Letter I

Monsieur de Boisy, Count de Sales, to his Son St. Francis de Sales.

1595- I cannot but praise your zeal,* my son; but I do uot see that it can end in any good. You have already done more than was needed. The most sensible and the most prudent people say loudly that your perseverance is turning into a foolish obstinacy, and that it is tempting God to make a longer trial of your strength, and, in fine, that it is necessary to force these people to receive the faith simply by the cannon's mouth. For which reason I conjure you to allay, as soon as you possibly can, our disquiets and alarms, and to return to your family which ardently desires you, and above all to your mother, who is dying of grief at not seeing you, and of fear to lose you * In his missionary work for the Chablais.

altogether. But if my prayers are of no avail, I order you, in my quality of father, to return hither immediately.