Letter VI. To the Same

He informs her that he is going to visit his diocese; he congratulates her on her love for sicknesses; he promises to write often.

My dearest Child, — I have your letter of the 6th June, and I am just now getting on horseback for the Visitation, which will last five months; judge for yourself whether I am ready to go into Burgundy, for my dear child, this act of visitation is a necessary one for me, and one of the chief of my charge. I start with great courage, and from this morning I have felt a particular consolation in undertaking it, though before, during several days, I had had a thousand vain apprehensions and sadnesses about it. These, however, only affected the skin of my heart, and not the interior; it was like those little shiverings which come at the first feeling of cold. But, as I have said to you many times, our good God treats me as a very delicate child, for he exposes me to no rude shock. He knows my weakness, and that I am not one to stand such great trials. I tell you in this way my little affairs, because it does me much good. Oh! how I congratulate you for truly loving your tertian fever; for my part I figure to myself that if we had our sense of smell but a little refined, we should smell our afflictions all bemusked, and perfumed with a thousand sweet odours; for although of themselves they are of unpleasant smell, still, coming out of the hand, — nay, rather out of the bosom and heart of the Spouse, who is but perfume and balm itself, — they reach us the same, full of all sweetness. Keep, my dear child, keep your heart very large before God; walk ever joyously in his presence, he loves us, he cherishes us, he is all ours, this sweet Jesus. Let us be all his, let us only love him, only cherish him, and then, let darkness, let tempests surround us, let us have the waters of bitterness up to our chin, so long as he holds our garments there is nought to fear. I will often write to you, my dear child, and a thousand times I will bless you with the benedictions which God has given to me. Live joyous, whether in health or sickness, and clasp tightly your Spouse on your heart. My dear child, my dearest child, to whom I am what his divine majesty wills me to be, and which cannot be said. Vive Jesus, for ever! Amen.