Letter X. To an Abbess (Apparently the Abbess of Port-royal)

Promises of friendship and of help in spiritual matters: it is not necessary to go against our inclinations when they are not sinful.

MADAME — No, I beg you, never be afraid that you will weary me with your letters; for I tell you in real truth that they will always give me a very great pleasure, as long as God grants me the grace of having my heart in his love, or at least desirous of possessing it. So let this be said once for all. It is doubtless true, my very dear mother, that if I had not come into this city you would hardly have been able to communicate with me as to your spiritual affairs; but since it has pleased heavenly Providence that I should be here, there is no difficulty about employing this opportunity, if you think well.

And by no means think that there comes to my mind the thought that you are seeking in me any personal excellence; for although this kind of thought would be very natural to my wretchedness, still as a fact it does not come to me on these occasions; but on the contrary there is nothing perhaps which is more capable of advancing me towards humility, than to see (with wonder) that so many men and women, servants of God, have so great a confidence in so imperfect a spirit as mine is; and I take great courage on this to become such as I am thought to be, and I hope that God giving me the holy friendship of his children will give me his own most holy friendship, according to his mercy, after he has made me do penance suitable to my evilness. But I am almost wrong in saying all this to you; it is, then, that wicked spirit, who, de prived for ever of sacred love, would hinder us from enjoying the fruits of that which the Holy Spirit wants to subsist between us for this purpose, that in holy mutual communications we may have a means of advancing in his heavenly will.

It is difficult, my very dear sister, to find universal minds, which can equally well discern in all matters, nor is it requisite to have such in order to be well guided: and there seems to me no harm in gathering from several flowers the honey which cannot be found in one alone.

Yes; but, you will tell me, meantime I keep cleverly favouring my inclinations and humours. My dear sister, I do not see that there is great danger in that, since you do not follow your inclinations unless they are approved of; and though you seek favourable judges, still at the same time you cannot do wrong in following their opinions, although desired by you, provided that for the rest you sincerely expose your case and the difficulties which you have. It is enough, my very dear sister, to let oneself be guided by counsels, and it is not so necessary or expedient to desire them to be contrary to our inclinations; we have only to wish them to conform to heavenly law and doctrine. For my part, I think that we ought not to summon bitter nesses into our heart as Our Lord did, for we cannot govern them as he did; it is enough that we suffer them patiently. For which reason it is not required that we always go against our inclinations, when they are not bad, but have been examined and found good.

LET. xii.] Purther Letters Outside Visitation. 295

It is no great harm to listen to persons of the world, or to hear about worldly affairs, when it is to make them good; and you must not be punctilious in the examination which you make as to this; for it is a thing morally impossible to keep long at the exact point of moderation. But, my very dear sister, I would not have you fail in prayer, at least for half an hour, unless for pressing occasions, or when bodily infirmity prevents you.

For the rest, I beg you to believe that nothing will hinder me from having the satisfaction of seeing you again except impossibility; and I will take all the leisure you may desire: so true is it that I extremely desire your satisfaction, and that God has given me a singular affection for your heart, which may his divine Majesty crown with his blessings. Then therefore will we talk at will of your conduct, and of all that you will please to propose to me, and I will not excuse myself in any thing, except when I shall not have the light required to answer you. Remain then always God's, and in him I will be for ever, my very dear sister, without reserve and with my whole soul, your very humble, &c.