Letter I. To Madame de Chantal

On the Feast of our Lord's Nativity.

May the great and little infant of Bethlehem be for ever the darling and the love of our hearts, my dearest mother, my child! Ah! how lovely he is, this dear baby. I seem to see Solomon on his grand throne of ivory, gilded and worked, which had no equal in the kingdoms, as the Scripture says; and this King had no equal in glory and in magnificence. But I love a hundred times better to see this dear little babeling (enfangon) in the crib, than to see all kings on their thrones.

But if I see him on the knees of his sacred mother, or in her arms, having his tiny mouth (bouchette) like a little rosebud, attached to the lilies of her holy breasts, — O God! I find him more magnificent on this throne, not only than Solomon on his of ivory, but more even than ever this eternal Son of the

Father was in heaven, for if indeed heaven is more glorious in visible being, the holy Virgin has more of invisible virtues and perfections; and a drop of milk which flows virginally from her sacred breasts is worth more than all the affluences of the heavens. May the great St. Joseph impart to us of his consolation, the sovereign mother of her love, and the child deign to pour his merits into our hearts for ever.

I pray you, repose as quietly as you can near this little child: he will not cease loving your well-beloved heart, as it is, without tenderness and without feeling. See you not that he accepts the breath of this great ox, and of this ass, which have no sentiment nor any movement of love whatever j how will he not receive the inspirations of our poor heart, which, though not tenderly at present, still solidly and firmly, sacrifices itself at his feet, to be for ever the faithful servant of his heart, and of that of his holy Mother, and of the great governor of the little King.

My dearest mother, this is the truth, I have quite a special light which makes me see that the unity of our hearts is a work of this grand uniter, and hence I desire for the future not only to love, but to cherish and honour this unity as sacred.

May the joy and consolation of the Son and the Mother, be for ever the gladness of our soul! I come from preaching all clothed by the hand of my loving and amiable mother, and I have been very delighted* Ah! my dearest mother has covered me all over with

Jesus, Maria* May this sweet Jesus and this sacred Mary long preserve her to me, and all the nuptial vestment of our heart! Amen. Your, &c.