Letter I. To a Cousin

He tells her of her husband's death, and gives her spiritual consolations.

28th September, 16 13. My God! how deceitful is this life, Madam, my dearest cousin! and how short its consolations! They appear in a moment, and another moment carries them off: and but for the holy eternity in which all our days end, we should have cause to blame our human condition.

My dearest cousin, know that I write with a heart full of pain, on account of the loss which I have had, but still more on account of the lively sense which I have of the blow which this will be to your heart, when it hears the sad news of your widowhood so early, so unexpected, so lamentable.

If the multitude of those who will share your sorrow could lessen the bitterness of it, you would soon have little left: for no one has known this excellent gentleman but contributes a special sorrow towards the ackowledgment of his merits.

But, my dearest cousin, all this cannot console you till after the strongest feeling has passed away. While this lasts God must sustain your soul and form its refuge and support. Well, this sovereign goodness, without doubt, my dearest cousin, will bow down to you, and will come into your heart, to aid and succour it in this tribulation, if you throw yourself into his arms and resign yourself into his fatherly hands.

It was God, my dearest cousin, who gave you this husband: it is God who has taken him back. He is bound to be pitiful towards you in the griefs which the just affections, given you for your marriage, will henceforth cause you in this privation.

This is, in a word, all that I can say to you. Our nature is so made that we die at an unforeseen moment, and cannot escape this condition: wherefore we must take patience, and use our reason to soften the evil which we cannot avoid; then look at God and his eternity, in which all our losses will be made up, and our union, interrupted by death, will be restored.

May God and your good angel inspire you with every holy consolation, my dearest cousin. I will beg it of his Divine Majesty, and will contribute to the repose of the soul of the dear departed many holy sacrifices: and to your service, my dearest cousin, I sincerely offer you all that is in my power, without reserve. For I am, and wish even more strongly than ever to profess to be, Madam my dearest cousin, your, &c.