Letter VI. To the Same

Further instructions on the same subjects. Announces the death of (Ven.) Ancina, and the intention of the Saint's mother to send her youngest daughter to be educated at Puits d'Orbe.

MADAME, MY VERY DEAR SISTER AND DAUGHTER IN OUR LORD — I want to mention some points to you privately, and I wish you to keep them to yourself.

I beg you by the words of our Lord to believe, without any doubt whatever, that I am entirely and irrevocably at the service of your soul, and that I will apply myself therein to the whole extent of my powers, with all the fidelity that you could ever wish. God wills it, as I know full well; more I could not say. On this good foundation I will employ my spirit and my prayers in thinking out all that will be useful and necessary for making a thorough reformation of all your monastery; only have a great courage, full of hope. This is all we need at present; for you will undoubtedly be attacked; but with a spirit of gentle bravery we shall achieve this good design, God helping. And for the present you must firmly establish the interior of your hearts, your own above all, for this is the true and solid method; and after some time we will establish the exterior to the edification of many souls. Be sure that I will think of this in good earnest. As to your desire to make your vows again in my hands, and to give me a writing to this effect,

LET. vn.] Previous to Founding of Visitation. 53 since you think this will give you so much repose, I am willing, provided that you add to the writing this condition, in that part where you speak of me — " saving the authority of lawful superiors " — and you must not let anything of this be known.

I am writing to your and my honoured father a letter calculated, in my opinion, to gain over his spirit to our design, which I am not making out to him so great as it is, because it would turn him against it to propose it all at once, whereas little by little he will undoubtedly approve it. I use some liberty about you in that letter, but you well know that all this is for nothing but the glory of God and your advantage, which alone I regard herein. I know that you hold me too much yours to interpret anything coming from me otherwise than as well and kindly meant.

We must have patience over his wanting his opinions to be followed, for he does all in excess of loving-kindness; and I hope that in the way that I am writing we shall greatly gain him over. I am writing a word to madame your sister, whom I cannot help loving extremely, being what she is. Your honoured father seems to desire it, by the letter which he has written to me.

I am much afraid that the writing of the Meditation is so badly done that you will not be able to read it. You must please take the trouble to get it copied out clearly, so as to be able to use it with more fruit. I was so much indisposed when I had it written that I could not use my hand to write it, and contented my self with dictating it.

There is no human likelihood that I shall ever have the consolation of seeing Puits d'Orbe; but the great desire with which I am moved towards your spiritual service makes me hope that Our Lord will conduct me thither by his Providence when the time requires, if my poor co-operation is required for your good design.

Persevere in having reading at table, and likewise sometimes in your room in company with your sisters. You must, little by little, dispose the matter of the entire reformation; and the chiefest preparation is to render hearts gentle, tractable, and desirous of perfection.

Take advantage of the help of the good Father de Yillars, who writes to me. in answer to the note which I gave you at Saint-Claude, that he will take particular pains to help you. You will do well to keep to the devout practices which I have given you, and not to vary them without letting me know. God will be pleased with your humility towards me, and will make them fruitful to you.

My Lord the Bishop of Saluces [Ancina] has lately died. He was one of the greatest servants of God there has been in this age, and one of my most intimate friends: he was made bishop the same day as myself. I ask you for a Eosary for him; for I know that if I had died before him he would have done me the like charity wherever he had credit.. If I had had time to myself I would have written to you in better order; but all that I am writing is only in morsels, according to the leisure I can get. Believe that I greatly need your prayers.

The books which you might have for the present are: Platus On the Excellence of the Religious State; The Gerson of Religious, by Luce Pinel; Paul Morigie

LET. VIL] Previous to Founding of Visitation. 5 5

On the, Institution and Commencement of Religious Orders; the works of Granada, newly printed at Paris; Bellintani On Mental Prayer; the Meditations of Capiglia, a Carthusian; those of St. Bonaventure; The Desiring Soul; the works of Francis Arias, and particularly The Imitation of Our Lady; the works of the Mother [St.] Teresa; the Spiritual Catechism of Cacciaguerra, and his other works. This, or a part of it, will suffice you, with those which I know you have already. May God, our dear sister, be your guide, protector, and preserver, your aim and your confidence. Amen. — Yours, &c.

Madame, I was almost forgetting to tell you that my mother and I have formed the plan of sending to you, after this next winter, my young sister, whom you saw at Saint-Claude, with the intention that, if God favour her with the inspiration of being a religious, she may be so in due time, with your favour and help; and too happy will she be to arrive in this house at the same time that devotion will be kindled there. Or, if she be not worthy of this place, nor I of this satisfaction, at least she will have this happiness, wherever she may go, of having been in so good a place. And it will all be, with God's help, without any inconvenience to any one save what may arise from her own disposition. See, madame my dear sister, whether or no we want to bind ourselves strongly to your service. I say it without ceremony.