a firm confidence that everything will work together for good to those that love God.

And now, dearest child-sister, keep your heart well in hand, beware of over-eagerness, put all your confidence in our Dear Lord. Be certain that Heaven and earth will pass away rather than He fail you, so long as you are His obedient child, or while you seek to obey Him. Examine yourself two or three times during the course of the day, as to whether your heart is disturbed by anything, and if you find that it is not at rest, strive at once to put it right.

Adieu, my dearest child. May God ever be in the midst of your heart. Amen.

You do well truly to realise how good God is to you, and to appreciate His Fatherly solicitude for you, now that you have no time for meditation, and yet find Him so frequently present within your heart, strengthening you with His Sacred Gifts. Be ever faithful to the Heavenly Bridegroom of your soul, and you will find out more and more the thousandfold ways in which His Love for you takes shape.

Indeed, dear cousin, I am no ways surprised if, as

God enables you to taste the sweetness of His Presence, you gradually grow more and more disgusted with the world. Doubtless, my child, nothing makes wormwood so bitter to us as having eaten honey; and when we have tasted heavenly delights it is scarcely possible that worldly pleasures should give us any satisfaction. Who can really weigh the Goodness, the Power, the Eternity of God, and then cling fondly to the miserable vanities of this life? Undoubtedly we must bear with and tolerate this world's vanities, but we must strive to fix our own affections on our Dear Lord's truth alone. I thank Him that through it He has led you to despise these earthly follies.

Alas! yes, dear cousin, poor Madame de Moiron is dead! We little thought how it would be last Lent. And we too shall die some day, we know not when. Ah, dear child, how happy we shall be if, when we come to die, our Gracious Lord is found dwelling in our heart. To that end we must strive ever to keep Him there, with many desires, resolutions, protestations, and holy exercises. A thousand times better is it to die with our Dear Lord than to live without Him. Let us live cheerfully and bravely in Him and for Him, and not shrink from death. I do not say let us not fear it at all, but let us not be greatly disturbed at the thought. If we have a share in our Lord's Death, our own will be blessed. And to that end let us think often of His

Death; let us cleave to His Cross and Passion. Yes, dearest child, when we watch our friends depart, let us weep gently for them, with a peaceful sorrow-free from impatience, and let us turn their departure into a quiet happy preparation for our own. . . .

I RETURN your book corrected, my dear child; may it be as useful to you as I wish it to be. No doubt it is well to make and remake our resolutions concerning union with God, until we attain to it. But I would not have you led by your fervour to wish in this way for temptations or occasions of mortification. God's Grace you are not without them already, and there is no need for you to seek more; strive rather to prepare your heart to receive all such trials, not as you might choose, but when and how God wills to send them.

By

There is no harm in a certain satisfaction and gratitude to Divine Grace, when we are successful in our undertakings, provided we keep tight hold of humility the while. As to those matters which concern your household rather than yourself, you must attend duly to them, with one condition :-that of waiting pa

tiently for whatever issue it may please God to send. But as to your complaints that you are miserable and unfortunate, indeed, my dearest child, you must absolutely abstain from all such; they are both unbecoming in a servant of God, and they indicate too great depression of heart; they are more signs of anger than of impatience.

Now, my dearest child, I would have you make a special practice of meekness and of acquiescence in God's Will, not merely as regards extraordinary matters, but chiefly in respect of these little daily vexations. Prepare yourself for them in the morning and in the afternoon, before and after supper, and at night, and make this your special point of attention for a time. But let it all be done with a quiet, cheerful spirit, and if you fail, humble yourself, and begin

anew.

It is well to aspire generally towards the uttermost perfection of Christian life, but it is not well to speculate too much concerning details; strive to amend and advance in the occurrences of daily life, leaving the fulfilment of your aspirations to God, and trusting absolutely to Him, as a little child who takes the food his father gives him day by day, trusting to him to go on supplying all that he may require as time goes on. You will see what I have said in your book about your temptations to envy.

Since you find so much benefit from Communion, be constant therein, with a fervent spirit and a pure conscience. Always be cheerful amid your temptations. Do not seek any other penance at present, but endeavour to attain a spirit of gentleness and true patience towards your neighbour, visit the sick, and be of good cheer.

[760.]

...

I am, most heartily yours, &c.

CXXVI.

TO A LADY. ON THE DEATH OF HER SISTER.

WELL, my dearest child, they have just told me that your dear sister is gone, leaving us here below with our natural grief, the grief which must come upon those who are left behind in such separations. God knows, my dearest child, I have no mind to bid you not weep ;-No indeed, it is but right and reasonable that you should weep a little-only a little, dear child,—through the true love you bore her, even as our Dear Master wept a little over His friend Lazarus; but not to excess, as they are wont to do who, fixing all their thoughts upon this miserable life, forget that we too are hastening towards that eternity where we hope to rejoin our blessed dead, never more to part. We cannot hinder our poor earthly hearts from feeling earthly sorrow in the separation from those who were