induced your very illustrious Lordship to write me a letter of such confidence as you have done, puts me under an obligation to answer you by deeds, rather than by letters or words; but inasmuch as I have not corresponded to the calls and graces of our Lord God as freely and with as much fruit as was due, I feel myself so inferior to the good opinion and conceit in which you hold me, that it renders me incapable of satisfying you in what, with much humility, you ask of me for yourself and others. Nevertheless, as it is a matter in which we have to deal with One of such perfection as that He not only can make good our imperfections, but can in a moment of an imperfect creature make one perfect in many degrees, for this is the nature of our God, I will accept the burden you impose upon me, and I will oblige myself, as I have always done since I knew you in Rome, to remember both you and your spiritual wants, which, through the abundant light of the goodness and purity granted you by God, you perceive in yourself and on behalf of those souls whom you have

VOL. IL *°' 2 c

402 LETTEKS OF ST. PHILIP NEKI

recommended to me with so much charity and affection. And in doing this I will beseech our Lord Gk)d to look rather on the exceeding humility and faith of those recommended, than upon the person through whom they are recommended, and begging for you from our Lord an increase of His graces, I am always with much affection at the service of your Lordship, and remain, your most illustrious Lordship's servant in the Lord, Philip Neri

Rome, October 26, 1591.¹

Footnotes

1. The Venerable Alessandro Luzzago, a Patrician of Brescia, d. 1602. His memory is still held in veneration in the city and Oratory of Brescia. His process of beatification is being actively promoted. The ter-centenary of his death was celebrated with great solemnity in January 1902 at the church of the Oratory by the " Gircolo Recreativo " of which he is the patron. ↩