Letter XI. To the Same (The Abbess of Purrs D'orbe)

The Saint's extreme solicitude for her, and for the success of her efforts to reform her Abbey.

About i6o7.t

MY VERY DEAR DAUGHTER — I am impatiently expect ing better news of your health than I have received t The French says, " December 1608." [Tr.]

LET. xii.] Previous to Founding of Visitation. 77 up to the present; it will be when Oar Lord pleases, of whom I earnestly ask it, believing that it will be employed to his glory and to the advance and perfection of the work begun in your monastery.

I am always in trouble to know whether you have not yet found some person proper for the guidance of ihis flock of souls, who otherwise doubtless cannot be without much disturbance and disquiet, which are the plants which grow readily in ill-cultivated monas teries, and principally in those of women. But before all, I should greatly like to understand what progress you hope for the enclosure, whether it will be possible to keep the door shut to men, at least in that moderate way which I wrote to you about, which was only too easy, I think, and such as your respected father could not find objectionable. Certainly you must work very quietly, my dear daughter, but very earnestly; for on this depends the good order of all the rest.

Courage, my dear daughter; I know how many troubles, how many contradictions there are in such affairs, but it is because they are great and full of fruit. Take care of your health, that it may serve you to serve God. Be painstaking, but keep from eager solicitude. Present to God your little co-operation, and be certain that he will accept it and will bless it with his holy hand. Adieu, my dear daughter; I beseech his holy goodness to help you always, and I am extremely, and with all my heart, all yours, and more than yours.

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