Letter XVII. To Mother de Bre"chard, Superioress of the Visitation at Moulins

How she is to act in the difficulties which arose over the foun dation at Nevers; the most painful unkindness is the unldndness of good people and friends; we must will God only.

I DID not suspect that this difficulty would ever arise over the foundation of Nevers, my very dear daughter — what reason is there for it? A young person is at Moulins; therefore she and her means must stay there. But those who make the difficulty are so worthy of great respect, and have so much claim on your house and on all the Congregation, and have so much holy

• The monastery at Grenoble was on the top of a hill. [Tr.]

LET. xvii. ] Later Letters to Visitation. 201 zeal and piety, that although it is not in strictness very serious, we must, I think, let it be valid to some extent, according to the advice of the Rev. Father Hector, who, as Mile, du Tertre writes to me, thinks that half will suffice to begin the foundation, and the other half to satisfy properly the house at Moulins.

There remains the difficulty of your person and that of this dear daughter; for I see also the strong desire which M. le Marechal and his lady have that you, and she as well, should stay at Moulins. And I must own that this affair is regarded in such a spirit that I am fearful of speaking my mind; yet I do it, and I say that it would be well for you, who have been acting and who are known, to take Sister P. Jerome to Nevers, and establish her there as well as you can in a stay of a month or two: and when I say that you should go I mean to speak also of Mile, du Tertre, my daughter, whom I know to be inseparable from you.

Now, I am supposing that these gentlemen will put confidence in your plighted promise to return infallibly and bring back Mile, du Tertre with you; but if they will not, you must send Sister P. Jerome with two or three whom she may choose, and do the best that can be done, provided that the division is made in writing: for Sister P. Jerome has courage and capacity enough, by God's grace, for succeeding in this enterprise.

I assure you, my dear daughter, that this difficulty has not troubled me except for the pain which I know you have had from it, concerning which I needs must ask you just to read the chapter on patience in Philothea, where you will see that the sting of honey bees is more painful than that of other insects. The

attacks of friends on our liberty are inexpressibly grievous; but, after all, we must tolerate them, then bear them, and finally love them as dear contradic tions.

Undoubtedly, we must will only God, absolutely, invariably, inviolably; but the means of serving him we must only will quietly and lightly, so that if we are hindered in the employment of them we may not be greatly disturbed. We must will little, and with little will, all that is not God. So then, take courage; if the Father Rector and I are trusted, as I said above, all will only go the better for this. Do you remember the foundation of this monastery here? It was made, like the world, out of nothing at all, and now 1 6,OOO ducats * have been spent in buildings, and not one single sister furnished a thousand except my Sister Favre.

Nevers will be a blessed house, and its foundation firm and solid, since it has been troubled. But if by good hap these gentlemen of Moulin s will not consent to the terms which the Father Rector and I think right, what should be done? I cannot really imagine it, but in case it were so, you would have to take good care of Sister P. Jerome and her company, and let our Mother know, who perhaps has some other foundation on her hands where she could be employed. Other wise she must be sent back to us when the weather is a little more favourable.

And in all events it behoves to remain at peace in the will of God, for which ours is made. I salute with all my heart this dear Sister P. Jerome, and Sister

Franchise- Jacqueline, and all our dear sisters. At last,

• About ^5000. [Tr.] '

LET. xvin.] Later Letters to Visitation. 203 blessed are they who do not their own will on earth, for God will do it in Heaven above. I am totally yours, my dearest daughter, and wish you a thousand benedictions. Salute, I beg you, the Reverend Father Rector.