Letter IX. To the Same

What assistance children who are masters of their fortune and who have a family owe to their parents.

nth Mayy 1621.

Madame, — It is in the presence of God that I write you this letter, since it is to tell you what you ought to do for his greater glory in the matters you have written about. After invoking, then, his Holy Spirit, I say that I see no just occasion in all you have told me, or your mother has told me, for breaking through the vow of chastity which you have made to God.

1. The keeping up of families is not a considerable cause, except for princes, when their posterity is required for the public weal; and even if you were a princess, or he that wants you a prince, it could be said to you: be satisfied with the posterity you have; and to him: get posterity by another princess. In a word, the Holy Spirit has caused it to be distinctly declared that no price is worthy of a continent soul* Remain then so, since God has inspired you the will and graciously gives the power. This great God will

• Ecclus. xxvi. 20.

bless your vow, your soul, aud your body, consecrated to his name.

2. It is quite true that you are not at all obligecj in justice to assist with your means the estate of your father, siuce by the law of the State your and your children's property is quite separate from that of your father, and he is in no actual necessity; and particularly since you have not really received any part of your dowry, which was promised only and not paid.

3. On the contrary, if it is true that without preventing your father's ruin you would ruin your children and their property, and yourself, if you took up the charges on his estate, you are obliged, at least by charity, not to do it; for what is the use of ruining one family without saving another, and applying a remedy to an irremediable evil, at your children's expense? If, then, you know that your help will be useless to the relief of your father, you are obliged not to give it, to the prejudice of your children.

4. But, Madame, if you can help him without injuring your children, as it seems, apparently, you can, since you are an only child; and as all you can save from being sold will come at last to your children, your father and mother being unable to have other heirs, then I think you ought to do it, for it would be only letting go your property with one hand, and taking it back with the other.

5. And even if you should straiten your circumstances in order to content Madame your mother, provided that it is not with too much loss to your children, it would seem to me you ought even to do it for the respect and love you are obliged to bear her.

6. As for the rest, I think it would be more for your peace, and in accordance with the vow you have made of perpetual purity, to live apart, in your little way, on the condition that you often see your mother. Indeed, if I understand her letter right, she would not be grieved if you even became a religious, so long as you enabled her by your means to keep possession of the family property.

And in truth, as I am unwilling to counsel a second marriage, and unable to encourage the disposition which I see in this lady to live in grand style, and keep the house open for every kind of proper social amusement, I think it will be better for you to live apart; for there is nothing like separation of dwellings to preserve union of hearts between those of opposite (although good) characters and aims. This is my opinion, Madame, on the knowledge I have of the state of your affairs. Oh! if it had pleased God that I should have seen you at Lyons, what a consolation for me, and how much more certainly and clearly I should have been able to explain to you my ideas! But since it has not been so, I will wait to receive your reply, in case you may think I have failed to under, stand the matter you have proposed to me, and I will try to repair my defects. And I beg you, Madame, not to form any idea which may take away the liberty of writing to me, since I am and shall be entirely and without reserve your very humble and very affectionate servant, who wishes you the highest of the graces of our Lord, and above all a continual progress in the most holy sweetness of charity, and the sacred humility of the most amiable Christian simplicity. I cannot prevent myself saying that I found what you said in your letter very sweet — namely, that your house is a common one and no better; for this is delightful in an age when the children of the world make such a great noise about their houses, their names, and their descent. Live always so, my dearest child, and glory only in the cross of our Lord, by which the world is crucified to you and you to the world. Amen. I call myself henceforth with all my heart, Madame, your, &c.