Letter 9. To the Abbesse du Puits d’Orbe, on Meditation and Prayer

ON MEDITATION AND PRAYER.

.... Always begin meditation by placing yourself in the Presence of God, invoking Him, and oflfering Him the mystery to be meditated. After the usual considerations always make some affective acts and resolutions; then an act of thanksgiving, of oblation, and prayer. Meditation on the four last things will be useful to you, but, my daughter, I beg that all such meditations may be ended by hope and confidence in God, not by fear and terror — ^in which case they are dangerous. When you have considered the greatness of Eternity and its pains, and have kindled your fear thereof, and have resolved to serve God better, you should turn to the Saviour on the Cross, and, flying to Him with outstretched arms, embrace His Feet “ I am Thine, O save me!” and leave off filled with this affection, thanking our Lord for His Precious Blood; offering It to His Father, and imploring Him to apply It to yourself. But do not fail always to end with hope, otherwise you will not profit by such meditations; and keep it as a perpetual rule that you should never leave off prayer save with confidence — 2 l virtue most needful to win God's favour, and one which He specially honours.

As to your course of prayer through the day, I think I have said enough before. As you rise very early, you should make your meditation, and the exercise which I called “ preparation," the whole not lasting more than three quarters of an hour.... A little before supper, you would find it useful to take a half-quarter of an hour of recollection to go over your morning meditation.....

It is always harmful to sit up late; — ^most women require six hours' sleep at the least, and those who take less axe languid all day.

[66.1 X.