Letter XIII. To Madame de Cornillon, his Sister

The Saint consoles her on the death of M. the Baron de Thorens, their brother.

After 27^ May, 161 7.

O God! my poor dearest sister, how troubled I am for the pain which your heart will suffer in the decease of this poor brother, who was so dear to all of us! But there is no cure: we must stay our wills in that of God, who, if we well consider everything, has greatly favoured this poor deceased, in having taken him away from an age and a vocation in which there is so much danger of damnation.

As for me, my dear child, I have wept more than once on this occasion; for I tenderly loved this brother, and could not help having the feeliDgs of pain which nature caused me. But now I am quite firm and comforted, having learnt how devoutly he departed in the arms of our Barnabite Father, and of our Chevalier * after having made his general Confession, been reconciled three times, received Communion and Extreme Unction very piously.

What better can we wish him according to the soul? And according to the body, he has been assisted so far that nothing has been wanting to him.

Monseigneur the Cardinal- Prince, and Madame,

• Janus de Sales, Knight of Malta.

the Princess, sent to visit him, and the ladies of the Court sent him presents of things to eat, and in fine Monseigneur the Cardinal, after his departure, sent twelve torches, with the arms of His Highness, to honour his funeral.

May God then be for ever blessed, for the care he has taken to gather this soul in amongst his elect: for, after all, what else can we aim at.

It cannot be expressed what virtue the poor little widow has shown on this occasion! We shall keep her here (at the Visitation) some days longer, until she is entirely restored. Never was man more generally regretted than this one. So then, my dearest child, let us console our hearts the best way we can, and think good all it has pleased God to do: for, indeed, all he has done is very good.

I make this letter common to my dearest brother (in-law) and you, in the hope of seeing you soon. May God for ever bless your heart, my dearest sister, my child, and I am without end most perfectly all yours, and your, &c.