Letter XXX. To a Religious Sister of the Visitation (Probably M. de Chastel.)

Mothers should aim at the eternal good of their children. The chief qualification for the religious life is not strength of mind, but innocence and humility.

i^th December 1621.

I HAVE extreme compassion for this good lady. Her disposition is only too good; or at least her good disposition is not sufficiently overcome by the super* natural in her. Alas! these poor temporal mothers do not sufficiently regard their children as works of God, but regard them too much as children of their womb; they do not sufficiently consider them as children of eternal Providence, and souls destined for eternity, but consider them too much as children of temporal bring ing forth, and proper for the service of the temporal commonwealth. Well, if possible, I will write to her now, if I have ever so little leisure.

Since you are now settled in your new house, I have confidence in God that you say: Ah! my soul, fly to the mountain like a sparrow* But you look too closely at your thoughts. What does it matter if your heart receives attacks of your ancient fears about

• Pa. x. I.

LET. xxx.] Later Letters to Visitation. 223 temporal means? Laugh at these fears, and remain firm in the word of our Master: * seek first the kingdom of G-od and his justice, and all these things, necessary for this poor life, shall be added unto you. This is our port of safety: and allow no reflections and no luts about this.

What do you call a great spirit, my dear daughter, and a little spirit? There is no great spirit except that of God, who is so good that he willingly dwells in our little spirits; he loves the spirits of little children, and subjects them to his pleasure better than older spirits. If the lawyer's daughter of whom you write to me is gentle, docile, innocent, and pure, as you tell me, take very good care not to send her away; for in whom dwelleth the Spirit of the Lord if not in the poor and innocent who love and fear his word? t We have here associated sisters of the black veil who do very well: but what does it matter if this one be not associated until she be capable of choir duties? It is for such persons that this rank of sisters has been arranged in the Constitutions.

When sisters have a good heart and a good desire, it matters not if they have not that great ardour of resolution; ardour sometimes comes from the natural disposition of the soul, as sometimes indifference does also; and God well knows how to engraft his grace on both one and the other in the orchards of religion.

But for all such occasions, you have Moses and the Prophets: J you have your very good spiritual father. Hear him, listen to him, and salute him affectionately from me. Live, my dear daughter, with that divine

• Matt. vi. 33. t Is. Ixvi. 2. J Luke xvi. 29.

life, wholly commended into the hands of Our Lord. I am more and more entirely all yours.