,this file was produced from images     
generously made available by the        
,canadian ,institute for ,historical    
,microreproductions4     ,,serious      
,,hours  ,,of  ,a ,,young ,,lady1  ,,by 
,,charles ,,sainte ,,foi4  ,translated  
from the ,french  ,,by ,,philaletes     
,,preface4   ,a celebrated author has   
justly remarked that ,christian women   
can1 like the guardian angels1 invisibly
 govern the world2 and the author of the
 ,serious ,hours of a ,young ,lady has  
very appropriately made this truth the  
basis of his book1 since the object that
 he had in view in writing it was to    
point out the important role that woman 
plays in society1 and to give the young 
girl such instructions as will enable   
her1 in due time1 to discharge1 in a    
worthy manner1 the duties of her        
calling4 ,in doing this he has given    
evidence of very elevated views and of a
 profound knowledge of the human heart4 
,the book is a tissue of practical      
counsels1 couched in the clearest and   

most delicate terms4  ,hence1 judging   
from its intrinsic worth1 and the       
universal welcome with which it has been
 hailed in the original1 we feel that it
 is no exaggeration to assert that it   
has rendered and will still render      
inestimable good to society4  ,after    
having lucidly exposed the importance of
 woman's mission in this world1 and     
pointed out the evils that prevent its  
realization1 the author ingeniously     
brings before the mind's eye the        
different phases of her life1 the varied
 process of development that she        
undergoes in all her faculties1 the     
dangerous influences to which she is    
constantly exposed1 the means that      
should be employed to ensure her        
protection4  ,we behold her on the      
threshold of childhood a tiny1 timid and
 retiring creature1 naturally disposed  
to attach her affections to all that is 
pure and elevated1 to everything that   
conduces to the practice of virtue and  
the love of ,god4 ,while yet a child she

 is the little confidante and angel of  
consolation of her brothers and sisters 
in their pains and difficulties4 ,at a  
more advanced age we see her consoling  
her aged parents in their sorrows and   
afflictions2 and when she merges into   
womanhood she becomes either the spouse 
of ,jesus ,christ or of man1 only to    
continue the same work of beneficence in
 some charitable asylum1 or in the midst
 of domestic cares4 ,but ere she attains
 this last stage of life how numerous   
and great are the difficulties that she 
must encounter1 the dangers to which she
 will be exposed1 and the snares to     
entrap her6  ,hence1 to ensure her      
safety and prepare her to act the       
important role that she holds in        
society1 her education must be the work 
of piety1 modesty and retirement4 ,all  
that interferes with their action in her
 soul must be peremptorily removed4     
,worldly pleasures with their numerous  
cortge should never have access to the  
sanctuary of her heart1 for their       

poisoned influence blasts the fairest   
flower in her crown of simplicity4      
,but1 alas6 we confess1 with deep       
regret1 that there are many thoughtless 
tutors who seemingly ignore the grave   
responsibility of their charge1 and     
unwarrantably parade the little one     
before the world's gaze1 which creates  
in the heart evil impressions1 frivolous
 tastes and inordinate desires4 ,and1   
even when they would all prove faithful 
to their trust1 it is a noted fact that 
society1 friends and companions wield a 
powerful influence over the mind and    
heart of a young girl1 which1 when      
allowed to continue1 most invariably    
proves pernicious to her spiritual and  
temporal welfare4  ,hence1 she stands in
 need of a true friend1 a faithful      
adviser1 on whom she can depend for safe
 instruction1 and to whom she can have  
recourse as often as need be4 ,the      
,serious ,hours is unquestionably all   
this2 it speaks openly1 firmly1 but     
mildly4 ,it inspires the young girl with

 that genuine1 lofty esteem that she    
should have for herself and for the     
dignity of her sex4 ,it clearly defines 
her line of conduct in all the most     
critical incidents and circumstances of 
life1 so that she cannot be deceived    
unless that she wilfully shuts her eyes 
to the light of truth4 ,it is all that  
the author proposed to make it1 a first 
class book of instruction for young     
ladies1 showing a careful study of all  
their wants and a happy choice of the   
remedies to meet them4 ,and1 believing  
that such a valuable book ought to be   
made accessible to all nations1 we have 
ventured to present it to the public in 
an ,english dress4 ,how far we have     
succeeded in rendering both its form and
 spirit we leave the public to decide4  
,and1 while we are fully aware that1 in 
transferring the genius of one language 
to another1 some of the original        
delicate shades of beauty must be       
inevitably sacrificed--the present      
translation not excepted--still we are  

happy to say that the work was one of   
love and deep interest to us1 on account
 of its importance and good to society4 
,,translator4     ,,contents3           
,translator's ,preface  ,,chapter       
,i4--,importance of the ,time of ,youth2
 ,difficulties and ,dangers that ,women 
,meet ,with in ,life1 and the ,necessity
 of ,providing for ,them  ,,chapter     
,,ii4--,illusions of ,youth2 ,value of  
,time at this ,period of ,life          
,,chapter ,,iii4--,the ,heart of ,woman2
 the ,necessity of ,regulating it       
,during ,youth  ,,chapter ,,iv4--,the   
,dignity of ,woman  ,,chapter ,v4--,eve 
and ,mary  ,,chapter ,,vi4--,eve and    
,mary 7,continued7  ,,chapter           
,,vii4--,the ,world  ,,chapter          
,,viii4--,the ,same ,subject            
7,continued7  ,,chapter ,,ix--,the ,will
  ,,chapter ,x4--,the ,imagination      
,,chapter ,,xi4--,piety  ,,chapter      
,,xii4--,vocation  ,,chapter ,,xiii4--,a
 ,serious ,mind  ,,chapter              
,,xiv4--,choice of ,companions          

,,chapter ,,xv4--,toilet  ,,chapter     
,,xvi4--,desire to ,please  ,,chapter   
,,xvii4--,curiosity  ,,chapter          
,,xviii4--,meditation and ,reflection   
,,chapter ,,xix4--,obedience to ,parents
  ,,chapter ,,xx4--,melancholy          
,,chapter ,,xxi4--,on ,reading          
,,chapter ,,xxii4--,same ,subject       
7,continued7     ,,chapter ,i4          
,,importance ,,of ,,the ,,time ,,of     
,,youth2 ,,difficulties ,,and ,,dangers 
,,that ,,women ,,meet ,,with ,,in       
,,life1 ,,and ,,the ,,necessity ,,of    
,,providing ,,for ,,them4  ,the most    
important period of life is that in     
which we are the better able1 in making 
good use of the present1 to repair the  
past and prepare for the future2 that   
period holds the intermediate place     
between the age of infancy and the age  
of maturity1 embracing the advantages of
 both1 presenting at the same time the  
flowers of the one with the fruits of   
the other4 ,in order to prepare for the 
future we need a certain assistance from

 the past1 for this preparation demands 
a certain maturity of judgment and a    
force of will that experience alone can 
give4  ,the child1 devoid as it is of   
personal experience1 can1 by turning    
that of others to good account1 make up 
for the deficiencies of its youth1 and  
prepare for the future without having to
 learn in the severe school of          
self-experience4 ,but1 through an       
unfortunate occurrence of circumstances1
 and very often without any fault of    
theirs1 the greater part of children    
attain the age of manhood and womanhood 
without having reaped the precious      
advantages offered them by the first    
stage of life1 when the soul is most    
susceptible of receiving the impress of 
grace and virtue4 ,a vitiated or        
inadequate primitive education1 bad     
example1 pernicious instruction8        
perchance1 or at least personal levity  
of character1 combined with that of     
childhood1 deprive this age of many     
advantages1 and call for a total        

reparation of the past1 at a period of  
life that should be the living figure of
 hope4  ,happy1 indeed1 are those who   
have only the levity and negligences of 
childhood to repair1 and who have never 
felt the crushing weight of a           
humiliating and grievous fault6 ,alas6  
that purity1 that innocence so common   
formerly among children1 is every day   
disappearing from their midst1 many     
among them have become the victims of   
sin ere the passions of the heart       
manifested their presence2 and their    
hearts have quivered from the sting of  
remorse ere they felt the perfidious    
lurings of pleasure4 ,many have received
 from sin that doleful experience1 that 
premature craftiness1 which1 far from   
enlightening the mind1 obscures and     
blinds it1--which1 far from fortifying  
the will1 enfeebles and enervates it4   
,such is the light by which we can truly
 see the importance that should be      
attached to the time of youth4 ,at this 
period of life sin has not yet taken    

deep root in the heart1--it has not at  
least assumed the frightful magnitude of
 one of those inveterate habits1 justly 
called habits of second nature1 which   
invade and pollute the sacred sanctuary 
of both body and soul1 forming in the   
earliest instincts1 inclinations and    
desires so violent1 so obstinate1 that  
superhuman efforts with a life-long     
struggle are the consequences entailed  
upon the unfortunate victims1 who desire
 to hold them in subjection4  ,however1 
it is invariably true that1 if the      
passions peculiar to youth virulently   
assail virtue and expose the heart to   
the seductions of pleasure1 they also   
give a great facility of doing good1 by 
inflaming youthful zeal which age never 
fails to cool4 ,the ardor aroused by    
them for the commission of evil can be  
easily employed for the practice of     
virtue2 they are young and fiery steeds 
which ,god has placed at your disposal1 
ready to obey your orders4 ,attach them 
to the chariot of your will1 they will  

not fail to draw you in the direction   
that you may open to their impetuosity4 
,it matters not to them whether they run
 upon the way of vice or virtue1--all   
that they require is to go1 to run and  
not to be constrained to inaction1 which
 kills them4 ,they must be managed by a 
resolute will which holds the reins with
 a firm grip1 and by a calm             
intelligence1 skilled to direct them4   
,trees1 while young1 can be easily plied
 into any direction that man may wish to
 give them4 ,the same may be said of    
hearts in which the frost of age has not
 cooled the ardor and impetuosity of    
desire4 ,their energy and vivacity1     
whether for good or evil1 never forsake 
them4 ,they are like those spirited     
racers which are no sooner down than up 
again1 for1 swift as a flash1 they will 
turn you to ,god by repentance and love1
 the moment you have the misfortune of  
losing ,him by sin4 ,be then full of    
confidence and hope1 young soul1 to whom
 ,god has opened with a liberal hand the

 spring-time of life2 be grateful to    
,him for so signal a favor1 and1 like a 
wise economist1 profit by the resources 
that ,he places at your disposal4 ,but1 
should the past recall some doleful     
memories1 be not dismayed2 be hopeful   
and1 re- animating your courage1 prepare
 for the future by sowing at present the
 germs of those beautiful virtues which 
grace irrigates1 and whose fruits will  
rejoice your old age and atone for the  
sterility of your earlier years4  ,your 
future happiness is insured if you fully
 comprehend the importance of the epoch 
which you now begin1 and the greatness  
of its results for the rest of your     
life4 ,let past delinquencies become an 
incentive1 stimulating your will to     
energetic action4 ,let the need of      
repairing the past1 and the importance  
of preparing for the future inspire you 
with generous resolutions and an ardent 
desire of acquiring all the virtues     
necessary to a person of your sex and   
position1 in order that you may         

discharge in a worthy manner all the    
duties which may be required of you4    
,regard the future with a calm and firm 
eye1 without exaggerating the           
difficulties1 but also without          
dissembling the dangers4 ,the first     
condition required to avoid a danger is 
to know it1 for the ignorance that      
conceals from us the snares which we    
should avoid is--after the evil         
inclination that leads us into          
them--man's greatest misfortune1 and the
 most disastrous of the effects of      
original sin4  ,women1 even in the most 
humble walks of life1 can scarcely hope 
now-a-days to enjoy that sweet1 calm and
 peaceful life which was formerly       
insured by the purest morals and the    
most pious customs4  ,if the world1     
spite of that inordinate desire for     
reform and innovation which consumes it1
 has not yet seriously endeavored to    
withdraw woman from the circle to which 
,providence would have her devote the   
activity of her mind and life2 if it has

 consented till now to have her shun the
 theatre and the whirlpool of political 
commotions1 it will be extremely        
difficult for her to escape its         
counter-shock1 and preserve her         
self-composure and serenity of soul in  
the midst of those turbulent events     
which absorb her husband's life1 that of
 her children1 of her father and        
brothers4 ,if it was easy for her to    
preserve her heart at a tender age from 
the seductions of the world and the     
dangerous snares of vanity or pleasure1 
through the sweet influence of those    
more modest1 and at the same time more  
rigid customs which identified her      
thoughts and affections with the family 
circle2 such is not the case at present1
 for an unfortunate necessity1 invested 
with the vain title of propriety1       
compels her to seek in a more           
fashionable1 a more numerous1 and       
consequently an unsuitable society1     
distractions or pastimes for which she  
is not made1 and which recreate neither 

body1 nor mind1 nor heart4  ,the        
feverish agitation and insatiable thirst
 for enjoyment which seem to prevail    
among all ages and classes of the       
present day is enigmatical4 ,life       
now-a-days must be passed in a state of 
constant excitement4 ,the peaceful calm 
productive of a modest and pure life    
appear to the imagination like a        
monotonous and disdainful sleep4 ,the   
young girl herself has scarcely left the
 paternal home in which she passed her  
youthful days when she dreams of the    
pleasing emotions and incomparable joys 
promised her by a flashy and fashionable
 life4 ,the examples which come under   
her notice wherever she goes or wherever
 she turns her eyes1--the language which
 she hears1 and the very air which she  
breathes1--all give her1 as it were1 a  
foretaste of the false pleasures which  
now fascinate her imagination4  ,this   
is1 most assuredly1 one of the worst    
signs of our time4 ,up to the present   
day women1 for the most part1 faithful  

to their vocation and to the duties of  
their station in life1 have carefully   
preserved in the family circle that     
sacred fire of ,christian virtue which  
forms magnanimous souls1 and that piety 
which produces saints4 ,their hearts1   
like the ,ark of the ,covenant1 have    
preserved intact those tables of the    
divine law which admonish men of their  
duties1 and inspire them with a firm    
hope4 ,they have not fixed their hearts 
on the vain and frivolous joys of earth2
 no1 heaven was their aim4 ,preserved   
from the contagion of worldly interests 
and desires1 their thoughts feasted on  
elevated and heavenly objects4 ,what    
will become of society if1 deprived of  
the resources it found in their virtues1
 it meets with no other barrier on the  
steep declivity down which it is being  
impelled by cupidity and the love of    
pleasure8 ,what will be the fate of     
future generations if they are not      
sanctified in the sanctuary of the      
family by the benevolent influence of   

woman1 and fortified against the        
seductions of vice by that odor of grace
 and sanctity which the heart of a      
,christian mother exhales8  ,be not     
discouraged at the sight of difficulties
 that hover over the horizon of the     
future2 on the contrary1 they should    
inspire you with greater courage and    
energy4 ,the less help you will obtain  
from trusted sources of reliance1 the   
more earnestly should you seek in ,god  
and yourself what you look for in vain  
elsewhere4 ,you may expect to see       
diminish1 from day to day1 the number of
 those saintly souls from whom you could
 obtain advice1 support or light4  ,for 
you1 perhaps1 like many others1 life    
will be a desert which you must traverse
 almost alone1 without meeting a single 
soul to reach you a helping hand in your
 necessities and trials4 ,being about to
 set out on this pilgrimage of life1    
which will perhaps be long1 fatiguing   
and painful1 be supplied with an ample  
provision of strength1 patience1 virtue 

and energy4 ,and1 if happily deceived in
 your fears1 you find the road which    
leads to eternity smooth under your     
feet1 you will at least have the merit  
of having been wise in your conduct1 for
 not less moral strength is required to 
bear the happiness of prosperity than   
the misfortune of adversity4 ,happiness 
here below is something so extremely    
perilous to man's eternal welfare that  
few can taste it without injury to their
 souls4 ,hence1 in order to guard       
against its fatal influence1 not less   
preparation1 nor less time1 nor less    
efforts1 are required than to suffer the
 privations imposed by adversity1 for   
experience proves that the former is    
more destructive than the latter to the 
work of eternal salvation4     ,,chapter
 ,,ii4   ,,illusions ,,of ,,youth1      
,,value ,,of ,,time ,,at ,,this ,,period
 ,,of ,,life4  ,the age of youth is the 
age of illusions1 ardent desires1 and   
fanciful hopes4 ,youth is like a fairy  
whose magical wand evokes the most      

graceful images and the most alluring   
phantoms4 ,this ignorance of the doleful
 realities concealed in the future is a 
gift of divine goodness which1 in order 
that life might not be too bitter1 casts
 a beneficent veil over the sorrows that
 await us2 ,god screens the future from 
us to let us enjoy the present4 ,far be 
it from me to remove this veil which    
renders you such kind service4 ,but1    
apart from this screen which the good   
,god has placed between you and the     
miseries of this life1 there is another 
of a darker and heavier shade1          
fabricated by the imagination1 and which
 it draws with a perfidious complacency 
over the object which it behooves us the
 most to know and avoid--a seductive and
 deceitful veil which1 while presenting 
things to us in a false light1 exposes  
us to most deplorable illusions and     
inevitable dangers4  ,god permits that  
we should ignore many things1 but ,he   
does not wish that we should be deceived
 in anything4 ,he is truth itself2 error

 can never claim ,his acquiescence4  ,if
 prudence and respect for ,god's work   
make it a duty for me to leave intact   
the veil that ,he has drawn between you 
and the future1 ,i would consider it    
highly criminal in me if ,i did not     
endeavor to remove that by which your   
imagination seeks to conceal its        
illusions and its errors4 ,it is not my 
wish or design to trouble the present by
 exaggerated anxiety2 but1 on the other 
hand1 ,i do not wish to leave you under 
a false impression1 fed by delusive     
hopes relative to the future4 ,my desire
 is that1 while enjoying with gratitude 
and simplicity the happiness or peace   
which ,god has bestowed upon you in the 
springtime of life1 you may profit by   
the calm and tranquillity it affords you
 to prepare for the future1 and to      
anticipate a means of soothing its      
sorrows and bitterness4  ,while the soil
 of your heart is yet untilled and      
moist1 and while your hands are yet     
filled with those heavenly seeds which  

,god has given you in abundance1 ,i     
desire that you may sow them in the     
light and strength of divine grace1 to  
develop in them the heavenly germs which
 they contain1 that you may be enabled  
to reap at a later time an abundant     
harvest of virtues1 holy joy and merit  
before ,god and men4 ,i desire that you 
may learn to turn to good account all   
the natural resources that you possess1 
and acquire that knowledge of yourself  
which enlightens the mind without       
troubling the heart2 ,i do not wish to  
discourage nor flatter you1 ,i only wish
 to instruct and fortify you4  ,do not  
think that the river of life will always
 flow for you as it does at present1    
broad1 deep1 calm and limpid1 between   
two flowery banks4 ,age will diminish   
those waters and deprive their banks of 
their charm and freshness4 ,the flame of
 passion1 like a burning wind1 will     
rise1 and more than once perhaps will   
bring to the surface the mud that       
rankles in the bottom1 and thus destroy 

its limpidity4  ,a day will come1 and   
before long1 when1 stripped of all those
 exterior advantages which please the   
senses1 you will possess only those     
qualities1 less striking1 but more      
solid1 which satisfy the mind and heart 
and attract the complaisant regard of   
,god and the angels4 ,youth will quickly
 pass1 more quickly than you think1 and 
the subsequent period of life will last 
much longer1 hence1 in all justice to   
yourself1 let its preparation absorb    
your attention4  ,if you had a long     
sojourn to make in a place close by1    
would it be reasonable on your part to  
pay less attention to the place of your 
destination than to the few fleeting    
moments it would require to go thither4 
,youth is not a stopping-place1 it is a 
passage1 a time of preparation2 it is to
 the whole life what the florid period  
is to the gardener1 or seed-time to the 
farmer4  ,oh6 if you did but fully      
comprehend the value of each hour during
 this most important period of life1 the

 value of each thought of your mind1 of 
each sentiment of your heart1 with what 
extreme care you would watch over all   
the movements of your soul1 nay1 even   
the external movements of your body4    
,that fugitive thought which enters your
 mind1 fanned by curiosity's wing1 may  
seem quite trivial2 to dwell on and     
delight in it may be to you something   
indifferent4 ,that sentiment which1     
scarcely formed1 commences to germinate 
in your heart1 and to produce therein   
emotions so imperceptible that you are  
but imperfectly conscious of its        
presence1 seems insignificant at first  
sight2 that unguarded glance seemed to  
you a matter of no import1 and which1 at
 an earlier or later period of your     
life1 would have but little consequence4
 ,at an earlier age the impression1 it  
is true1 would be lively but            
inconsistent1 and the levity of         
childhood would soon have replaced it by
 another2 later it would be found so    
superficial and trivial that it would be

 soon forgotten among the multiplicity  
of thoughts which absorb the mind at the
 age of maturity2 but1 during the       
youthful years1 everything that comes   
under the notice of the senses sinks    
deeply into the soul1 penetrating its   
very substance1 the faculties still     
retain all the vivacity of youth1 while 
already they participate in that        
firmness which is characteristic of the 
age of maturity4  ,that thought is1     
perhaps1 the first link in a chain of   
thoughts and images which will be the   
torment of your conscience and the bane 
of your life4 ,that sentiment to which  
you imprudently pandered is perhaps the 
source of countless fears1 regrets1     
remorse and sorrows4 ,that imprudent    
glance is perhaps the first spark of a  
conflagration which nothing can         
extinguish1 and which will destroy your 
brightest hopes4  ,if1 as yet1 you are  
ignorant of all the evil of which an    
imprudent glance may be productive1     
recall to mind the example furnished us 

by the ,sacred ,scriptures in the person
 of ,david1 who1 for his imprudent      
glance at the wife of ,urias1 committed 
two crimes1 the names of which you      
should ignore1 and suffered a life of   
sorrow1 repentance1 bitterness and      
anguish3 a life which even yet serves to
 express the sorrow and repentance of   
imprudent souls who have yielded to the 
allurements of the senses4 ,and1        
nevertheless1 ,david had attained the   
age of discretion when the mind is firm 
and the will is strong2 ,david was the  
cherished one of ,god2 he was just and  
virtuous1 one on whom ,god had special  
designs of mercy4 ,what a terrible      
example6 ,what a severe1 but at the same
 time instructive1 lesson6  ,young      
,christian soul1 may it never be your   
sad experience to learn the effect of an
 imprudent glance which would exact from
 you the bitter wages of countless tears
 and regrets4 ,is there anything in the 
material world so beautiful1 so         
beneficent as the light and heat that we

 receive from the sun2 is there among   
material things a livelier image of the 
goodness of ,god towards us8 ,and1      
nevertheless1 let the sun shine upon the
 young and tender flower or vine        
immediately after a shower of rain1 and 
it will cause them to droop and wither4 
,the reason is quite obvious1 for at no 
time is a being so frail and delicate as
 at the moment of its formation4 ,there 
is a critical period for all beings1    
during which the greatest possible care 
is necessary4 ,in this relation1 what is
 said of the body may be said of the    
soul2 character is formed and developed 
according to the same laws which        
regulate the development of the physical
 constitution4  ,are you not aware of   
the extraordinary care that must be     
taken of those organs that are the chief
 motors of the body1 while they are     
under process of development8 ,are you  
not aware that the fresh air which you  
inhale and which purifies and           
invigorates the blood contains for you  

the germ of death1 which justifies in   
your good parents the anxious care they 
take of your health1 but which you      
perhaps regard as entirely unnecessary8 
,now1 what the lungs are to the human   
body1 that the heart is to the soul4 ,it
 is by the heart that we breathe the    
spiritual and divine atmosphere that    
sustains our moral life4 ,this          
atmosphere is composed of three         
elements1--truth1 goodness and beauty1  
which envelop and penetrate the soul's  
substance2 as it is the respiratory     
organ of the mind it follows that for   
the heart1 as well as for the lungs1    
there is an epoch of development which  
is dangerous1 and which1 consequently1  
demands the greatest possible care2 it  
is the epoch of your age at present4 ,an
 emotion too vivid1 an indiscreet       
thought1 an imprudent glance1 is quite  
sufficient to imperil the interesting   
and delicate process by which your moral
 constitution is formed1 to accelerate  
the development of the heart1 and thus  

give to this most important organ a     
pernicious precocity or a false         
direction4  ,your mother1 anxious and   
always trembling for your welfare1      
guards it with tender solicitude from   
all the dangers to which it might be    
exposed4 ,but her vigilance cannot equal
 that of your guardian angel1 nor the   
care with which he removes you from     
contact with all that might in any way  
tarnish the purity of your soul1 or     
trouble its peace and harmony4 ,it is to
 you that the ,holy ,ghost addresses    
these words of the ,proverbs3 ,with all 
watchfulness keep thy heart1 because    
life issueth out from it4 ,footnote3    
,proverbs iv #bc4  ,the heart is1       
therefore1 the seat of the moral life1  
and as the source is known by the waters
 that flow from it1 so will the moral   
life partake of the character and bear  
the impress of the heart whence it      
proceeds4 ,this is true of youth in     
general1 but more particularly so of    
young ladies4     ,,chapter ,,iii4      

,,the ,,heart ,,of ,,woman2 ,,the       
,,necessity ,,of ,,regulating ,,it      
,,during ,,youth4  ,the most humble1    
most chaste1 most holy of women1        
,blessed ,mary ever ,virgin1 she who is 
the ornament and glory of her sex who1  
in consequence of her privilege of being
 the mother of ,god1 merited to be      
elevated so high above all creatures1   
revealed to us the existence of a       
faculty in the soul1 unknown to the     
philosophers1 undiscovered by the       
saints1 unspoken of by the prophets4    
,this faculty is more conspicuous in    
woman than in man1 for it exercises in  
her a decisive influence which extends  
over the entire period of her life4     
,hence1 ,god1 who ordereth all things1  
sweetly1 7,wisdom1 viii4 #a71 desired   
that its existence should be made known 
to us by a woman1 and that1 too1 while  
she was visiting another woman4  ,in    
answer to the salutation of her cousin  
,st4 ,elizabeth1 ,mary1 filled with the 
,holy ,ghost1 breaks forth into that    

sublime ,canticle1 called the           
,magnificat3 ,he hath scattered the     
proud1 she sings1 mente cordis sui2     
literally1 in the mind of their heart4  
,this is the faculty of which ,i speak2 
that mind1 that intellect of the heart1 
if ,i may so term it1 which is the      
hidden recess1 the secret chamber of the
 soul1 either blessed by the peaceful   
presence of humility1 or cursed by the  
baneful restlessness of worldly ambition
 or pride4  ,it is not going too far to 
say that a woman's mind is in her heart2
 it is the source both of the thoughts  
which ennoble and elevate1 and of those 
which are selfish and worldly2 it is the
 key to all the powers of her soul1 so  
that he who becomes the possessor of her
 heart is master of her whole being1 and
 can exercise over her a power of       
fascination which has no parallel in    
nature4  ,god who disposes every being  
for the end which ,he proposed to       
,himself in creating it has established 
in woman's heart an abyss which no human

 affection can fill nor exhaust when    
once it has been filled1 because ,he    
desired to submerge her whole being in  
love1 and thus to render easy and       
necessary to her the noblest sentiments 
and the most heroic sacrifices4 ,such is
 the agent that ,he wished to employ for
 the culture of charity in society and  
in the family circle1 as well as of the 
virtues of tenderness1 compassion and   
devotedness4 ,he desired that in the    
family the child should be borne1 so to 
speak1 on woman's heart and man's       
intelligence1 as on the two arms of one 
and the same being2 ,he desired that in 
society the mind of the one should      
furnish the light to guide in the way1  
and the love of the other should produce
 that vivifying principle which animates
 and quickens man's being3 ,and1 thus1  
that the moral life of humanity should  
be the result of these two factors4 ,god
 endowed the heart of woman with        
treasures of tenderness and devotedness1
 desiring to be ,himself the supreme    

object of its devotion4 ,to ,himself    
alone has ,he reserved the power of     
calming its fearful agitation and       
soothing its poignant grief1 hence we   
see it turning to ,him in its joys and  
sorrows1 like the magnet to the pole    
that attracts it4 ,he has made the heart
 of woman broad and deep1 so that its   
devotedness may suffice for all the     
exigencies it is called upon to meet1   
whether in society or in the family1 yet
 finding no created object able to      
exhaust it4  ,when1 forgetting the      
sublime end for which she has been      
created1 woman lives for the world and  
not for heaven1 lavishing her love on   
creatures instead of giving it to ,god1 
her ,creator1 her soul becomes the prey 
of inexpressible anguish and            
despondency1 which admonish her of her  
mistake and induce her to correct it4   
,you can easily judge from this of what 
great importance it is to you to keep a 
vigilant watch over your heart and its  
movements1 since the heart is1 so to    

speak1 the citadel of your whole being1 
and hence when it is captured all the   
powers and faculties of your soul are   
forced to surrender4 ,the heart is the  
agent that furnishes woman with the     
greater part of her ideas1 and the      
object of its predilection inevitably   
becomes the only object of all her      
thoughts4 ,this is the artist that      
furnishes the imagination with those    
images which remain substantially the   
same under forms constantly varying1 but
 absorbing the soul to such a degree    
that a person is often tempted to look  
upon their action as the result of      
obsession4  ,it is the heart that       
governs and shapes the will1 giving it  
that flexibility and at the same time   
that constancy so prevalent among the   
greater part of women1 leading them1    
with unflinching stubbornness of        
determination to the accomplishment of  
the end proposed4 ,all difficulties     
vanish that stand between them and the  
object of their heart4 ,this disposition

 renders them potent for good or evil1  
hence the necessity of regulating the   
heart and of never losing control over  
its movements4 ,when their soul is      
swayed by a pure and generous sentiment1
 and when the natural weakness of their 
sex gives place to an energy which few  
men are capable of displaying1 their    
ardor in doing good is truly admirable4 
,god alone knows all the treasures of   
virtue stored up within them daily1 by  
charity1 maternal love1 filial piety1   
devotedness and compassion1 but ,he     
alone also knows the malicious excess to
 which a sentiment1 bad in its nature or
 in its source1 may lead them4  ,oh1 if 
while standing between these two abysses
 of good and evil1 you could sound their
 depth1 and behold the ineffable joy and
 glory that women have secured by the   
practice of virtue1 the sorrow1 disgust1
 humiliation and shame that evil doings 
have brought upon them 7faults which at 
first sight did not seem capable of     
entailing such fatal consequences7      

horror and admiration should dispute the
 possession of your soul2 you would     
indeed tremble on beholding the         
consequences of neglecting your         
vocation1 while you would be astonished 
at the sublime elevation that fidelity  
to grace would secure to you in heaven4 
,god desires to accomplish great things 
through your instrumentality1 and in    
order to secure your services with      
greater certainty he has placed around  
you barriers which you cannot pass      
without an effort that does violence to 
nature1 still necessity makes it a duty 
to break them down1 and necessity has no
 law4 ,when the first step is taken     
nothing can impede the will in the      
execution of your designs1 be they good 
or bad4 ,hence the great importance of  
making your first step in the right     
direction1 as it will be the prelude to 
countless others4  ,if you wish to      
possess your own heart and insure to    
yourself a life exempt from trouble and 
remorse1 attach it firmly to ,god2      

accustom it to always prefer duty to    
pleasure and to propose to itself in all
 its movements an end worthy of your    
sublime destiny4 ,remember that ,god    
alone can satisfy it--no creature being 
able to give it that peace which it so  
ardently craves4 ,o1 my child1 if you   
knew the gnawing desires1 the vain      
hopes1 the false joys1 the troubles1 the
 regrets and bitterness that fill the   
heart in which ,god does not dwell6 ,if 
your eyes were not screened by the veil 
of candor and simplicity preventing you 
from foreseeing the torments to which   
that woman's life is exposed1 who has   
not learned in early youth to regulate  
the desires and affections of her heart1
 you would better understand my words1  
and the necessity of laboring           
energetically and efficiently to direct 
your own1 and to check all its irregular
 movements4 ,learn now1 and profit by   
the experience of others4 ,hearken to   
the voice of ,god addressing you in     
these words3 ,the flowers have appeared 

in our land1 the time of pruning is     
come2 the voice of the turtle is heard  
in our land2 the vines in flower yield  
their sweet smell4 ,arise1 my love1 and 
come4 ,catch us the little foxes that   
destroy the vines1 for our vineyard hath
 flourished4 7,cant4 ch4 ii4 #ab1 #ac1  
#ae74 ,the foxes of which the sacred    
writer speaks here are those defects    
which1 although they appear small1 still
 assail the soul with great virulence1  
and will leave no virtue intact unless  
you hasten to destroy them4  ,the time  
for pruning is the time of youth1 age   
truly precious wherein you can still lop
 off useless branches which absorb a    
portion of the sap1 depriving the others
 of that strength which they need in    
order to produce an abundance of savory 
fruit4 ,you should attack not only those
 gross and manifest defects which       
disfigure the soul1 but also those      
imperfections which are slight in       
appearance1 but which1 if left alone1   
will in time become pernicious          

inclinations4 ,you should even watch    
over certain natural dispositions1      
which1 though good in themselves1 and   
even often esteemed above their true    
merit by the world1 might easily1 on    
that account1 divert the thoughts of the
 mind and the efforts of the will from  
more important objects2 dispositions    
very often dangerous for those who      
possess them1 because it is easy to     
abuse them1 and because they flatter and
 nourish self-love1 or the other        
passions that flesh is heir to4 ,you    
should imitate those intelligent        
gardeners who pay a daily visit to their
 garden1 pruning knife in hand1 and cut 
off branches that might exhaust or      
overcharge the tree--not sparing them   
for the beauty of their foliage or the  
brightness of their flowers4  ,if you   
wish to cultivate your heart and make it
 produce all the fruit and virtue that  
it is capable of producing1 suffer      
nothing useless or superfluous to grow  
therein1 choosing what is best1         

measuring your esteem of certain things1
 and your application of certain duties 
by the degree of importance that each   
merits1 giving the preference1 in your  
mind and heart1 to the virtues which    
bring the soul nearest to ,god4 ,love   
those hidden virtues1 so modest and     
humble1 which are the ornament of your  
sex--those virtues of which ,god alone  
is witness1 which the world             
ignores1--which it often1 in fact1      
despises1 because they secure no        
advantage in men's esteem1 receiving    
their reward only in the future world4  
,but this is just the reason why ,god   
loves them so dearly1 and why you should
 prefer them4 ,for if1 in general1 it is
 dangerous to please the world and      
useful to shun it1 this truth is        
especially applicable to woman1 who1    
being confined to a narrower sphere1 and
 devoted to more intimate affections    
than man1 is obliged to seek1 at a      
tender age1 isolation1 tranquillity1    
repose1 and that retirement which are   

truly a shield to her virtues4 ,in this 
way you will do more for the real       
development and culture of your heart   
than by the acquisition of more         
agreeable and more brilliant qualities4 
,moreover1 the same thing will happen   
for you that always happens when efforts
 are made to acquire what is best2 when 
that which is essential is secured1 the 
accessories will infallibly follow1 just
 as the effect follows the cause that   
produces it4 ,by acquiring the virtues  
that are pleasing to ,god you will      
receive1 in addition1 those which men   
esteem2 in becoming more and more       
agreeable to ,god you will become more  
and more pleasing to men1 whose good    
sense and sound judgment almost         
invariably triumph over prejudice which 
an austere but modest virtue always     
removes4 ,this is also what the ,saviour
 of the world insinuates by these words 
of the ,gospel in which ,he recommends  
us to seek first the kingdom of ,god and
 ,his justice1 promising that all other 

things shall be added thereto4 ,but this
 addition should not be directly sought1
 nor should it be ardently desired2     
await the will of ,god who has promised 
it to us1 provided that we first seek   
the things to which that is accessory4  
,very often1 on the contrary1 when1     
through want of due reflection1         
preference is given to secondary and    
inferior things1 by neglecting solid and
 hidden virtues for brilliant qualities1
 neither are obtained4 ,god permits this
 in order to punish this subversion of  
the moral order and of the laws that    
govern it4     ,,chapter ,,iv4   ,,the  
,,dignity ,,of ,,woman4  ,,pope ,,st4   
,,leo1 in one of his homilies on the    
nativity of our ,saviour1 says1 in      
addressing man3 ,o man1 recognize thy   
dignity6 ,we might1 with all due        
propriety1 address these same words to  
woman1 for her happiness and virtues    
depend in great measure on the elevated 
idea that she has of herself1 and on the
 care with which she maintains this     

idea1 both in her own mind and in that  
of others4 ,woe to the woman who1       
through false modesty1 or something     
still worse1 has lost self-respect1 for 
she has deprived herself of her most    
powerful safeguard against instability  
of character and seductions of the      
world4  ,woman has received from ,god   
the sublime mission of fostering in     
society the spirit of sacrifice and     
devotedness4 ,faithful1 nay1 sometimes  
perhaps over-zealous1 in the discharge  
of these duties1 she feels an imperative
 need of sacrificing herself to another 
who should constitute the complement of 
her life4 ,as long as she has not made  
this surrender of herself to another she
 is a burden to herself1 for she seems  
to find her liberty and happiness in    
this voluntary servitude of the heart1  
in this constant abnegation1 in this    
perpetual sacrifice of her whole being4 
,this disposition of woman's heart1     
which has been given her for the good of
 society and for her own happiness1 can 

be easily used to the detriment of both2
 such is necessarily the case the moment
 she sinks in her own estimation1 so as 
to account herself a being of little    
value4 ,it is a matter of vital         
importance to her to have a just idea of
 the value of the present she is making 
when she engages her heart and her      
fidelity4 ,in fact1 when a thing is     
lightly appreciated1 we make little     
account of giving it away and less of   
choosing those to whom we give it4 ,now1
 if we consider the deplorable facility 
with which a vast number of women obey  
the caprice of their heart or of their  
imagination1 we will be led to conclude 
that their valuation of them--selves is 
very low indeed4 ,they seem to lose     
sight of the fact that in giving their  
heart they give the key to all the      
treasures that enrich their soul2 they  
give their will1 all their thoughts1    
their whole life4 ,they sometimes give  
more than all this1 they give their     
eternal salvation1 their conscience1 and

 ,god ,himself1 putting in ,his place1  
by a sort of idolatry1 the object that  
claims their heart4  ,to prevent this   
deplorable prodigality of themselves1   
women should spare no pains to          
comprehend thoroughly their dignity1 of 
which they can never have too high an   
appreciation or too great an esteem4 ,it
 would be most prejudicial to them to   
lower in their own mind their just value
 by a false humility4  ,the most humble 
of all women is1 at the same time1 she  
who had the best knowledge of her       
dignity4 ,and her humility1 which was   
never equaled by that of any other      
woman1 did not hinder her from seeing   
the great things that ,god had operated 
in her1 as she herself proclaims in that
 sublime canticle which is the ,magna   
,charta of the rights1 the prerogatives 
and the greatness of woman4  ,the two   
most beautiful and most elevated things 
in all creation are the intelligence of 
man and1 the heart of woman4 ,they are  
the special objects of ,god's           

complacency4 ,he seems to be absorbed in
 the work of their education2 to this   
end he seems to have converged all the  
miracles wrought by ,his divine ,son1   
all the mysteries of ,jesus ,christ4    
,to impart to man a knowledge of truth  
and a love of virtue was the end that   
,god proposed to ,himself in the        
creation of the world4 ,but the order   
which he had established was            
iniquitously subverted1 and this        
subversion has shaken society to its    
very foundation1 leading man's          
intelligence to conceive a hatred for   
truth and to become the slave of error2 
turning away the heart of woman from    
what is truly good and great to pander  
to false and transitory goods1 which    
sully without contenting it4  ,the heart
 of woman may be said to be the source  
from which flows all the good or evil   
that consoles or afflicts mankind4 ,as  
the city and state receive their form   
and character from the family1 so the   
family is modelled after the type of the

 mother's heart1 since upon her devolves
 the culture of the infant mind1 that   
all-important education upon which      
depends man's weal or woe1 both for time
 and eternity4 ,hence it is that1 while 
writing this little work1 and           
considering that many to whom it is     
addressed will read its pages1 namely   
those who are destined to be one day    
heads of families1 charged with the     
education of several children1 who in   
turn will found numerous families to act
 a more or less important part in the   
great movement by which the plan of     
divine ,providence is executed          
throughout ages1 ,i feel a kind of      
profound respect1 bordering on          
reverential awe1 that engages me to pray
 ,god to inspire me with thoughts equal 
to the sublimity of my subject4         
,whoever you may be that read and       
meditate this little book1 ,i honor and 
venerate the dignity of your vocation2  
,i regard you as an august and sacred   
being4 ,i admire the great designs that 

,god has over you2 ,i pray ,him to have 
you participate in the sovereign esteem 
and respect with which your condition   
inspires me4 ,you are as yet free from  
all engagements1 in the bloom of youth1 
adorned with the treasures of innocence 
and candor1 standing like a queen upon  
the threshold of the future which opens 
before you like a spacious temple4 ,the 
past is immaculate and free from the    
sting of remorse2 with a vigorous mind  
and will you behold the future's        
perspective without anxiety or          
dismay1--rich in pious souvenirs1       
saintly hopes1 heavenly thoughts and    
merits acquired by prayer and the       
practice of virtue1 ignorant of vice and
 its bitter consequences1 save by the   
pictures that have been painted in order
 to inspire you with horror for it2 your
 liberty is such that every ,christian  
soul envies your happy state4 ,you      
possess a power--,i would almost say1 a 
majesty--that no one can help admiring  
and revering4 ,as there is no one freer 

than he who has never been the slave of 
sin1 so there is no man stronger than he
 who has never succumbed to the         
allurements of pleasure4 ,the woof of   
your life is there spread out before you
 intact and flexible1 you can dispose   
and weave it as you please2 you will now
 find none of those knotty or broken    
threads which1 in after life1 must      
sometimes be met with4  ,you are now at 
the period of life at which all the     
roads of life meet4 ,you can choose the 
one that pleases you most1 and enter on 
the good way with all that generous     
ardor so natural to youth4 ,but1        
whatever you do1 whatever the choice you
 may make1 you will occasion the future 
weal or woe of many1 perhaps for many   
generations4 ,whether spouse of ,jesus  
,christ or of man1 whether mother of a  
family or of the poor1 whether a        
cloistered nun or a celibate in the     
world1 you will neither save nor lose   
your soul alone2 the effects of your    
virtues or vices shall be reproduced1   

long after your departure from the scene
 of life1 in the lives of beings yet    
unborn1 in favor of whom divine         
,providence implores your compassion4   
,what a solemn moment6 ,what sublime    
power6 ,have you given it serious       
thought8  ,transport yourself1 in       
thought1 to the house of ,nazareth1     
recall to mind the day on which ,gabriel
 proposed to your ,queen to become the  
mother of ,god1 asking her consent to   
the ,incarnation1 by which was to be    
accomplished the salvation of the world4
 ,the angel's words astonished ,mary's  
humility so far as to make her recoil   
before such a prodigious elevation1 and1
 to obtain her consent1 it was necessary
 to assure her that the ,holy ,ghost    
,himself would accomplish in her this   
prodigy4 ,indeed1 it was a most         
memorable moment in the world's         
history1--a moment wherein the salvation
 of the entire human race hung upon the 
word of a virgin's lips4  ,now1 in your 
present condition1 at this period of    

your life1 you bear a certain           
resemblance to the ,blessed ,virgin at  
,nazareth1 on the day of the            
,annunciation4 ,a glorious destiny is   
also announced to you2 to you also is   
promised a saintly posterity1 if you    
give your consent and concurrence to the
 ,holy ,ghost1 with docility to the     
operation of ,his grace4 ,be not        
astonished at so great an honor4 ,the   
choice that you are going to make1 the  
course that you are going to adopt1 will
 determine and fix the fate of a family1
 of a generation1--of many generations  
perhaps1 for ,god alone can tell how far
 the influence of your virtues or the   
result of your faults may extend4  ,if  
you have no regard for your own         
salvation or glory1 oh1 at least have   
pity for those whom the hand of ,god    
will place under your care1 to be       
modeled by your instructions and        
example4 ,have compassion on them and on
 those who1 succeeding them1 must       
inherit your virtues or vices4 ,oh6 how 

pleasing to ,god and respected of men is
 the young lady who1 piously impressed  
with the greatness of her vocation1     
prepares for the future in a ,christian 
manner1 and resolves courageously to    
embrace and faithfully to discharge all 
its duties4  ,like ,mary1 the model and 
glory of your sex1 you also1 but in a   
spiritual manner1 are carrying ,jesus   
,christ within you2 and ,he1 by the     
operation of the ,holy ,ghost1 is       
leaving the impress of ,his virtues in  
your soul1 that one day you may give    
,him birth spiritually1 producing ,him  
externally by a pure and ,christian     
life4 ,like her you should be ready to  
accomplish the will of ,god in your own 
regard1 saying1 as she did1 with        
sentiments of obedience and profound    
humility3 ,behold the handmaid of the   
,lord1 be it done unto me according to  
,thy word2 abandoning your soul with    
perfect docility to the operation of the
 ,holy ,ghost1 following ,him wherever  
,he desires to lead you4 ,let your soul 

glorify ,god1 and rejoice in ,him on    
account of the great things ,he has done
 in you1 remembering that ,his mercy    
extends from generation to generation1  
in favor of those who fear him1 and that
 holy families1 fearing ,god1 are formed
 by the lessons and examples of         
virtuous1 ,god-fearing women4 ,he       
reduces to naught those who confide in  
their own power and strength1 while ,he 
sustains and exalts the humble4 ,he     
freely shares ,his treasures with those 
who desire them1 and reduces to         
indigence those who glory in their own  
abundance4  ,let this beautiful canticle
 dwell in your heart and be the prayer  
of your lips2 in this canticle1 composed
 by the ,mother of ,god1 the honor and  
glory of your sex1 or rather by the     
,holy ,ghost ,himself1 who inspired her1
 ,he has inscribed all the rights and   
glories of women1 by celebrating in it  
the power of her feebleness1 the        
greatness of her humility and of all    
those modest virtues which so well      

become your condition4  ,a ,christian   
woman who would never lose sight of what
 she is1 of her worth1 of her moral     
capabilities and of her sacred duties1  
will find in the frequent meditation of 
this sublime canticle considerations    
suggestive of thoughts and sentiments   
corresponding to ,god's designs over    
her4 ,she should nourish her soul with  
the vivifying substance of the words it 
contains1 and look therein for light to 
dispel her doubts1 and for consolation  
in her troubles4 ,in them she will also 
find a cheering hope in her languor1 a  
powerful prayer in temptation1 an       
acceptable act of thanksgiving1 and a   
hymn of joy and triumph in her          
victories4     ,,chapter ,v4   ,,eve    
,,and ,,mary4  ,,pilate1 on presenting  
to the ,jews1 ,jesus crowned with       
thorns1 and clothed in a purple garment1
 said3 ,behold the ,man6 ,jesus         
frequently calls ,himself the ,son of   
man in the ,gospel1 that is1 the ,man   
par excellence1 the ,man who is the     

model and type of all others4 ,to women1
 we can also say of ,mary3 ,behold the  
woman6 the honor1 glory1 joy1 crown1    
type and model of your sex4 ,such is the
 manner in which ,jesus presented her   
from the cross on ,calvary1 when ,he    
said to her1 a few moments before       
expiring3 ,woman1 behold thy ,son6  ,it 
is1 indeed1 remarkable that the ,saviour
 of the world1 when addressing ,mary in 
public1 did not call her mother1 but    
woman1 as if1 by that1 ,he would declare
 to us that she is the model of all     
other women4 ,it is as if ,he said to   
us3 ,behold ,,the woman2 and1 although  
she was ,his mother--principal title of 
her glory--nevertheless she is woman    
before all4 ,she merited to become the  
most glorious of all mothers only       
because she had been the purest and     
holiest of all women4 ,you should       
therefore have your eyes constantly     
fixed upon ,mary1 as a servant who      
watches her mistress in order to observe
 and obey her commands4 ,if you can see 

yourself in ,mary1 you will entertain an
 exalted idea of the dignity of your    
sex2 for it is in her and by her that   
you are great2 it is to her you owe the 
honor and respect that the world pays   
the woman who knows how to respect and  
appreciate herself according to her just
 value4 ,if you would understand all    
that you owe to ,mary in this regard you
 need but consider what was the social  
condition of woman in society before the
 birth of ,christ1 and what her         
condition is to-day among people on whom
 the light of the ,gospel has not yet   
shone4 ,you are now too young to appeal 
to your own experience1 but1 according  
as you advance in life1 observing       
closely what passes around you1 you will
 learn--and ,god grant that it may not  
be at your own expense--what an immense 
difference there is with regard to the  
esteem in which woman is held between   
those who adore ,god as the ,son of     
,mary1 and those who regard her as      
common with other women4  ,among men of 

social standing1 whose habits1 condition
 and character are so different1 you can
 easily discern those whose faith       
discloses to them a reflection of the   
glory of ,mary in you1 from those who   
behold in you simply a daughter of ,eve4
 ,their conversation1 deportment and    
looks1 everything in them1 will serve   
you as an index to this discernment4 ,it
 is very difficult for man to disguise  
his real sentiments--dissimulation costs
 nature too dearly--but there are two   
circumstances wherein his moral         
character betrays itself in a striking  
manner1 namely1 in the presence of ,god1
 and in the presence of woman4 ,it is   
neither permitted nor possible to a man 
truly religious and chaste to be bold or
 trivial in presence of either4  ,the   
woman illuminated by the sweet          
reflections of the glories of ,mary1 and
 imitating her virtues according to her 
state of life1 enjoys the singular      
privilege of commanding the deferential 
respect of men of the most decided      

character4 ,in her presence vice is     
silent1 audacity is confounded1 virtue1 
innocence and candor are at ease4 ,the  
holy emanations of her heart purify the 
moral atmosphere around her1 imparting  
to it a sweet and charming serenity1    
converting the place in which she       
appears into a kind of sanctuary4  ,by a
 contrary effect1 resulting from a want 
of self-respect1 woman becomes an easy  
prey to men of vain hearts and frivolous
 minds1 who1 not thinking themselves    
more obliged to respect her than she    
respects herself1 without any reserve1  
give expression to the vanity of their  
hearts and thoughts4 ,everywhere and    
always ignorance or contempt of the     
,christian religion has begot contempt  
for woman1 or disregard for her sacred  
rights and exalted dignity4 ,every where
 and always1 irreligion has produced    
libertinism1 the immediate and necessary
 effect of which is a depreciation of   
woman2 and in those countries where the 
habits and institutions of the people   

have been deprived of the precious      
culture of ,christianity1 woman's       
condition is so abject that it differs  
in nothing from that of the brute1 save 
that in her the sacred rights           
established by divine ,providence are   
most shamefully violated4  ,that woman  
is worthy of glory or ignominy is the   
logical consequence of her being        
regarded as a daughter either of ,eve or
 of ,mary4 ,in the one she is the       
poisoned source whence sin with all the 
evils that attend it flowed into the    
world1 in the other she is the blessed  
source whence the ,salvation of the     
world has issued forth4 ,and1 what she  
has been once for the entire human race 
in the garden of ,eden and at ,nazareth1
 she is yet every day for a people1 a   
city1 a family1 or for each man in      
particular1 according to the elevation  
of her position in society1 and the     
extent of her influence4  ,the greater  
part of ,christian nations owe to the   
prayers and examples of some holy woman1

 some pious queen1 for instance1 the    
gifts of ,christianity and              
civilization--in this regard ,france has
 been1 among all nations1 singularly    
fortunate1 and the name of ,clotilda    
shall forever be revered in the pages of
 its history2 while on the other hand1  
woman has often been instrumental in    
depriving the church of a kingdom1 and  
in plunging into darkness and error a   
long succession of generations4 ,for    
instances of this we have only to recall
 the names of ,anne ,boleyn and her     
cruel daughter1 queen ,elizabeth4       
,countless numbers are indebted to woman
 for a knowledge of the truth1 or the   
misfortune of forsaking it4 ,is there   
one who1 in recalling the memories of   
the past1 does not either bless or curse
 a woman1 seeing in her an instrument of
 ,god's mercy1 or of the seduction of   
,satan8 ,is there one who has not       
realized in that woman either a daughter
 of ,eve or of the ,blessed1 ,virgin--an
 ,eden or a ,nazareth8 ,behold the two  

poles between which the history of      
peoples and the life of each man in     
particular continually oscillate4 ,eve  
and ,mary these are two guiding stars1  
either of which man must follow2 the    
light of the one is deceitful and       
treacherous1 while that of the other is 
true and beneficent2 the one leads      
humanity along the paths of             
righteousness1 while the other lures to 
the commission of sin4 ,hence it is that
 the church has given ,mary those       
beautiful names1 so significantly true3 
,morning ,star6 ,star of the ,sea6      
,this world is1 indeed1 like a stormy   
sea1 in which are rocks and shoals1 upon
 which man runs the risk of being       
wrecked unless he keeps his eyes        
steadfastly fixed upon this star whose  
brightness no storm can dim1 and which1 
at the most perilous moment1 shines with
 greater brilliancy1 as the cheering    
sign of grace1 hope and happiness4 ,it  
is by turning our eyes toward ,mary with
 her divine ,son in her arms1 presenting

 ,him to us as our ,saviour1 that our   
troubled souls find the polar star which
 will quiet all their movements1 and    
tranquilize the fluttering beatings of  
our troubled hearts4 ,but1 woe to us if1
 instead of fixing our attention upon   
,mary1 virgin mother of ,god1 we turn to
 ,eve1 infected with the contagion of   
the serpent1 and offering to our hearts 
the doleful fruit of temptation and sin6
  ,at the entrance to every path that   
leads to heaven or to the abyss of hell 
you will find a woman--the image of     
,mary1 at the former1 the image of ,eve 
at the latter4 ,it almost invariably    
happens that it is woman who deals out  
to mankind sin and death like ,eve1 or  
life1 redemption and salvation like     
,mary4 ,if you meet with one of these   
privileged men1 chosen by ,god to be an 
instrument of ,his mercy1 intimately    
associated with ,jesus in the work of   
the salvation of ,his people1 you may   
rest assured that this man owes to a    
woman1 to a mother or a sister1 the     

development of the great qualities which
 distinguish him4 ,while1 on the        
contrary1 if you see one of those men   
tainted by the curse of some hereditary 
vice1 very often more pernicious than   
original sin in its effects1 you will   
discover that its source is the lesson  
or examples of a woman1 whose poisoned  
influence shall oppress generations1    
just as that of ,eve has oppressed the  
human race4 ,once again1 ,i repeat it1  
that1 as the corrupt and incredulous    
generation is the offspring of mothers  
modeled after ,eve1 so the holy and     
faithful generation traces its origin to
 mothers modeled after ,mary4  ,you must
 choose between these two models1 and on
 your choice will depend not only your  
own happiness and salvation1 but also   
that of many yet unborn1 whom ,god will 
confide to your care1 and who will be   
dear to your heart4 ,there remains no   
alternative2 you will be either a cause 
of temptation and sin1 or an instrument 
of grace and benediction for those who  

will live with you4 ,you will either    
offer them the forbidden fruit like your
 mother ,eve1 or you will give spiritual
 birth to the ,word of ,life for them4  
,as one of the greatest torments of the 
reprobate woman in hell will be to see  
the woeful misery into which she has    
brought those whom she had loved so     
dearly upon earth1 and to hear the      
maledictions and reproaches which they  
shall hurl against her1 so1 also1 one of
 the greatest joys of the faithful woman
 in heaven1 will be to see those whom   
she sanctified by word and example now  
grouped around her1 crowning her with a 
diadem of glory as a mark of everlasting
 gratitude4  ,would you deprive your    
soul of this saintly joy1 and condemn it
 to suffer the punishment reserved for  
those women who will be the cause of the
 ruin and eternal perdition of many8    
,divine justice shall vindicate itself1 
even in this life1 by making your heart 
a most cruel torment to itself1 that you
 may expiate1 in agonizing torture your 

infidelity to grace4 ,the cause of your 
sin shall be the very means of your     
punishment4 ,god will employ1 to avenge 
,his outraged honor and ,his violated   
laws1 those whom you have turned away   
from ,him1 and who1 recognizing in you  
the cause of their evils1 will end1     
perhaps1 by hating you1 or1 what is     
still worse1 by despising you4 ,oh1 may 
it never be your sad fate to feel the   
withering contempt of those who have    
been led away from ,god by your bad or  
undue influence1 that is1 by loving them
 for yourself and not for ,god and      
themselves6 ,do not1 ,i pray you1 store 
up such bitterness for your old age1    
such anguish for your death-bed1 since1 
instead of bitter regrets1 you can      
experience a sweet joy1 which is a      
foretaste of never-ending happiness1 a  
special consolation for ,god's faithful 
friends at that last and dreadful moment
 when the soul stands trembling on the  
threshold of eternity2 may it be your   
envied privilege to leave after you upon

 earth souls edified by your example1   
and grateful for the good you have done 
them4     ,,chapter ,,vi4   ,,eve ,,and 
,,mary ,,continued4  ,the history of the
 fall of man1 caused by ,eve1 and of his
 restoration1 brought about by ,mary1 is
 a subject of grave consideration for   
women of serious minds1 for women who   
have at heart the preservation of the   
dignity and vocation of their sex4 ,by a
 close consideration of these two       
models1 which furnish the solution to so
 many enigmas1 explaining so many truths
 and throwing so much light upon the    
most obscure and the most profound      
questions1 they will learn by a short   
and easy method what they should do1 and
 what they should avoid2 they will learn
 how sin has been propagated1 the reason
 why it still exists2 they will learn   
how justice and virtue flourish upon    
earth1 how men turn away from ,god1 and 
how they return to ,him4 ,it was with   
reason that ,god allowed sin and justice
 to attain us through the agency of     

woman1 and that her free consent was a  
necessary condition for both the ruin   
and the restoration of the human race4  
,it is therefore an interesting and     
useful study to consider in their detail
 and most minute circumstances the acts 
7so extremely opposed7 of these two     
women1 for one of them1 according to the
 beautiful expression of the ,church1   
has restored to us by her divine ,son   
what the other had deprived us of by her
 disobedience4 ,there is in these two   
facts1 so different in their nature and 
results1 a wonderful gradation which    
points out to us the fatal declivity by 
which the human heart insensibly sinks  
to the lowest abyss of evil1 or rises to
 the highest degree of virtue and glory4
 ,in the sin of ,eve the first degree   
was a certain intemperance of language1 
which led her to reply to the insidious 
questions of the devil2 in appearance   
this forgetfulness was very slight4 ,to 
answer a question1 give an explanation  
requested of you1 clear up a doubt1     

render an account of a precept of the   
,lord1 seem at first sight something    
natural and permitted4 ,it is quite easy
 to be deceived in this matter4 ,we     
readily convince ourselves that we are  
actuated by laudable motives in such    
like conversations--motives for         
gloryfying ,god and justifying ,his     
providence2 but we should be extremely  
cautious3 language is something august  
and sacred1 for it is the tie that      
unites the soul to ,god1 and man to his 
fellow-men1--it is the mysterious knot  
of all societies1 divine and human4     
,language establishes between those who 
speak a more intimate relation than they
 are generally aware of4 ,few persons   
realize the prodigious transfusion of   
thoughts1 sentiments1 influence and life
 that arise from conversation4 ,have you
 clearly understood this truth in its   
full force8 ,language establishes       
between souls a very close and          
mysterious union1 and this is why       
discretion1 prudence and reserve are so 

necessary in regulating its use4 ,this  
is why ,jesus ,christ warns us in the   
,gospel1 that we shall render an account
 of every idle word1 if indeed we may   
call idle a thing that entails such     
frightful consequences or fatal results4
  ,if this reserve is necessary for all 
it is more especially so for woman1 who1
 being more communicative than man1     
experiences a greater necessity to      
speak--to express herself more freely1  
and in terms more explicit4 ,if women   
were sincere and impartial judges of    
themselves they for the most part would 
not fail to recognize that nearly all   
their faults spring from a useless      
word--an imprudent answer1 or an        
indiscreet question4  ,the word why is  
indeed very short1 but in its insidious 
brevity it comprises a multitude of     
things which are all the more dangerous 
because they are unforeseen1 being      
concealed in a perfidious and cloudy    
vagueness4 ,why8 ,this word is the      
beginning of the greater part of those  

temptations against frailty4 ,the enemy1
 seeking our destruction1 almost        
invariably announces his presence by    
this captious question1 either by the   
mouth of another or by our own mind1 in 
order to fill the heart with doubt and  
trouble4 ,why take such and such        
precautions8 ,why avoid such a place1   
such a person1 such company8 ,why       
renounce such and such amusements8 ,why 
neglect or cast off that ornament8 ,why 
suffer this or that privation8 ,why     
abstain from this action1 which is not  
bad in itself8 ,why turn away the ear   
from those praises1 those compliments1  
dictated by usage or etiquette1 to keep 
up that intercourse without which       
society would be impossible8 ,why not   
read this book1 this novel8 ,why not    
assist at this play which the most      
rigorous moralist would not condemn2 and
 which has for its object to inspire    
horror for vice1 by placing before our  
eyes its doleful consequences true to   
reality8 ,why restrain to inaction the  

finest faculties of the soul1 and refuse
 them the aliment they so ardently      
crave8 ,why deprive our heart and       
imagination of the pleasures which the  
beautiful inspires8 ,why not form at an 
early age a taste for worldly beauty1   
and be possessed of all the resources   
and advantages that it affords us during
 life8 ,why be mistrustful of the mind  
and heart1 at an age when they still    
possess all their simplicity and        
freshness1 through vain fear which      
renders after-life almost intolerable8  
,why not be more confiding in the       
heart's fidelity and in the goodness of 
,god1 who has not condemned man to      
constant privations8--,such is the      
language that the enemy of our eternal  
salvation and happiness addresses us    
every day with such perfidious          
adroitness2 and who1 spite of the       
experience of those whom he has already 
deceived1 deceives us every day4  ,this 
language is the more perfidious for     
being apparently truthful and natural4  

,when there is question of corrupting a 
heart that is yet virtuous1 vice        
conceals itself under the mantle of     
virtue1 as otherwise its efforts would  
be powerless4 ,now1 we can safely say   
that its venom has already tainted the  
young lady's heart1 when1 through       
inattention and want of vigilance1 she  
has suffered doubt to brood over any of 
those obligations which are so delicate 
and difficult to determine1 and1        
nevertheless1 most grave and important1 
since they entail1 when neglected1 the  
most disastrous results4 ,firmness of   
mind1 assurance in her convictions1 a   
clear and strong consciousness of duty1 
are to her indispensable qualifications2
 and when she suffers this tenor of     
conduct to be interfered with by        
imprudently replying1 like ,eve1 to a   
captious question1 the peace and        
innocence of her heart are certainly    
threatened4  ,the young girl's innocence
 is something that is very imperfectly  
known2 the delicate and almost          

imperceptible shades that reflect its   
beauty and which render it delightful to
 ,god and ,his angels1 escape the       
general notice of mankind4 ,it is       
composed of a chaste ignorance of mind1 
a great simplicity of heart1 and a      
constant and unwavering firmness of     
will4 ,now1 what merits our greatest    
attention is the fact that this firmness
 of will begins to give way in woman the
 moment she removes1 even by a slight   
doubt1 this precious veil of ignorance  
which protects her virtue1 or when1 by  
an indiscreet question1 or an imprudent 
answer1 she exposes the simplicity of   
her heart4  ,the virtues which adorn the
 heart of a young lady are concealed    
from her own knowledge4 ,god has so     
enveloped her in mystery that ,he alone 
understands her4 ,none other save the   
penetrating eye of ,god should look into
 the sanctuary of her heart4 ,none other
 than ,his light should shine in this   
holy and chaste obscurity1 and this is  
why humility1 of which we have found so 

perfect a model in ,mary1 should be the 
necessary shield and guarantee of a     
young lady's innocence4 ,she ought not  
to have the slightest misgivings        
relative to the value of the treasure   
she possesses or the loss she would     
sustain in losing it4  ,the presence of 
an angel sufficed to trouble ,mary4 ,oh1
 young ladies should meditate well and  
frequently on the conduct that ,mary    
observed in this interview1 and imitate 
her example6 ,she did not answer the    
,angel's words1 but she observed an     
humble and modest silence4 ,not so with 
,eve who1 without reflection1 answered  
the devil's question1 and by this first 
reply began a conversation the issue of 
which has proved so disastrous to the   
whole human race4 ,learn from this      
two-fold example1 and from the effects  
so different which have resulted from   
both1 how much you should fear ,eve's   
curiosity in yourself1 and with what    
care and assiduity you should labor to  
imitate the reserve and silence of      

,mary4  ,curiosity is a most dangerous  
rock for a young lady1--this is the rock
 upon which a countless number of your  
sex and age have been wrecked4 ,the     
moment that you pander to the desire of 
knowing everything1 you immediately     
enter on a most dangerous way1 the issue
 of which is at least precarious4 ,it   
was for having satisfied this desire    
that ,eve opened the door to all the    
calamities that afflict and will afflict
 mankind till the end of time4 ,and1    
since then1 it has caused the ruin of a 
countless number of women4  ,intrench1  
so to speak1 your mind in the citadel of
 your own heart4 ,let it repose in the  
holy obscurity of an humble and docile  
faith1 and you will learn more useful   
things in this way than you could ever  
learn even from the best books and the  
most eloquent instructions4 ,faith and  
prayer should be the daily food of your 
soul4 ,faith1 with its imperfect yet    
celestial light1 will meet all the      
legitimate wants of your mind2 and      

prayer1 with its divine unction1 will   
embalm your soul4  ,often turn your eyes
 toward heaven1 and earth will soon lose
 all its attractions4 ,converse         
frequently with ,god and you will find  
it easier to dispense with the          
intercourse of men2 keep your mind at a 
remote distance from all worldly        
knowledge1 and the innocence of your    
heart will enjoy sweet repose4 ,seek not
 to anticipate by an indiscreet         
precipitancy the time when the realities
 of life shall open out to your view4   
,perhaps1 more than once you will regret
 the happiness which you now enjoy1 and 
which is due both to your knowledge and 
ignorance of things4  ,in reality1 you  
possess by faith the same knowledge that
 the blessed have in heaven1 that       
knowledge which has been the object of  
the study1 research and love of the most
 renowned minds and of the most perfect 
souls in this world4 ,faith1 elevating  
you above yourself and all earthly      
things1 leads you to regions to which   

the most distinguished genius1 joined to
 the most profound and persevering      
study1 can never approach4 ,faith makes 
you in a certain way the sister of      
angels and of men1--of men who have been
 the most remarkable on earth for their 
excellent qualities of head and heart4  
,faith associates you with the glorious 
choirs of heaven1 and1 when truly lively
 and active1 will bring you unalloyed   
felicity and ineffable joy4  ,why should
 you envy those women1 who1 for being   
older than you1 have gained by          
experience a knowledge of things that   
you should still ignore8 ,why seek to   
compare their knowledge with that which 
you possess8 ,the knowledge that you    
have obtained by faith has cost your    
mind no effort--not a single regret to  
your heart1 no remorse to your          
conscience4 ,every step that you make in
 this illuminated way recalls to your   
mind a sweet and precious souvenir1 the 
pure reflections of which will be the   
only light that will dispel the gloom of

 the trials and anguish of life4 ,it    
shall be very different with regard to  
what you must learn in time to come4    
,experience is a severe teacher1 whose  
lessons are dearly bought2 this is      
clearly and forcibly expressed by the   
,holy ,ghost saying3 ,he that adds      
something to the knowledge already      
acquired1 adds at the same time new     
pains to those he already suffers4  ,so 
far you have learned the one thing      
necessary to man1 and which meets all   
his wants3 you have learned how to      
please ,god1 to love and serve ,him by  
the observance of ,his commandments1 and
 fidelity to his inspirations1          
acknowledging and honoring ,his         
authority and power over you in your    
parents1 who are1 in your regard1 ,his  
representatives4 ,so that at present    
duty possessing pleasing attractions    
offers none of those difficulties which1
 at a later period of life1 will render 
it oftentimes painful4 ,your virtues1   
protected by that reserve which the     

world itself has imposed upon youth1    
guarded by the vigilance of a tender and
 careful mother1 aided by her examples1 
encouraged by her exhortations and love1
 tranquilly grow up in the modest       
sanctuary of the family1 without the    
remotest idea of the trials they must   
one day meet with4  ,to learn what      
pertains to faith and salvation1 good   
will suffices4 ,we are always sure to   
succeed in pleasing ,god when we are    
sincerely desirous to serve ,him2 in    
this regard we can never anticipate     
,him4 ,not so with the science which    
teaches how to please men and secure    
their good will or favor1 to enter into 
their views1 conform to their laws and  
customs4 ,no matter how great our desire
 may be to succeed1 we are never sure of
 success1 and very often the efforts    
made to secure it remove us farther from
 the desired end4 ,consequently1 very   
often the surest means of securing the  
esteem of the world is to despise it1   
and withdraw from its tyranny4 ,if you  

fail to disengage yourself from it1 and 
if you wish to servilely adhere to its  
maxims1 you will often experience that  
they are severe and hard2 and you will  
reproach yourself more than once for    
having desired in your youth to taste of
 those fruits1 externally so beautiful  
but internally so bitter4  ,hence1      
moderation of the mind's curiosity is   
necessary1 and in order to satisfy its  
activity apply it to those things that  
can be of interest to your conscience   
and salvation1 to the knowledge and     
study of those sublime truths which1    
while enlightening your intelligence1   
will elevate your heart and strengthen  
your will4 ,the knowledge that you will 
acquire in this way will serve you for  
the rest of your life1 much more than   
all the profane and useless books that  
you can read4 ,accustom your mind to the
 love and search of serious things2 this
 will prove to be of invaluable utility 
to you4  ,there is little consistency in
 frivolous things1 and those1 who have  

fed their souls upon them during youth1 
find themselves void and abandoned when 
they arrive at the age when woman can   
please only by interesting the mind and 
heart by solid charms and tried virtue4 
,this is the age which you should       
constantly keep before your mind1       
because it is the one that lasts the    
longest1 and which disposes us          
proximately for that awful moment in    
which our fate will be decided forever4 
,endeavor to become at an early age what
 you should be during the greater part  
of your life1 and what you would desire 
to have been at the hour of death4      
,,chapter ,,vii4   ,,the ,,world4  ,the 
world is like some objects which1 when  
seen from afar1 deceive the eyes and    
allure the imagination2 but on          
approaching or touching them their      
charms vanish4 ,it is like those        
carcasses that retain the form of a     
human body as long as they are buried in
 the obscurity of the tomb1 but which1  
on being exposed to the air1 are        

immediately reduced to dust4 ,those who 
are separated from it without having    
ever known it are exposed to be deceived
 by its perfidious allurements2 and     
those who1 in order to know it1 with a  
view of despising it1 desire to mingle  
in its feasts and pleasures1 run a      
greater danger of falling a victim to   
the seductions and corruption of its    
charms4-- ,how1 then1 shall you secure  
the advantage and escape the danger8    
,by shunning the world1 you secure your 
heart and conscience against its        
seductions2 but this evasion1 leaving   
you to consider it from a remote        
standpoint exposes your mind to         
prejudices favorable to it1 and which1  
later1 might become for you the source  
of many errors and of many faults4 ,how 
shall you surmount this twofold         
difficulty8 ,on the one hand you cannot 
mingle with the world without danger1   
and on the other hand it will not do for
 you to ignore its dangers which must be
 known in order to be avoided4 ,this    

dilemma would be of no consequence to a 
frivolous and unreflecting soul1 or to a
 vain and presumptuous mind1 which1     
confiding in its own powers1 believes   
that it has a good knowledge only of    
what it sees and experiences2 and counts
 for naught the teachings of faith and  
the experience of those who have gone   
before4  ,let not this be your case1    
but1 listening with an humble and docile
 heart to the teachings of faith1 reason
 and experience1 learn to know the world
 and its dangers while your age and     
condition still shield you from its     
seductions4 ,of all the means by which  
divine ,providence enlightens our minds 
here below1 divine faith1 as you are    
aware1 is the purest1 the brightest and 
the most reliable1--not only because it 
comes from ,god1 but because it is      
presented to us by an authority which   
,he has established1 and which1 by ,his 
special assistance1 ,he preserves from  
all error4  ,sacred ,scripture1         
interpreted and explained to you by this

 authority is1 therefore1 the great     
source to which you must have recourse  
for the knowledge of the things you     
should know4 ,now you will find that    
there is hardly a single page of those  
sacred writings in which there is not a 
malediction pronounced against the      
world1 and a warning for you to avoid   
its siren charms4 ,you will find in the 
gospel according to ,st4 ,john its true 
character described by ,jesus ,christ   
,himself1 who1 being the ,incarnate     
,wisdom1 could not have any other than  
the most perfect idea of things         
according to their just value4  ,in the 
first place1 it is certain1 according to
 this ,apostle1 that when the ,eternal  
,word came into the world it knew ,him  
not2 when ,jesus wished to make the     
,jews feel the confusion of their own   
blindness1 and see the reason of their  
opposition to ,his doctrine1 ,he said3  
,you are from beneath1 ,i am from above1
 you are of this world1 ,i am not of    
this world1 therefore1 ,i say to you    

that you shall die in your sins4 7,john 
viii4 #bc1 #bd47 ,could there be        
anything more explicit in condemnation  
of the world8 ,it has its origin and the
 throne of its power in the lower       
regions of the earth1 while the kingdom 
of ,god resides in the sublime abode of 
the human heart4  ,when ,he promised    
,his disciples that ,he would send them 
the ,spirit of ,truth1 to console them1 
,he gave as the distinctive mark by     
which they would know the ,holy ,spirit1
 that the world could not receive ,him  
because it has no knowledge of ,him4    
,hence the opposition that exists       
between the world and the spirit of the 
,new ,law is so great that any          
compromise is impossible4 ,the world is 
absolutely incompetent to receive or    
understand the spirit of ,jesus ,christ4
 ,another fact will render this manifest
 opposition still more palpable4 ,when  
,jesus addressed ,his eternal ,father   
that beautiful prayer preceding ,his    
agony and passion1 ,he excluded the     

world by a positive act of ,his will1 in
 order to give all to understand that   
the world could never have any share    
with ,him4 ,i pray not for the world but
 for them whom thou hast given me4 ,the 
world hath hated them because they are  
not of the world as ,i also am not of   
the world4 7,john xvii4 #i1 #ad47  ,st4 
,paul interprets these words in that    
energetic style so characteristic of his
 writings1 when he says to the          
,corinthians that we have not received  
the spirit of this world whose wisdom is
 folly before ,god4 ,now shall you adopt
 as the rule of your conduct and        
judgment a wisdom which ,god has not    
only reproved1 but even branded with the
 stigma of folly8 ,according to the same
 ,apostle the world proves by its own   
words that its knowledge is stupidity1  
since it can see nothing but folly in   
the cross4 ,the maxims1 ideas1          
judgments1 conduct and habits of the    
world and those of the flock that ,jesus
 came to save are so contradictory1     

their language is so different1 that the
 wise of the one are fools with the     
other2 and the things regarded as the   
most sublime by the former are to the   
latter preposterous absurdities4 ,the   
reason is simply because the one has its
 origin1 light and end in heaven1 while 
the other draws them from the earth4    
,now1 if1 in order to verify these words
 of the ,sacred ,scriptures1 you take a 
view of the doctrine of the world and of
 that of ,jesus ,christ1 and compare    
them1 you will not find a single point  
in the one that is not in direct        
contradiction to the other2 so that1 by 
the ,gospel1 you are enabled to discover
 the maxims of the world1 and vice      
versa4 ,you may rest assured that what  
is recommended and sought for by the one
 is censured and despised by the other4 
,st4 ,paul1 speaking to the ,galatians1 
says2 that if he was still pleasing to  
men he would not be the servant of      
,jesus ,christ4  ,if this be the case1  
you will say1 why remain in the world8  

,is it not every one's duty to leave it 
as soon as possible and abandon it to   
its own corruption8 ,let the words of   
our divine ,lord answer3 ,i do not pray 
you to remove them from the world1 but  
,i pray you to preserve them from evil4 
,our peace of conscience in this life1  
and the joys of heaven hereafter require
 separation from the world and          
opposition to its maxims4 ,but this     
separation is one of mind and heart1    
which consists in a manner of thinking1 
judging and acting entirely opposed to  
that of the world4 ,man ceases to belong
 to the world the moment he has ceased  
to make it the arbitrator of his conduct
 and judgment1 and when he has freed    
himself from its prejudices1 caprices   
and tyranny4 ,behold what religion      
requires of you1 and what alone will    
insure you happiness in this life and in
 the next4  ,now1 what is this world    
from which we must separate in order to 
lead a ,christian life8 ,in any society1
 that we wish to study with a view to   

obtain a knowledge of its nature and    
objects1 we may consider either the laws
 by which it is governed1 or the body of
 men who compose it and who are governed
 by these laws4  ,considered from the   
first point of view1 the world consists 
in its own maxims1 laws1 customs and    
judgments1 which are in opposition to   
the letter and spirit of the ,gospel2   
and which tend to withdraw the soul from
 the love of spiritual things1 or at    
least to create in her a dislike for    
them4  ,considered from the second point
 of view1 the world comprises a mass of 
men who profess its maxims1 adopt its   
usages1 obey its laws1 and yield to its 
judgments4  ,the world thus considered  
entails a twofold obligation for you1   
one of which can never admit of any     
exception or dispensation1 while the    
observance of the other must be always  
regulated by prudence and charity4      
,indeed the world1 considered in its    
maxims1 should be for you an object of  
constant aversion and contempt1 because 

it is the arch enemy of ,jesus ,christ  
and of the spirit that ,he communicates 
to ,his true disciples4 ,this is the    
world that you renounced on the day of  
your baptism2 and the solemn engagement 
that you then made was the first and    
most important of all those that you    
have made1 or will make1 during life4   
,but1 while it is never permitted you to
 adopt the maxims of the world1 charity1
 prudence1 and the consideration due to 
your position1 age and family1 will not 
allow you to effectively isolate        
yourself from those who have adopted its
 maxims as the rule of their actions and
 judgments4 ,in this you should conform 
to all that due decorum requires1 and   
endeavor to preserve your mind and heart
 against the pernicious influences often
 communicated by words1 actions1 lessons
 or examples of those who are slaves of 
the laws or customs of the world4 ,the  
danger is the more imminent inasmuch as 
the sunny side only of the world is     
displayed to you2 while no pains are    

spared on the part of those bound to you
 by the most sacred ties to engage you  
to adopt their views and imitate their  
example4 ,this is certainly one of the  
most delicate positions in which a young
 lady can be placed1 when her only arms 
of defense are the uprightness of her   
mind1 the innocence of her heart and the
 purity of her instincts4  ,st4 ,bernard
 says1 to serve ,god is to reign4 ,by a 
contradictory assertion1 we can safely  
say1 to serve the world is to be a      
slave2 and of all servitudes there is   
none so hard nor so humiliating as that 
which the world imposes upon those who  
yield to its empire4 ,if ,god were so   
exacting as the world1 so inflexible in 
the laws that ,he imposes upon us1 so   
severe in the chastisements by which    
delinquencies are punished1 piety would 
be an insupportable burden through the  
weakness of the greater part of men2 and
 ,god would find very few worshipers who
 would be willing to submit to such an  
ordeal4  ,what is most remarkable and   

worthy of compassion is the fact that1  
very often1 those who groan the most    
under this slavery are at the same time 
those who support it with the greatest  
resignation4  ,to suffer for a genuine  
duty1 for a generous sentiment1 for a   
noble or grand idea1 is something which 
the human heart can1 not only accept1   
but even love and choose with a certain 
pride2 but to suffer for the sake of    
worldly etiquette1 for the sake of      
fashion1 for things and parsons despised
 for their tyranny1 is a deplorable     
humiliation for those who do it4 ,and1  
nevertheless1 the greater part of those 
who might be called world-worshipers1   
who seem to give it the tone1 bear      
patiently its yoke1 which debases them  
in their own eyes1--pandering to        
necessities which they have imprudently 
created1 and from which they now find it
 impossible to free themselves4         
,,chapter ,,viii4   ,,the ,,same        
,,subject ,,continued4  ,,if the life of
 a woman of the world were proposed as a

 model1 and1 after having carefully     
examined all her occupations1 you would 
discover what would be hard for you to  
be convinced of before having done so1  
namely3 that there are women so         
inconsiderate as to feast their minds on
 such frivolities1 so forgetful of their
 dignity as to make it subservient to   
such misery1 so trifling as to make a   
serious work of bag itelles1 which at   
most can be considered as little better 
than childish amusement2 your soul1     
still rich in its primitive candor1 and 
favored with an energy tempered in the  
love and habit of virtue1 would revolt  
at the thought of such debasement4 ,and1
 nevertheless1 unless you apply your    
mind to acquire a love for serious      
matters you will not escape a disorder  
which you so justly deplore in others2  
you will be captured in those windings  
which have proved fatal fastnesses to   
women of other days4 ,there remains no  
choice between these two alternatives3  
you must either found your conduct upon 

intelligence enlightened by faith1 or   
abandon it1 like a rudderless ship1 to  
the caprice of passion and pleasure4    
,the life of a worldly woman is a       
fictitious life3 nature seems to have no
 attractions for her2 her soul has lost 
all taste for its charms2 she studiously
 endeavors to shut out its influences1  
and to subvert as much as possible the  
order by which it is governed4 ,this    
estrangement1 this disgust with nature1 
haunts her wherever she goes1 even in   
the making of her toilet1 even in the   
employment of her time4 ,she converts   
day into night and night into day1      
giving to pleasure the time destined for
 repose2 she purloins from the          
industrious hours of day the sleep and  
rest for which her wearied limbs and    
excited imagination contend4  ,while she
 is sleeping1 the humble daughter of    
,st4 ,benedict or ,st4 ,dominic leaves  
her cell to sing the praises of the     
,lord1 and offer ,him the day with its  
duties consecrated without reserve to   

,his glory4 ,when heavy curtains screen 
her restless slumber from the sun's     
obtrusive light1 the pious daughter of  
,st4 ,vincent de ,paul descends into the
 folds of her own heart in meditation1  
and enkindles in the fire of divine love
 the charity with which she must cheer  
the poor or sick whom she is destined to
 visit during the day4  ,what a         
difference between those two lives6 ,the
 worldling rises rested1 but not from a 
refreshing sleep1 she is aroused perhaps
 by the importunate rays of the mid-day 
sun or by the noisy tramping of hardy   
workmen who1 after their half day's work
 is done1 return home to partake of a   
frugal repast and receive the sweet     
greetings of a ,christian family4 ,it is
 then that her day begins1 as also the  
series of the grave occupations that are
 destined to fill it4 ,the time is short
 and scarcely suffices to prepare       
herself for the evening amusements2 all 
her energies are now employed to give   
herself that external grace and charm   

necessary to render her conspicuous in  
the joyous circle4 ,alas6 the worldly   
woman is entirely absorbed in herself1  
and when she does something for others1 
it is with a view to secure her own     
interest or pleasure4 ,that devotedness1
 that generous sacrifice and            
disinterestedness characteristic of true
 friendship is to her a mere paradox1 as
 she is an entire stranger to its       
effects and charms4  ,after her toilet1 
her most serious occupations are the    
visits which she pays and receives4 ,a  
visit prompted by charity or some other 
virtue is good1 highly commendable and  
praiseworthy4 ,i admire and understand  
the woman who leaves the peaceful       
company of her family1 when no pressing 
need requires her presence1 to go and   
visit the poor and destitute1 in order  
to sweeten their bitter lot by a word of
 encouragement or a little alms4 ,i     
understand and admire her who readily   
sacrifices her legitimate joy in order  
to go and mingle her tears with those of

 her friend and mitigate her sorrow or  
share it with her4 ,i understand and    
esteem the woman who1 impressed by the  
superior wisdom and exemplary piety of  
another woman1 goes to her for advice1  
devoting with pleasure her leisure hours
 to that end4 ,i see in all these       
circumstances a motive that is serious1 
honorable1 praiseworthy1 and capable of 
acting upon a noble heart and an        
elevated intelligence4 ,but1 among the  
visits made by worldly women2 how few   
there are that are prompted by such     
motives6 ,the greater part of those     
women visit with no other view than to  
pass the time1 to pander to their own   
vanity and curiosity1 to form or execute
 some intrigue4 ,what is said and done  
in their visits is worthy of the motive 
that inspires them4 ,there is not a     
single serious thought expressed1 not a 
single word to show that these women    
have an intelligence capable of         
comprehending the truth1 a heart made to
 love what is good1 or a soul capable of

 receiving ,god ,himself4 ,if life were 
but a dream1 if there be no hereafter1  
if at death the soul must perish with   
the body2 and man must sink into the    
nothingness whence he sprang2 they would
 have nothing to change in their visits1
 conversations and conduct4  ,there is a
 visit celebrated in ,holy ,writ1 a     
visit paid by a young woman to one of   
her own sex but more advanced in years1 
a visit so holy and renowned that its   
anniversary is celebrated throughout the
 ,christian world1--it is the visit paid
 by the ,blessed ,virgin to her cousin  
,st4 ,elizabeth4 ,o1 ,christian ladies1 
behold your true model6 ,compare this   
visit with yours1 and judge yourselves  
according to it4 ,compare your motives  
with those of ,mary4 ,compare your      
conversations with that sublime         
conversation of which the sacred writer 
has given us a fragment1 being the most 
sublime canticle that has ever been     
uttered by any intelligent creature     
under the action of divine inspiration4 

,oh1 what a world-wide difference       
between this sublime canticle and the   
light and frivolous conversations in    
which so many women indulge2 if you were
 to look for the reverse of this        
heavenly visit you would invariably find
 it among the visits paid by worldly    
women4  ,mary carries with her the ,son 
of ,god1 the ,author of grace1 the      
,principle of eternal life1 the ,source 
of chaste desires and holy hopes4 ,the  
worldly woman carries with her in her   
visits the spirit of the world1 the     
spirit of deception1 egotism and folly1 
which is in every way opposed to the    
spirit of ,christianity4 ,mary sings the
 praises of humility and proclaims it   
the virtue beloved of ,god1--the virtue 
which secures ,his love and assistance2 
she extols the happiness of those who   
thirst for justice and truth1 deploring 
at the same time the spiritual poverty  
and indigence of those who are puffed up
 with self-conceit4 ,the worldly woman1 
on the contrary1 seeks in her           

conversations to flatter her vanity and 
pride by parading the empty resources of
 her imagination and misguided          
intelligence4 ,she envies the happiness 
of those who1 rich in beauty and all    
those qualities that charm1 draw many   
admirers around them4 ,elizabeth1 on    
beholding her cousin1 felt her infant   
leap for joy4 ,the worldly woman stirs  
up in the hearts of those whom she      
visits the most frivolous instincts1 and
 sometimes even the worst passions4     
,this tableau excites your love and     
disgust4 ,the comparison frightens you2 
and perhaps in the simplicity of your   
heart you will say1 it is not free from 
exaggeration4 ,on the contrary1 you will
 be sadly disappointed when1 at a more  
advanced age1 you will clearly see that 
this is a very mild and subdued picture 
of what is true and real4 ,your age and 
innocence do not allow me to reveal to  
you all the mysteries of sin--all the   
snares1 all the dangers1 all the        
frivolities that fill up the days of a  

worldly woman4  ,would that what ,i have
 said of her may inspire you with       
salutary horror for her life2 and make  
you shun the snares in which she has    
been taken6 ,i pray that you1 satisfied 
with the knowledge you have of her      
follies1 may never feel the desire of   
adding to what you already know1 the    
fatal knowledge imparted by experience6 
,that you may never forget these words  
of ,st4 ,john3 ,love not the world1 nor 
the things which are in the world2 for  
all that is in the world is the         
concupiscence of the flesh and the      
concupiscence of the eyes and the pride 
of life4 7,i ,john ii4 #ae-af47         
,,chapter ,,ix4   ,,the ,,will4  ,st4   
,john1 the ,apostle1 addressing those   
who have not yet passed the age of      
adolescence1 says in his first          
,epistles3 ,i write unto you1 because   
444 you have overcome the wicked one4   
,then speaking to those who have        
attained the age of manhood1 he says3 ,i
 write to you1 young men1 because you   

are strong1 and the word of ,god abideth
 in you1 and you have overcome the      
wicked one4 ,again1 in the book of      
,proverbs1 chapter xxxi1 the inspired   
writer speaks in the following terms3   
who shall find a valiant woman8 ,the    
price of her is as of things brought    
from afar off1 and from the uttermost   
coasts 444 ,she hath put out her hand to
 strong things 444 strength and beauty  
are her clothing2 and she shall laugh in
 the latter day1 she hath opened her    
mouth to wisdom and the law of clemency 
is on her tongue4444 ,favor is          
deceitful1 and beauty is vain2 the woman
 that feareth the ,lord1 she shall be   
praised4 ,give her of the fruit of her  
hands2 and let her works praise her in  
the gates4  ,thus1 according to ,holy   
,writ1 fortitude or strength is the     
portion of youth1 which is manifested by
 the victories of the will over the     
enemy of our salvation4 ,this valor is  
regarded by the sacred writer as one of 
the finest qualities with which woman   

can be adorned1 since she owes to it all
 her true success and glory4 ,now what  
is this precious quality8 ,in what      
faculty of the soul does it reside8     
,what are the signs by which its        
presence is made manifest8 ,what is the 
end to which it tends8 ,what are the    
rewards that crown its victories8 ,these
 are questions of deep interest1 and the
 importance attached to a knowledge of  
their solution cannot be too great4  ,in
 the first place we shall begin by      
stating that the seat of valor is found 
in the will4 ,to be valiant consists in 
willing intensely what is painful to    
nature1 accomplishing what is proposed  
with energy and perseverance4 ,i have   
often treated this subject1 but it is so
 inexhaustible that it always seems new4
 ,its importance grows with time1 and   
now-a-days it cannot be insisted on too 
much1 nor can there be too much         
attention paid to it by those who wish  
to preserve in this world the integrity 
of their conscience and lead an         

irreproachable life4  ,alas it is       
painful to avow that this generous will 
is too rarely met with4 ,this noble     
faculty of the soul is made subservient 
to other faculties which should be      
subject to and directed by it4 ,the mind
 has perhaps acquired greater vivacity  
and penetration4 ,the imagination1 under
 the action of a constant change of     
images1 and those sensations which the  
activity of life multiplies so rapidly  
in our time1 has perhaps become richer  
and more varied4 ,the heart1 cherished  
while young by the cares and caresses   
common to the paternal roof1 has perhaps
 more confidence and candor4 ,but the   
will1 what has become of it1 what has it
 gained by this development of all the  
powers of the soul8 ,where is its place 
among them8 ,it should be their ruler1  
whereas it is made their slave2 they    
have conspired its overthrow4  ,it is   
true that very often the enfeebling of  
this great faculty is due to the        
excessive tenderness of those who have  

allowed us to contract pernicious       
habits4 ,who is it that speaks to the   
child's will8 ,who teaches him how to   
use that faculty and resist with energy 
the caprices of his imagination1 the    
passions of the heart1 the empire of the
 senses1 the seductions of the world8   
,these are duties that the will is      
called on to discharge1 and as long as  
man shall live such duties will be of   
daily occurrence1--hence the will is    
destined to be constantly called into   
action4  ,the will serves us when all   
the other faculties fail to act4 ,when  
the exhausted imagination sinks into a  
lethargic slumber2 when the worried     
heart loses all relish for everything2  
when the mind1 dreading the light of    
truth1 gives itself over to error and   
prejudice2 when the smoke of passion    
blinds the intelligence and suffocates  
the senses2 it is then that the will1   
fashioned in the school of pliant       
energy1 seizing the reins with a firm   
and vigorous grasp1 snatches the        

imagination from its torpor by bringing 
it to bear on objects capable of        
arousing it2 it is then that the will   
animates the heart with generous and    
noble sentiments1 and applies the mind  
to the consideration of truths which    
enlighten and fortify it4  ,there exists
 a strange abuse relative to the nature 
and essence of the will4 ,very often1   
parents1 blinded by a false prejudice1  
see with pleasure1 and admire in their  
children1 stubbornness and obstinacy of 
character2 and1 looking forward to their
 future with an air of pride1 they say3 
,that child will have a strong will4    
,deplorable error6 ,woe to the parents  
who fall into it1 and the children who  
are its object6 ,when the will is truly 
strong1 far from being obstinate it is1 
on the contrary1 pliant and tractable4  
,no human power can restore suppleness  
to the arm which a convulsive paroxysm  
has stiffened1 yet it does not follow   
that this arm is stronger than when it  
was in a healthy condition4 ,the        

stiffness1 far from increasing its      
strength1 decidedly weakens it4 ,in like
 manner the will's strength does not lie
 in stubborn obstinacy1 but rather in   
that pliancy which enables it to dispose
 itself as circumstances may require4   
,a stubborn character has nothing in    
common with this noble and precious     
faculty of the soul4 ,and1 like all the 
others1 this faculty possesses two      
degrees of elevation2 in the one it     
comes in direct contact with the senses 
and1 the external world2 and in the     
other1 raised above all sensibility1 it 
receives its light and movement from on 
high4  ,the will1 taken in its inferior 
part1 is nothing else than that appetite
 or blind instinct which we hold in     
common with the brute creation2 and by  
which animals are governed in their     
choice of some things and their         
rejection of others4 ,if the will1      
properly so called1 consisted in this   
blind instinct1 man would be inferior to
 the ass and the mule1 whose attractions

 and repugnances are more imperious than
 those of other animals4 ,the will1 as  
understood in the true ,christian sense 
of the term1 acts in contradiction to   
this brutal appetite2 hence they alone  
have a strong will who can1 when duty   
and conscience require it1 obey their   
voice with docility1 in spite of all    
instinctive opposition4  ,the education 
of the will1 ,i admit1 is a long and    
painful process4 ,we are taught at a    
dear rate how to know and judge things2 
but we must learn at a dearer price how 
to will4 ,the culture of the mind is the
 least important and the easiest part of
 our education1 while the culture of the
 will is extremely important and demands
 much time and labor2 yet1 through a    
most culpable negligence1 it is just the
 faculty that receives the least        
attention and culture4 ,too many imagine
 that the training of the will may be   
done at any time and1 what is still more
 erroneous1 that age1 experience and    
events will suffice to do this work4    

,hence we see every day poor souls      
entering the scene of life without an   
educated will1 which alone is capable of
 reacting against the evils and trials  
from which none in this world can       
escape4 ,this is the cause of that      
imbecility which renders the most       
precious qualities of mind and heart    
useless2 generating inconsistencies and 
uncertainties which1 in the moment of   
trial1 deprive the heart of its energy  
and the mind of all light1 thus leaving 
the soul open to all the assaults of    
misfortune4  ,we are obliged to         
chronicle a painful truth when we assert
 that the culture of the will is sadly  
neglected in education in general1 but  
more especially so in that of women4    
,there are even some so blind as to     
think that a strong will in woman is a  
dangerous quality1 alleging1 as a proof 
of their assertion1 the puerile reason1 
that since woman was made to obey she   
should find in another's will the rule  
of her actions4 ,but1 we ask1 if woman  

can have no will of her own1 how can she
 exercise the virtue of obedience1 since
 that virtue consists in bending the    
will to duty8 ,and since1 in her sphere1
 she is constantly called on to practice
 obedience it is just the reason why she
 should have a strong will4  ,now if    
from a tender age she has not given due 
attention to this precious faculty of   
her soul2 if she has contracted the     
fatal habit of acting without a purpose1
 without reflecting1 through caprice1   
following by a blind instinct the       
allurements that flatter the senses and 
imagination2 if she has not learned to  
conquer herself1 to put duty before     
pleasure1 and the voice of conscience   
above that of the passions and honor2   
how will she be able to live with a     
husband capricious perhaps in his       
desires and stubborn in his will8 ,how  
will she be able to confront his        
exactions or cope with his rage8 ,how   
will she bear with the faults of her    
servants and of those with whom she may 

be obliged to live8 ,how will she1 in   
her warnings and reproaches be able to  
blend in a just proportion mildness and 
firmness1 to obtain the salutary effects
 which she desires8  ,the path of life  
is not strewn with flowers2 all is not  
joy and happiness here below4 ,woman is 
destined1 as well as man1 to meet with  
days of sorrow and bitterness1 when a   
firm1 patient will must be her only port
 of safety4 ,to woman patience is1      
perhaps of all virtues1 the most        
necessary to sustain her in mental      
anxieties and various other sufferings  
that are inevitable2 and1 since patience
 is a fruit of the will1 it follows that
 a morbid will cannot produce an        
enduring patience1 the deficiency of    
which must render her life almost       
intolerable4  ,he that sails with the   
current and a favorable wind need not   
ply his oars2 but when there is question
 of going in the contrary direction1    
what was at first a great advantage     
becomes now a double disadvantage1 and  

he can succeed only by strenuous        
efforts4  ,during the days of youthful  
glee you glide gaily down the river of  
life1 going with the current1 favored by
 the breeze of hope1 charmed by varied  
and softly-changing scenes4 ,but this   
time will soon have an end3 sorrow will 
embitter your joys ere the frost of age 
shall have cooled the blood or chilled  
the imagination2 very soon1 in a few    
years1 perhaps1 it will knock at the    
door of your soul2 and you will be      
obliged to give this inopportune visitor
 admittance1 to remain with you1        
perhaps1 for the rest of your life4     
,among the young ladies of your         
acquaintance are there not some who are 
unhappy8 ,and can you1 without a        
voluntary illusion1 convince yourself   
that youth is a preservative against    
misfortune8 ,are you prepared to ward   
off the intruder8 ,if it wounds you how 
will you endure the pain8 ,it is        
imprudent to delay the acquisition of a 
particular branch of learning until its 

practical use becomes necessary2 and    
since it is while we are hale and hearty
 that we should learn to die well1 so it
 is while prosperity smiles on us that  
we should learn to bear adversity4      
,learn now1 while young1 to support all 
the vicissitudes of life2 make timely   
provision1 not only against adversity1  
but also against prosperity1 which for  
many is the more dangerous of the two4  
,prepare to meet not only those who will
 try your patience by their unjust or   
troublesome doings1 but also those whose
 affection officiousness1 and flattery1 
will perhaps exact from you a greater   
exercise of virtue4 ,be on your guard1  
not only against others1 but also       
against yourself4 ,learn to bear with   
yourself1 to suffer with courage the    
inconstancy of your own humor1 the      
nights of your imagination1 the         
impetuosity of your character1 the      
violent and inordinate movements of your
 heart4 ,accustom your will to wield the
 scepter and resolutely to govern the   

passions1 which are most powerful       
auxiliaries for good or for evil1--for  
good when under the complete control of 
the will1 for evil when they are        
emancipated from its sway1 for then they
 become the vultures of life1 and a     
torment of the soul4  ,never lose sight 
of the fact that you require a stronger 
will to obey than to command1 and that  
your condition1 far from rendering your 
will less necessary1 shows1 on the      
contrary1 that it is indispensable to   
you2 unless1 by indorsing that unjust   
and outrageous judgment by which the    
world seeks to degrade the dignity of   
woman1 you force upon yourself the      
conviction that her will should count   
for nothing either at home or           
abroad1--that she is destined to be     
blindly led by the caprices of others2  
unless you confound obedience with      
servitude1 and authorize the prejudices 
of those who pretend that woman should  
have neither thought nor will of her    
own1 but that another is charged with   

thinking and willing for her1 thus      
exonerating her from all responsibility4
  ,if this be your conviction1 ,i ask3  
,why do you read this book8 ,close it1  
it is not written for you2 because from 
the first page to the last it constantly
 discloses to your view all the titles  
of your glory and the grandeur of your  
dignity4 ,close your eyes to the light  
of truth1 shackle the will's liberty    
lest you may see and feel the shame and 
humiliation of your sad condition2 and1 
like a thing inert1 await in dumb       
silence until some trafficker may come  
and calculate how much he will gain in  
fortune and pleasure by purchasing you6 
,behold the deplorable condition to     
which the pagan theories of the world   
reduce woman6 behold the degree of      
abjection to which she herself descends 
when1 losing sight of the light of      
faith1 which exposes the true nature of 
things1 she suffers herself to be       
deceived by the vain systems of a world 
worthy of ,god's anathemas1 and governed

 by the spirit of deception4  ,no1 woman
 has not been created to be a slave2    
,god has neither destined nor consigned 
to such a humiliating state that half of
 humanity from which ,he has chosen ,his
 mother1 and which has been favored with
 a holy reflection of the glory of      
,mary4 ,god required a positive act of  
woman's will in her co-operation in the 
work of our redemption1--and to obtain  
it ,he did not hesitate to choose as    
,his ambassador1 one of the brightest of
 ,his archangels4 ,judge from this the  
respect and importance due to woman's   
will4 ,moreover1 it is a significant    
truth1 sustained by a long experience1  
that the salvation of a family1 of a    
father1 a brother1 a son1 a husband1 is 
secured in a great measure by the care  
and prayers1 the firm and wise1 yet mild
 and prudent conduct of a ,christian    
woman1 deeply penetrated with the       
profound sentiment of her dignity and   
the true importance of her duties1--all 
of which depend upon a firm and patient 

will4     ,,chapter ,x4   ,,the         
,,imagination4  ,the imagination1 that  
active agent of the senses1 is the bee  
which1 in its continual excursions1     
gathers from the flower-cups the sweet  
scented dust from which1 by due process1
 it forms the wax that gives us light   
and the honey that nourishes us4 ,your  
soul is like a bee-hive1 full of        
activity and life4 ,the external world  
is like a flower-garden1 in which each  
flower has its peculiar color1 perfume  
and brightness4 ,your imagination is the
 working bee of this hive1 which        
resounds with the humming of the senses4
 ,the will governs and directs all with 
perfect harmony1 when peaceful order    
reigns in all its workings4 ,but the    
moment that the will fails to discharge 
the duties of its office1 the           
imagination and the senses1 like bees   
deprived of their queen1 wander hither  
and thither without any determined      
purpose1 and the hive is abandoned to   
inaction or disorder4  ,it is of        

paramount importance to you to have a   
clear knowledge of the nature1 end and  
functions of all the faculties of your  
soul2 so that you may keep them within  
the province that ,god has allotted to  
them1 and that no disorder may arise    
from the attempted encroachments of some
 upon others4 ,this point becomes one of
 grave importance when there is question
 of the imagination1 because it is the  
most rash1 most ambitious1 most violent 
and at the same time1 the most          
seductive1 of all the faculties4        
,holding an intermediate place between  
the soul and the senses1 it is the most 
accessible to the charms of the external
 world1 and participates in the         
inconstant and tumultuous movements of  
our own sensibility4 ,confined to its   
own sphere of action1 it is a precious  
auxiliary1 which often facilitates the  
perception of the truth1 and the        
accomplishment of good1 by presenting   
them to the mind and heart under colors 
that render them amiable and attractive4

 ,when properly employed1 it is an      
invaluable gift of ,god1 who has given  
it to us to aid the infirmity of our    
nature1 by rendering less painful the   
efforts that we are so often obliged to 
make in order to triumph over our bad   
inclinations4 ,but when we fail to make 
a proper use of it1 it then becomes for 
us a source of danger1 and a great      
obstacle to our advancement towards     
perfection4  ,placed between the will   
and the senses1 it should neither be    
controlled by the latter nor emancipated
 from the sway of the former4 ,the      
faithful observance of this condition   
can alone insure us all the advantages  
we may hope to derive from it4 ,should  
it prove to be a frequent cause of      
mischief to us it is because we let it  
act independently of the will's         
control--in which case it is sure to    
become the slave of the senses4         
,separated from the intelligence1 from  
which it receives light1 and from the   
will1 which points out its course of    

action1 the imagination is a blind      
instinct1 precipitous in its movements1 
impetuous and inconstant in its flights1
 violent and capricious in its pursuits4
 ,it is in constant agitation and       
torment1 passing from one object to     
another1 jumping with a single bound    
from one extreme to another1 from sorrow
 to joy1 from love to hate1 from fear to
 hope4  ,it magnifies or diminishes     
things according to the caprice of the  
moment2 and gives a color of sovereign  
importance to things which in reality   
are the merest trifles2 a word1 a look1 
a sign preoccupies and alarms it2 it    
feasts on suspicion and anxiety1        
fictitious hopes and deceitful reports2 
it seizes with avidity on the things    
that please it1 but scarcely is it in   
possession of the sought for objects    
when it abandons them with disgust4     
,hence the impressions to which it gives
 rise are as whimsical and as inconstant
 as itself2 they appear and disappear in
 the soul without any apparent reason   

for their presence or absence4  ,the    
woman1 whose imagination has been       
developed at the expense of her other   
faculties1 may be said to lead a dreamy1
 fictitious1 contentious and agitated   
life4 ,this state is rendered still more
 dangerous by the agreeable forms which 
it assumes1 and which flatter the mind  
and senses by their rapid and constant  
changes4 ,hence it is that women endowed
 with this doleful gift have the sad    
privilege of drawing around them persons
 of volatile minds and inconstant       
hearts4 ,they invariably finish by      
becoming the dupes of their own fickle  
impressions1 and are taken in the snares
 in which their vanity sought to        
inveigle others4  ,could you but see the
 living tableau of one of those souls   
tyrannized by the imagination1 the sight
 would arouse both your compassion and  
disgust2 for hers is a fickle1          
inconstant1 fretful and worried life4   
,during the long dreary days not a      
single instant is completely and        

sincerely given to ,god4 ,her thoughts1 
affections1 desires and occupations     
never rise above trivialness4 ,among the
 multitude of persons of her            
acquaintance there is not a single one  
whom she sincerely loves1 or to whom she
 can render herself amiable4 ,in the    
multiplied interviews to which she has  
devoted her life-time not a single      
genuine affection can be found3 words   
which the lips pronounce and which the  
heart ignores2 visits made through      
etiquette or inspired by frivolity2     
conversations that are mutually indulged
 in for mutual illusion or              
deception2--such are the joys1 such the 
occupations1 of this woman4  ,with      
dispositions such as these there cannot 
be question of sincere piety nor of a   
,christian spirit4 ,piety resides in the
 will and supposes the love of duty2    
imagination abhors duty and seeks only  
after pleasure4 ,true1 the grace of ,god
 is all-powerful1 it is not tied down to
 the development of our natural         

qualities1 and ,god knows well1 when ,he
 pleases1 how to come to the assistance 
of the soul's faculties1 and plant the  
germs of solid virtue in a heart that is
 frivolous and badly disposed2 still it 
is an evident fact that among souls     
there are some better prepared than     
others to receive this divine seed1     
which takes deeper root when the heart  
is well disposed4 ,now1 among all the   
agents that can unfit us for the        
reception of divine grace there is none 
so bad as an ungoverned imagination1    
because it is the source1 especially    
among women1 of the most fatal          
illusions4  ,a woman in this condition  
spends her whole life-time in deceiving 
herself and in deceiving others--not    
purposely1 but by a fatal and voluntary 
illusion2 she can see nothing in its    
true light2 all objects appear to her   
under strange colors2 she forms her     
judgment of them according to the       
impression they make on the senses1 or  
the effect they produce in the          

imagination4 ,all this unfits her for   
the reception of those supernatural     
truths which fortify the mind without   
troubling the imagination1 and1         
consequently1 she remains insensible to 
the sweet impressions of grace which    
acts so mildly on the heart as to be    
unperceived by the senses4 ,to such a   
woman piety is a mere matter of form1   
made up of certain practices which1 in  
the guise of religion1 flatter and feed 
her imagination4 ,but the most terrible 
feature of this condition is1 that it   
always grows worse1 keeping the soul in 
a cloud of darkness1 which even the     
special light attendant on death cannot 
dispel4  ,thus1 living and dying1 they  
deceive themselves1 and carry their     
illusions to the very tribunal of the   
,sovereign ,judge4 ,then1 and not till  
then1 do they discover the truth which1 
though seeing1 they did not perceive    
during life4 ,then1 in doleful cries and
 lamentations will they exclaim1 ,alas6 
,we deceived ourselves1 we have gone    

astray from the path of truth6  ,do not 
expose yourself to the same sad fate and
 doleful end2 avoid the danger while it 
is yet time2 train your imagination from
 a tender age1 keep its activity under  
control1--then1 instead of being a      
source of vile it will be a source of   
most precious advantages to you4  ,one  
of the best means by which you can      
succeed in doing this is to fortify your
 will1 giving it that authority and     
consistency which it needs in order to  
govern the imagination2 without a strong
 will1 that remains always self-composed
 in the midst of the tumult of the      
senses and the activity of the          
imagination1 you will certainly fail to 
confine the latter to a just moderation4
  ,that your judgment may enjoy perfect 
liberty and ease1 your every act should 
be determined during peaceful calmness4 
,do not forget that1 while you are      
passing through moments of excitement   
and pre-occupation1 you are unable to   
see things rightly and execute them     

properly4 ,when in this state of mind a 
project is proposed to your             
consideration2 you will find that your  
heart is already fixed upon it before   
you have duly examined it2 then the     
liberty of your mind becomes shackled   
either by vain hopes or fears suggested 
by some blind and violent instinct4 ,in 
this and similar circumstances you      
should proceed with great precaution4   
,it is prudent and wise to defer taking 
action in any serious matter until      
self-composure is completely restored1  
until the mind is serene1 the heart at  
peace1 and the will in full possession  
of its liberty4 ,listen not to the      
plausible solicitations--obey not the   
impulses of your imagination1 but wait  
several days1 or weeks1 or even months  
if necessary2 for a final determination 
taken in the midst of confusion and     
agitation will inevitably entail bitter 
regrets4 ,even prayer will not obtain   
for you1 while in such a state of mind1 
all the light that you need4 ,what you  

should first ask is1 that ,god would    
lull this storm1 and restore peace to   
your soul2 but it is not the moment to  
pray that ,he may inspire you what to do
 in this or that difficulty1 because1   
preoccupied as you are1 you will perhaps
 take for the voice of ,god and of your 
conscience the cries of your troubled   
imagination4  ,when1 after a mature and 
serious examination of the matter at    
issue1 you have calmly discovered what  
course to adopt1 it is then time to     
enlist the service of the imagination to
 aid your will1 and get it interested in
 the work that you have to do1 in order 
to impart new energy to the soul1 and   
new light to the intelligence2 when it  
is docile to the orders of the will it  
is a powerful auxiliary for good4       
,never forget that the liberty of the   
mind and heart is an indispensable      
condition to judge rightly1 to love with
 security1 and to act with prudence2 and
 that whatever tends to diminish this   
liberty should arouse your suspicions1  

no matter what may be its apparent      
advantages2 for these can never equal   
the advantages accruing from an         
unshackled heart and mind4     ,,chapter
 ,,xi4   ,,piety4  ,most appropriately  
indeed was the name piety given by our  
fathers in the faith to the sentiment   
which elevates the mind and heart to    
,god4 ,it establishes an intimate union 
between ,god and the ,christian soul1   
for it is an affection composed of the  
most generous qualities of the human    
heart4 ,in woman1 it is a mixture of    
respect1 devotedness and tenderness1    
which are enhanced still more by a      
certain blending of fear1 confidence1   
and candor4 ,man is pious towards ,god  
and his parents2 but the woman whose    
heart is not vitiated by anything       
fictitious is pious towards those whom  
she loves1 for in each one of her       
affections may be found1 combined in    
different degrees1 all the shades of    
sentiment that we have mentioned above2 
but it is in her piety towards ,god that

 they are especially striking4  ,woman's
 heart languishes for ,god1 because it  
thirsts after the good and beautiful2   
and all her efforts to satisfy its      
cravings will prove futile until it is  
immersed in the bosom of the ,divinity1 
the ,source of all goodness and beauty4 
,with woman the heart is the great      
receptacle of grace1 the principal agent
 in the practice of piety and virtue4   
,if this precious disposition of her    
heart offers many and great advantages1 
it carries with it also its             
inconveniences4 ,the heart is a near    
neighbor of the imagination1 and the    
latter often allures the former by its  
charms4 ,its activity is often developed
 and exercised at the expense of the    
will1 by diminishing and enfeebling the 
power and influence of the latter4 ,it  
not unfrequently happens that the heart 
becomes the seat of dangerous illusions1
 when it not only favors1 but even      
indulges in that tender and sensible    
piety1 which is founded on and fed by   

lively sentiments and beautiful images4 
,in this state it costs no little effort
 to will and act4  ,the reading of a    
pious book1 the meditating on the       
mysteries of the passion and death of   
our ,saviour will melt the heart to     
tenderness4 ,thus1 nature has a greater 
share than grace in piety and fervor of 
this stamp4 ,self-complacency and       
self-love are here most adroitly        
concealed under the garb of humility1   
and it requires a rare sagacity to      
discover their presence4 ,the ,christian
 soul in this state seeks not to please 
,god or others1 but it seeks rather its 
own pleasure1 and for many women this   
kind of piety is a form of affectation  
and vanity4 ,with those fine sentiments 
and enthusiastic transports they remain 
unmortified1 vain and curious lovers of 
flattery and averse to reproof1         
retaining all their faults1 which they  
endeavor to conceal under the mask of   
external piety4  ,do not ask such women 
to bridle their will or to restrain the 

sallies of their humor1--speak not to   
them of the good derived from           
self-mortification1 self-abnegation and 
the love of the ,cross1--words such as  
these have no signification for them4   
,they are satisfied with simply feeling 
and giving expression to those virtues1 
after the manner of artists who1 by a   
happy disposition of mind1 are expert in
 becoming penetrated with ideas and     
sentiments in which their will has no   
part whatever2 and which have no moral  
influence over their life4  ,they are   
delighted to go with ,jesus on ,mount   
,tabor and contemplate ,him in the      
splendor of ,his glory2 but when there  
is question of participating in ,his    
ignominy on ,calvary they most          
shamefully abandon ,him4 ,and when ,he  
asks them to aid ,him to carry ,his     
cross they do it1 if at all1 as         
reluctantly as did ,simon of ,cyrene4   
,they willingly multiply prayers and    
exterior practices of piety1 which      
flatter natural inclinations2 they      

frequent the ,sacraments1 and this      
furnishes them the occasion and means of
 producing those lively and tender      
sentiments upon which the heart loves to
 feast4  ,their doleful condition is    
rendered still more deplorable by the   
use of the most sacred things to nourish
 their self-love and sensibility4       
,grace1 according to their views of the 
spiritual life1 is only a means to      
render natural sensibility more delicate
 and refined4 ,thus1 led on from one    
delusion to another1 such women come to 
the end of their life1 rich in foliage  
and flowers1 but without ever having    
produced any fruit4  ,i hope1 dear      
reader1 that such may not be your case2 
but1 to avoid all error on a point of   
such vital interest1 meditate constantly
 on the divine instructions that ,jesus 
has left us in the ,sacred ,scriptures1 
and on those also with which ,he        
inspired the pious author of the        
,following of ,christ1 their most       
perfect commentator4 ,learn to discern  

genuine piety from that which bears only
 the name4 ,learn to distinguish between
 its object and that which is only a    
means to attain that object1--two things
 which are frequently and erroneously   
confounded1 yet which are very distinct 
and very different from each other2 for 
it is a great mistake to neglect the end
 by attaching too much importance to the
 means by which to attain it4  ,piety   
does not consist in sublime language1   
mystical thoughts1 or angelical         
sentiments1 for1 according to ,st4      
,paul1 we might speak the language of   
angels and be still only sounding brass2
 neither does it consist in the         
knowledge of divine mysteries1 nor in   
the more excellent intellectual gifts2  
for1 according to the same apostle1 a   
man might be a prophet and possess a    
knowledge of all science1 without being 
on that account anything in the sight of
 ,god4  ,faith is truly grand1 because  
it is the principal basis of our        
justification2 and because with it we   

are enabled to obtain all things from   
,god4 ,nevertheless1 man might have     
faith strong enough to move mountains   
and be absolutely nothing before ,god4  
,charity to the poor1 compassion for the
 unfortunate are indeed excellent       
virtues1 because they cancel numerous   
sins1 and because they seem to form the 
principal matter of that terrible       
judgment which will decide our weal or  
woe for eternity2 yet you might         
distribute all your wealth among the    
poor1 and still merit no reward from    
,god4  ,we are recommended by the ,holy 
,scriptures and by the masters of the   
spiritual life to practice              
mortification1 the perfection of which  
is found in martyrdom2 and nevertheless1
 though you should even lacerate your   
body till it became one bleeding wound1 
and deliver it into the hands of the    
executioner to be burned1 you might gain
 nothing thereby4  ,none of all those   
things constitutes the essence of piety4
 ,one thing alone can claim this        

privilege and that is ,,charity1 not    
that charity which consists merely in   
feeling and speaking1 but a charity that
 is active1 and which penetrates the    
entire life by its divine1 influence2   
that charity which is patient and       
beneficent1 not envious1 dealing not    
perversely1 not puffed up4 ,true charity
 is not ambitious seeks not its own1 is 
not provoked to anger1 thinks no evil1  
does not rejoice in iniquity but for the
 good it beholds everywhere1 it bears   
all things1 believes all things1 hopes  
all things and endures all things2 such 
is the soul of true piety according to  
the ,apostle ,st4 ,paul4 7,cor4 ,i      
,epist41 xiii chap47  ,our divine ,lord 
clearly defines its nature in the       
following terms3 ,if any man will come  
after me1 let him deny himself1 and take
 up his cross1 and follow me1 for he    
that will save his life1 shall lose it1 
and he that shall lose his life for my  
sake shall find it4 7,matth4 ch4 xvi47  
,to be a ,christian consists in walking 

in the footsteps of ,jesus ,christ4     
,hence1 to follow ,him and carry the    
cross1 self-denial is the first and most
 necessary qualification4 ,in order to  
enjoy the eternal happiness of the      
future life we must sacrifice the false 
joys of earth4 ,again1 ,he tells us3    
,the kingdom of heaven suffereth        
violence1 and the violent bear it away1 
that is to say1 the valiant1 the        
energetic1 and persevering1 will alone  
succeed in securing it2 for the words   
bear away express the action of one that
 seizes a prey4 ,add to these texts     
those others of ,st4 ,paul3 ,if any man 
have not the spirit of ,christ1 he is   
none of his1 that is--he does not belong
 to ,christ1 he is not ,his disciple2   
and they that are ,christ's have        
crucified their flesh with the vices and
 concupiscences4  ,now ,i would not have
 you think that the piety of which ,i   
speak is too elevated for you1 that it  
can he practiced only by members of     
religious orders1 and very holy         

laics--this is by no means the case4    
,what is required of you is nothing more
 than what our ,lord and all the saints 
would have you do4  ,i must point out   
another error not less pernicious to the
 practice of true piety1 namely2 that of
 taking the means to the acquisition of 
piety as the end for which you practice 
it1 for the means should at all times be
 appreciated according to their just    
value1 or according to the assistance   
they give you to attain your end as a   
true ,christian1 which consists in dying
 to self and to self-glory4 ,i would not
 have you judge of your progress in     
perfection by the number of your        
communions1 or the multitude of your    
pious practices1 or the length of your  
prayers1 but by the victories which you 
gain over yourself1 over your passions1 
your character1 and your temper4  ,like 
all other good things1 you can turn     
prayer to your spiritual detriment1 when
 you have recourse to it through vain   
glory4 ,be thoroughly convinced of the  

truth expressed by the ,evangelist ,st4 
,john1 that he is a liar who says that  
he loves ,god1 and does not keep his    
commandments4 ,remember that the spirit 
of darkness1 as ,st4 ,paul tells us1    
can1 and often does1 transform himself  
into an angel of light1 and produce in  
the mind false lights1 which dazzle and 
blind it4  ,now that you know in what   
the essence of piety consists1 you ought
 to learn in what faculty of the soul it
 resides1 and this knowledge will       
preserve you from many illusions1 and   
point out to you the direction in which 
you must advance in order to attain your
 end4  ,piety1 should1 by its divine    
influence1 penetrate all the faculties  
of the soul and take possession of your 
whole being2 it ought1 as we have said  
above1 to make its presence especially  
felt in your heart1 by purifying all its
 affections2 but its principal abode    
should be in the will1 through which it 
may reach all the other faculties in    
order to elevate and vivify them4  ,the 

will is1 indeed1 if ,i may so speak1 the
 organ or the instrument of sacrifice   
and duty2 and since piety properly      
consists in sacrifice and duty1 in      
suppressing the inordinate appetites of 
the human heart1 and elevating nature   
above herself1 the will is the faculty  
in which piety should reside4  ,it is   
not an easy matter to be truly pious1   
for1 in order to attain to a superior   
order of spiritual perfection1 we must  
lay aside self which paralyzes all the  
generous movements of the soul1-- we    
must also faithfully correspond to      
divine grace4 ,all this entails much    
difficulty1 many struggles1 and1        
consequently1 great and constant        
efforts4  ,every being has a tendency1  
founded on an imperious instinct1 to    
dwell in its natural sphere1 which it   
can not leave even to enter a superior  
one without making a great effort4      
,hence1 the ,holy ,ghost warns him who  
desires to serve ,god to prepare for    
temptation and struggle4 ,now1 among all

 the faculties of the soul1 the will is 
the best disposed for the combat1       
because pleasure has a smaller share in 
its movements than in those of the heart
 and imagination2 it is able1 when      
necessary1 to rise superior to the most 
alluring charms1 preferring fidelity to 
duty with all its difficulties and      
bitterness4  ,to be pious implies the   
faithful observance of ,god's           
commandments1 ,if you love me1 says     
,christ1 keep my commandments2 it       
consists in being resigned to the will  
of ,god1 ready to be disposed of at ,his
 good pleasure4 ,to do this you must    
place all your faculties1 and especially
 your will at ,his disposal4 ,god has   
reserved to ,himself the right of acting
 in an intimate and profound manner upon
 the will4 ,this faculty is ,his        
sanctuary1 in which ,he delights to     
dwell1 and operate the prodigies of ,his
 grace and love1 which ,he communicates 
with unbounded prodigality to ,his      
elect4  ,this is the throne upon which  

,he silently engraves the image of ,his 
divine ,son1 the essential              
characteristic of predestination4 ,it is
 in this power of the human soul that   
,he plants in the depth of ,christian   
humility the foundation of solid virtue1
 in defiance to the disorders of the    
mind1 the agitations of the heart and   
the incoherencies of the memory4  ,from 
the bosom of the ,divinity our ,blessed 
,lord brought with ,him two special     
favors1 one of which was for ,his       
eternal ,father1 and the other to be    
given persons of good-will4 ,he charged 
,his angels to announce them to the     
world in the person of the shepherds4   
,they were1 glory for ,his ,father and  
peace for men1 but only for men of good-
 will4 ,this heavenly peace is a        
foretaste of the never-ending joys of   
,paradise4 ,it is a prize worth striving
 for1 and easy to secure1 at least for  
you1 since it is promised to all persons
 of good-will4     ,,chapter ,,xii4     
,,vocation4  ,god1 who has created all  

things by ,his own power1 conserves them
 by an act of ,his divine love2 and by  
,his providence leads them to their     
appointed destiny through ways          
conformable to their own nature4 ,he did
 not create man to live a solitary      
being1 and1 consequently1 implanted in  
his heart an instinctive need of        
society2 desiring that the latter should
 effectively contribute to the          
development of the faculties of soul and
 body4 ,and1 as society cannot subsist  
without a certain variety of conditions1
 and functions1 which lend each other   
mutual aid1 ,he has planted in our souls
 certain dispositions in harmony with   
the particular state of life to which   
,he has destined us4 ,this is what is   
called vocation4  ,it is1 as you        
perceive1 only a particular form of that
 general providence by which ,god       
governs the universe1 giving to the     
lilies their eclat and perfume1 watching
 with maternal care over the young      
brood1 preparing its food for the little

 bird1 and not allowing a single hair to
 fall from our heads without ,his       
permission4 ,i purposely make use of the
 beautiful images that ,jesus ,himself  
employed to reveal to us the sweet      
mystery of providence4  ,to deny that   
man has a special vocation is placing   
him in a rank inferior to the plants and
 irrational animals4 ,it is denying the 
variety of dispositions which enter into
 the combination of character1 and which
 is at once one of the greatest charms  
of and most precious advantages to      
society2 it is forcing on the mind the  
conviction that every one is free to    
choose1 whether in or out of season1 his
 post in the world1 even when such a    
course would be contrary to the         
principles of common-sense1 and would   
entail the subversion of society2 for1  
let each and every one be directed in   
the choice of his post by the whims and 
caprices of nature1 assuredly society   
will soon become demoralized1 even as an
 army in which each soldier would be    

free to choose and take the grade and   
position that best suited his tastes4   
,if society is kept in a constant       
feverish agitation1 by the furious      
contests of ungoverned passion1 it is   
because no one1 or at least the vast    
number never take the trouble to consult
 ,god by prayer1 or otherwise1 before   
making a choice of a state of life4 ,if 
there are so many dissatisfied with     
their state of life it is because they  
are not where ,god had destined them to 
be4 ,if life is blighted with deception1
 fraught with regrets and bitterness1 if
 our fairest hopes are blasted1 if pain 
and sorrow brood over our existence1 it 
is because the soul suffers the         
punishment entailed by her levity or    
negligence in a matter on which her weal
 or woe depends1 both for time and      
eternity4  ,oh1 how sadly rare in the   
world is that sweet and celestial peace1
 that interior contentment1 that pure   
and simple joy which in holier times    
families prized as their most precious  

inheritance2 and which they handed down 
to their posterity as one of their      
richest gifts3 then the thought of ,god 
and eternity presided over all the      
important actions of their life2 then   
the light of heaven was invoked when    
there was question of any important     
undertaking2 and as grave matters were  
considered and weighed in the light of  
truth and religion1 due attention was   
paid to the choice of a state of life4  
,they knew that1 while other proceedings
 might be changed1 and consequently     
their fatal result averted when         
foreseen1 the step made in the choice of
 a state of life is irrevocable and a   
mistake made in that step not only      
involves our happiness or misery for    
time but also for eternity4 ,hence it is
 said by many that vocation is closely  
allied with predestination4  ,it is a   
most solemn moment in the ,christian's  
life1 for it is the beginning of that   
road by which he must attain his        
destination4 ,at this juncture it is    

consoling to consider with the eye of   
faith1 the love and solicitude with     
which ,god protects the soul2 to behold 
,jesus offering with ineffable          
tenderness for her the blood which ,he  
shed on the cross4 ,to see the guardian 
angel redoubling his charitable efforts 
in the interest of his client1 awaiting 
with pious anxiety the issue of a       
deliberation upon which must depend in a
 great measure the success or failure of
 his labors for her eternal salvation4  
,still1 should any one be so unfortunate
 as to make a bad choice1 let him not   
consider his condition irremediable2    
divine mercy has inexhaustible resources
 from which to provide us with the means
 to work out our salvation1 and prevent 
the doleful consequences of those fatal 
errors4  ,yet1 it is certain beyond all 
question1 that we render the work of our
 eternal salvation always more difficult
 when we have not embraced that state of
 life which ,god had laid out for us2   
for the sins which are a consequence of 

this want of correspondence to the      
divine will1 will have1 if not a        
decisive influence1 at least a          
considerable share in the work of our   
reprobation4 ,how many souls now        
writhing in eternal torments could1 on  
ascending the course of their lives1    
point out the solemn moment in which    
they made a choice of a state of life as
 the time of their departure from the   
road to heaven4  ,no ,christian who has 
his salvation at heart will hesitate to 
say that it is folly to treat with      
indifference and levity a matter of such
 vital importance2 for he must remember 
with a sacred awe that1 when he makes a 
choice of a state of life1 he pronounces
 in a certain manner an irrevocable     
sentence on himself4  ,when the soul is 
deprived of the advantages of a rule of 
life1 of the advantages of good         
dispositions1 character and temperament1
 as well as of those provided by        
circumstances1 men and things on the one
 hand2 and when she is obliged to       

struggle incessantly against herself and
 external obstacles on the other hand1  
the work of her salvation becomes more  
difficult and less certain4 ,in this    
deplorable condition1 the only pillar   
left her on which she can anchor her    
hopes of salvation is the mercy of ,god2
 but then a faithful correspondence with
 divine grace in the most minute        
details1 constant and persevering prayer
 to obtain strength to bear the trials  
of life with profit1 are positively     
necessary conditions to escape          
destruction4  ,commencing her career1   
woman finds for the most part only two  
roads that dispute the choice of her    
adoption4 ,estranged1 generally         
speaking1 to the professional life1 or  
at least1 acting in it only a secondary 
role1 she scarcely gives it a serious   
thought2 she can therefore give all due 
deliberation to her choice between      
marriage and celibacy4  ,if all were    
bound to choose the more perfect state1 
considered in itself1 the question would

 be easily settled1 as in that case     
there would be1 properly speaking1 no   
choice to make2 for evidently it is the 
celibate state of life that should be   
adopted1 since it is a more perfect     
state than that of marriage2 and the    
church1 maintaining the doctrine of the 
,apostle on this point1 has condemned as
 heretics those who teach that the      
married state is as perfect as that of  
virginity4 ,but1 if all should aspire to
 perfection1 if all are free to choose  
the kind of life that will better insure
 the attaining of that perfection1 then 
all are not obliged to embrace the      
celibate state1 since our perfection    
consists in doing ,god's will4  ,when   
you are about to make a choice of a     
state of life1 you are not only         
permitted1 but even urged1 to take into 
consideration your dispositions and     
aptitudes for the state which you       
propose to embrace2 and1 if they are in 
good accord with it1 you may safely     
conjecture that they were given you for 

that state of life4 ,your imperative    
duty consists in distinguishing between 
the call given by ,god and the voice of 
passion or prejudice4 ,hence you should 
promptly and faithfully follow the      
attractions and dispositions that ,god  
has given you1 and nothing else4  ,if   
for instance1 a woman made her choice   
with a view of pandering to her vanity1 
curiosity1 worldly love1 or some other  
passion still more culpable perhaps1    
,god would have no part in her          
determinations1 and she would inevitably
 become the dupe of her own folly2 for  
,god gives light only to such as are    
sincere in their search for it1 and they
 who look for it in this way are such as
 those1 who1 in examining the question  
of their vocation1 have chiefly in view 
the glory of ,god and their own         
salvation4  ,if the natural dispositions
 should be taken into consideration1 it 
is not indeed with a view to flatter    
nature and avoid the struggles incident 
to the ,christian life4 ,that would be  

renouncing the glorious title of        
,christian1 and the incomparable favor  
that ,god has conferred upon us in      
creating us to live with ,him forever4  
,if it is useful to consult our taste   
and aptitude it is because they are for 
the most part indicative of ,god's will2
 hence we ought to employ them for the  
purpose for which ,he gave them to us4  
,then the object of your researches in  
this matter should be to discover ,god's
 will in that state of life for which   
,he has given you a pronounced taste and
 aptitude2 but1 because the caprice of  
nature or character may sometimes be    
taken for that taste and aptitude1 you  
are not altogether safe from deception  
without some other guarantee4  ,it      
frequently happens that man believes to 
be an inspiration from ,god what is only
 the effect of badly-regulated passion  
or some bad habit deeply rooted in the  
soul4 ,in order to be sure that ,god has
 given such a disposition or aptitude of
 the heart and mind as being indicative 

of the state of life ,he would have us  
enter1 it should be possessed of the    
following conditions1 namely3 ,the      
sanction of time1 which is the          
instrument that ,god ordinarily employs 
to stamp the impress of ,his will on the
 works that ,he operates in us4 ,it is  
necessary that this disposition has been
 constant1 that is to say1 that it has  
not suffered from frequent or long      
interruptions4 ,a transitory taste      
appearing to-day and vanishing          
to-morrow1 a volatile inclination       
frequently appearing and just as        
frequently disappearing1 merits no      
consideration in an affair that involves
 the ,christian's happiness both for    
time and eternity4  ,however1 if the    
aptitude which you feel in your soul for
 a given state of life has lost much of 
its vivacity1 or even when it should    
have frequently vanished in the course  
of your life2 you are in duty bound to  
study the causes and circumstances of   
this change1 especially when1 with the  

disappearence of that inclination1 piety
 and fervor in ,god's service have also 
diminished in the soul4  ,if1 as often  
as you felt the sweet impulse of divine 
grace in prayer and holy communion this 
inclination became also aroused in the  
soul2 if you felt it increase in        
proportion as you gave yourself to ,god1
 you may safely conclude that it is the 
indicator of ,god's will in your regard1
 and that its vascillating or enfeebled 
condition was the work of your own      
perverse will4 ,hence1 in order to      
ascertain whether the natural           
inclination or aptitude you feel for any
 state of life is from ,god or the      
effect of a deluded fancy1 you need but 
compare your natural aptitude with those
 you have received through divine grace2
 and if you find them in perfect accord 
you may rest assured that they are from 
,god1 for ,he is the author of nature as
 well as of grace4 ,on the contrary1    
should they disagree then you may safely
 conclude that your natural desire or   

inclination is a delusion4  ,this last  
consideration should not be omitted1    
especially when there is question of    
embracing the religious life2 for the   
attraction by which we feel ourselves   
drawn to a more perfect life is in      
itself a gift of ,god1 and one of ,his  
most precious gifts4 ,as often as this  
attraction reveals its presence in the  
heart1 it singularly involves the study 
of vocation4 ,hence1 it is a most       
delicate and perilous matter to deal    
with1 for if this attraction comes from 
,god and if the soul repels it she      
prepares for herself lamentable         
delusions1 and a life fraught with      
bitterness and remorse4 ,god has a      
reason for frequently saying in the     
,sacred ,scriptures that ,he is a       
jealous ,god1 and the church1 for the   
same reason1 addresses ,jesus in the    
litanies1 jealous of souls4  ,hence1    
after having shown the greatest         
preference for a soul1 in honoring her  
with the exalted dignity of being ,his  

spouse1 adorning her with the gorgeous  
splendor of ,his richest treasures1 and 
then see ,himself basely rejected1 or   
treated with cold indifference2 ,his    
divine justice should naturally revenge 
the insult2 which is done by delivering 
her into her own hands1 the most cruel  
punishment that could be inflicted on   
her4  ,however1 if you feel an          
attraction for the religious life1 it1  
would be imprudent and rash on your part
 to decide the matter yourself4 ,you    
should1 in the spirit of humility1 after
 having consulted ,god by prayer1       
consult some enlightened persons noted  
for their wisdom and prudence1 piety and
 learning1 who will advise you with a   
view to secure the spiritual welfare of 
your soul above all things4 ,should     
those to whom you address yourself fail 
to give all the assurance you should    
have1 be not backward in consulting     
others2 for unlimited confidence in the 
words of any man1 no matter who he may  
be1 will not dispense you from all      

responsibility before ,god1 nor preserve
 you from making a wrong choice4        
,neither should you lose sight of1 or   
derogate in the least1 from the respect 
and obedience you owe your parents4 ,it 
is their sacred duty and right to advise
 you2 and to whom should you look for a 
more disinterested advice8 ,a young girl
 would indeed be an object of pity if1  
instead of finding a truly ,christian   
tenderness in her parents1 they would be
 her idolizers so far as to be blinded  
to her true interests4 ,it is for this  
blind and foolish love that many parents
 sacrifice their children1 either by    
ignoring their just claims to embrace   
the religious life1 or by opposing an   
advantageous marriage through vanity or 
personal interest4     ,,chapter ,,xiii4
   ,a ,,serious ,,mind4  ,a vast number 
of people unfortunately labor under the 
false impression that woman's great work
 and duty consists in making her company
 agreeable and pleasing to all4 ,this   
error is most prejudicial to woman2 it  

is opposed to the teachings of religion 
and the ,holy ,scriptures2 and          
nevertheless it is only too true that a 
countless number of women have          
sedulously labored for its propagation1 
or1 at least1 they have proved by their 
actions that this is their only work2   
and in many places1 to the great        
detriment of society1 the education of  
girls has been directed in a great      
measure according to this false opinion4
  ,they are taught to esteem graceful   
manners1 elegance of deportment1 flashy 
humor1 affability of character1 and     
unlimited condescension as being the    
elements of a finished education2 and   
the precious days of childhood with the 
more precious time of adolescence have  
been entirely absorbed to acquire it4   
,this is the school that has given birth
 to what is called ,arts of ,pleasure1  
to which it sacrifices the knowledge of 
more necessary things which instruct the
 mind1 fortify the heart1 and invigorate
 the will4 ,our compassion and disgust  

are simultaneously aroused1 when we see 
so many women whose education has given 
them no other knowledge than to teach   
them how to flatter the taste of others 
at the expense of ,christian modesty4   
,how many women there are who1 from     
their youth1 have renounced the dignity 
and glorious privileges of their sex1   
calmly resigning themselves to play the 
inferior and humiliating role that the  
prejudices and passions of a frivolous  
society impose upon them6  ,it is our   
heart-felt desire that you may never    
experience anything of the kind2 suffer 
not the aureola with which ,god has     
decorated your brow to be ruthlessly    
removed and trampled under foot4        
,remember that your soul is just as     
noble as that of man2 that it is        
illuminated by the same faith1 drawn    
towards heaven by the same hopes1 and   
united to the same ,author of all       
greatness and of all life by the same   
charity4 ,should your belief in this    
waver1 transport yourself in spirit to  

,calvary3 there you will see that women 
were the only sympathizers of ,jesus1   
and1 while hanging on the cross1 women  
were1 with the exception of ,st4 ,john1 
the only witnesses of ,his death4  ,the 
apostles and disciples1 all had fled2   
and in this memorable scene in which all
 things seem to be confounded courage   
and valor seemed to have taken refuge in
 the soul of women4 ,hence the ,church  
records1 with love and gratitude1 on the
 brightest pages of her history1 this   
noble and generous act of devotedness as
 being the special privilege of your    
sex1 since it was won on the            
ever-memorable day of our redemption4   
,it is not easy to look a painful truth 
in the face2 but we are forced to do so 
when we reluctantly confess that female 
frivolity is the source of that levity  
which prevails now-a-days1 to such an   
extent as to affect the very laws and   
government of society4 ,to keep aloof   
from this poisonous atmosphere1 you must
 cultivate that serious turn of mind1   

that gravity which gives women an air of
 majesty1 and wins the homage of those  
who do not even understand her4         
,experience will teach you that the     
importance attached to the seriousness  
with which woman's life should be       
enveloped is undervalued4 ,learn to     
appreciate it as it merits2 show that   
appreciation by now giving to all the   
actions of your life that weight and    
gravity which shall render them         
agreeable to ,god4  ,to succeed in your 
good resolution great firmness is       
required2 you will be obliged to condemn
 the frivolity of young persons in whose
 company circumstances may throw you4   
,you must set your face against the     
fashions of the world1 against the force
 of habit and prejudice1 perhaps against
 the freaks of your own character4 ,but 
remember that the reward awaiting you is
 well worth the struggle you are asked  
to sustain2 and this struggle will not  
be so difficult as you may think1 if you
 face it courageously1 coherently and   

perseveringly1 employing1 of course1 the
 proper means4  ,to begin1 you should   
cast overboard that inclination to      
frivolity wherever you meet with it4    
,but since a bad plant is more quickly  
and radically destroyed by pulling it   
out of the roots than by simply lopping 
of the tops as they appear over ground1 
so do we likewise succeed better in     
correcting a bad habit1 or destroying an
 evil inclination by attacking it at its
 source than by being satisfied with    
arresting its bad effects1 allowing the 
cause to remain4 ,and since it is in the
 mind that frivolity takes up its abode1
 it is there that it must be sought for 
and destroyed4  ,there exists among the 
different faculties of the soul a       
certain order1 a species of hierarchy   
which gives a certain preponderance to  
some of them over the others2           
consequently some of them are of an     
inferior while others are of a superior 
order4 ,you will labor in vain to give a
 serious cast to your sentiments and    

actions if you feed your mind on        
frivolous thoughts1 while serious       
thoughts are the progenitors of enduring
 affections and noble deeds4 ,hence the 
culture of the mind is an important     
factor to the acquisition of a taste for
 those things which are the true        
ornament of woman4 ,sentiments are the  
outcomings of thoughts1 and both        
together are expressed by actions4      
,feed your intelligence with serious    
thoughts2 never amuse it with those     
trifles which absorb the attention of   
persons of your age4 ,do not think that 
those serious thoughts badly become your
 youth2 that they would deprive you of a
 part of your comfort1 rendering you    
wearisome to others and insupportable to
 yourself2 that they would give you a   
pedantic and affected air which would   
lead others to believe that you despised
 them2 that every age has its peculiar  
tastes and customs1 and that it would be
 an act of uncalled-for severity to     
exact from a young person just          

beginning1 so to say1 the apprenticeship
 of life1 a gravity of manners and      
dispositions that would scarcely be     
required at a maturer age4  ,seriousness
 is required in all ages1 but not always
 in the same degree4 ,thus the gravity  
befitting a young lady is very different
 from that expected from a woman more   
advanced in years4 ,this virtue1 far    
from excluding legitimate amusement and 
pleasure1 only regulates and elevates   
them by confining them to just limits4  
,an agreeable and lively turn may be    
given to the most serious things1       
rendering them pleasing and acceptable  
to the minds of all4  ,truth is never   
subtle1 and never darkens the soul in   
which it resides2 on the contrary1 it   
sheds a halo of light around her1       
revealing all those interior movements  
which lend a sweet and amiable charm to 
every action4  ,you would be the first  
to condemn the doctrine of those who    
maintain that woman must be of a        
frivolous turn of mind in order to be   

agreeable4 ,you would justly regard1 as 
an outrage to your sex1 such assertions 
as go to show that seriousness can have 
no place in the mind of woman4 ,such    
being the case1 you will not say1 with  
many of your age1 that the time will    
come soon enough to feed your soul with 
solid substantial food2 and that the age
 of serious thoughts will come only too 
soon2 nor will you close your eyes to   
the fact1 taught by long experience1    
that every one must reap in riper years 
such fruit as they had sown in youth4   
,if you wait till then1 it will be too  
late for you to enter another groove and
 form new habits4 ,if you are now       
frivolous in your thoughts and          
sentiments you will be so later2 for1 as
 age fortifies the tastes and           
inclinations1 frivolity must increase as
 you advance in years4  ,perhaps facts  
of this nature have already fallen under
 your notice2 you must have met with old
 ladies whose levity so painfully       
contrasts with the gravity that becomes 

their age2 and1 while it is not         
permitted us to judge others1 yet every 
good ,christian must be shocked at this 
contrast4 ,profit by their example1 sad 
as it is1 and hasten to conclude that it
 is folly to defer to a future time what
 can and should be done at present2 and 
that defects1 as well as virtue1 are    
fortified by time and habit4 ,if your   
early education has not been truly      
,christian1 if the teachings of divine  
faith have not yet rendered you familiar
 with the most serious things of life1  
you might perhaps consider as difficult1
 or even impracticable1 the counsels    
that ,i give you now4  ,is there        
anything more serious or more in        
opposition to our natural inclinations1 
and at the same time less consistent    
with the deplorable levity of our minds1
 than the truths of our holy religion8  
,for serious1 indeed1 must be the       
reflections that those truths inspire1  
which you should now learn to meditate  
seriously1 in order to make them a      

life-long practice4 ,is it not a serious
 occupation of the mind to think of     
,god1 of the salvation of your soul1 the
 briefness of life1 eternity which      
follows it1 the duties that religion    
imposes upon you8 ,is it not a serious  
occupation to address ,god in holy      
prayer1 to descend into the secret folds
 of your conscience1 and examine all    
your actions in the light of the gospel2
 to reveal in all your works the sacred 
character that you have received in     
baptism2 to lead a life according to the
 spirit of faith1 and not according to  
the spirit of the world-for1 if there is
 no difference between your conduct and 
that of worldlings1 to what purpose will
 the title of ,christian avail you8 ,all
 this is a serious work1 and requires a 
serious mind to accomplish it4  ,the    
practice of ,christian virtues supposes 
and develops at the same time the love  
of seriousness4 ,this love does not     
increase in a superficial soul2 while it
 is entirely sterile in a frivolous     

mind4 ,remember that you have now       
attained the age between childhood and  
womanhood1 when it is no longer lawful  
to be amused by trifles1 and when you   
are called upon to prepare for austere  
duties which you must1 ere long1        
discharge4  ,you have now come to that  
period of life at which you must        
determine your final future course2     
hence you have need of a serious mind   
and will to guide you securely in the   
choice of the road1 as also to pave it  
with those virtues which in the end will
 form your most precious treasures4     
,this road will be such as you have made
 it1 narrow or wide1 level or rough1    
according to the pains and labor that   
you have expended in preparing it4  ,if 
you hearken to the voice of reason1 and 
wish to profit by the lessons of wisdom1
 you will not squander a most precious  
time in vain amusements2 you will       
neither step to the right nor to the    
left1 but continue right on in the way  
of stern duty4 ,the world's siren charms

 will have no attraction for you1 as    
their bitter fruits would extort from   
you bitter regrets for having so little 
profited by the most precious time of   
your life4  ,oh1 how sorrowful the old  
age of women who have never nourished   
their minds otherwise than with         
frivolous thoughts3 finding neither in  
themselves nor in society any means to  
dispel the gloom that envelops them1 and
 not being able to enlist the sympathy  
of the world which abandons and despises
 them1 they are condemned to eke out a  
miserable existence in the disgust and  
wearisomeness of a sombre solitude4  ,to
 a serious woman1 on the contrary1 old  
age lends a peculiar charm which renders
 her company agreeable to1 and sought   
for1 by all serious minds4 ,her         
conversation and manners still possess  
all the blitheness1 freshness and       
vivacity of youth4 ,her steady lightsome
 gaze1 tempered by a benignant and      
reflective mind1 lends her an air of    
amiability and majesty4 ,her language is

 instructive1 her counsels encouraging1 
while her reproaches arouse the heart to
 a sense of duty4 ,she has friends      
wherever she is known1 friends who      
revere and respect1 without idolizing   
her4 ,in her youth she never pandered to
 flattery1 now1 old1 she shall not      
experience ingratitude4 ,the friends she
 earned by her sterling worth will      
recall to her mind the happy souvenirs  
of her youth1 even up to the last days  
of her life2 for her years bear with    
them all their primitive charms which   
can never decline under the influence of
 time1 because the thoughts and         
affections that produced and preserved  
them are now what they were1 solid and  
grave4 ,and while the companions of her 
youth languish and fret in their sad    
isolation1 she1 always the same1 sees   
herself surrounded by a multitude1      
anxious to profit by her experience4    
,if you have learned to be serious in   
youth1 you shall enjoy an agreeable old 
age2 but if the former be stamped with  

levity and frivolity1 the latter shall  
be fraught with sorrow and desolation4  
,do not count on the charms of youth1 it
 is a flower that shall very soon fade1 
and like a bird on the wing1 shall leave
 no trace behind it4 ,the lustre of your
 eyes now beaming delight shall soon    
grow dull2 the bloom shall depart from  
your cheek2 the bright hopes that now   
fill your soul shall give place to sad  
souvenirs2 and your heart which is now  
the abode of delight shall then be      
harrowed with sorrow and woe4 ,to-day   
you are flattered and praised1 then you 
shall be a castaway1 abandoned4 ,all    
that will remain to you is ,god and your
 soul1 with whom you had never learned  
to converse or commune4 ,oh1 sad1       
indeed1 is the old age of a frivolous   
youth6     ,,chapter ,,xiv4   ,,choice  
,,op ,,companions4  ,since a            
predisposition to good and evil is found
 among persons of all classes and ages2 
and as this predisposition is especially
 strong at your age1 when the sympathies

 are most tender1 when the heart so     
candid and open is ready to receive and 
reciprocate those secret emanations that
 escape from the souls of loved ones2   
you require to take more than ordinary  
precautions1 since the danger to which  
these circumstances expose you is indeed
 very great1 and requires a prudence    
superior to your years1--you must       
therefore look for it in the advice of  
others1 but more especially in that of  
your mother who should be your first    
adviser in all things4  ,how many women 
owe to the examples and deceptive       
lessons of a so- called friend1 the     
bitterness that corrodes their hearts1  
and the remorse which perhaps torments  
their life6 ,we pass over in silence    
those societies the evident danger of   
which is easily perceived1 and on that  
account easily averted2 but you have not
 the same guarantee against the noxious 
effects which arise from those relations
 whose union is found in the most       
frivolous instincts of the heart1 to    

which access is gained by the feeblest  
faculties of the soul4 ,what is it that 
is most commonly found in those         
intimacies1 if not thoughts without     
consistency1 vain hopes1 precocious or  
impatient desires1 indiscreet           
confidence1 imprudent language1 rash    
questions and answers rasher still8  ,as
 a general rule1 any society or company 
from which you derive no benefit for    
head or heart is1 if not dangerous1 at  
least pernicious2 and you ought to shun 
them unless that imperative reasons or  
the will of your parents advise         
otherwise2 for all that tends to        
diminish your esteem for the value of   
time and for the love of serious things 
is prejudicial to your soul4 ,you should
 prefer your mother's company to that of
 all others4 ,her life should be as a   
book constantly open before you2 her    
lessons and examples1 her experience and
 counsels should be an inexhaustible    
mine of instruction1 useful and precious
 to your soul4  ,the young lady is      

indeed an object of compassion who feels
 her mother's company irksome and       
onerous4 ,at your age the heart is      
confiding and effusive1 and it needs    
some bosom in which to repose its       
confidence2 for it would be subjecting  
it to an ordeal too rude1 and exposing  
it perhaps to a fatal reaction1 by      
completely depriving it of consolations 
derived from acquaintances approved by  
every law1 human and divine4 ,it should 
be treated with moderation1 founded on  
prudence1 as undue severity renders its 
desires and needs more imperative4  ,but
 if it is dangerous to restrict the     
heart to silence and inaction it is much
 more dangerous to feed it on frivolous 
affections4 ,there is nothing that      
exhausts its energies so much as an     
over-indulgence in those puerile        
sentiments fed by the imagination4      
,those sentiments create within it a    
void which nothing can fill1 and destroy
 its love for everything that is noble  
and generous4  ,a frivolous heart is not

 less disastrous to woman than is a     
frivolous mind4 ,how many women find    
themselves disarmed and powerless in    
important circumstances of life1 for    
having neglected in youth the training  
of the heart's affections6 ,how many are
 unequal to the task of discharging a   
painful duty1 because they were wont to 
seek their pleasure in all they did from
 early childhood6 ,how many who1 spite  
of the chastisement of adversity and    
deception incurred by their idolizing   
preference for their levity and         
affections1 still remain the dupes of   
their blind attachment even in their old
 age6 ,your esteem for your own heart1  
and appreciation for its affections1    
should be highly noteworthy1 and deeply 
graven in your mind by the constant     
habit of prizing them4  ,when you feel  
an attraction for a young person of your
 own age1 do not blindly obey it1 before
 having maturely studied its nature and 
motives4 ,we should always act for a    
purpose worthy of ourselves1 but more   

especially so when there is question of 
delivering ourselves over to the        
confidence and friendship of others2 for
 in this mutual exchange we dispose of  
the greater part of our being4 ,in this 
intimate relation1 which is formed      
insensibly by repeated interviews1 there
 is formed a reciprocal discernment that
 exercises a powerful influence over all
 the faculties of the soul1 the         
convictions of the minds1 the sentiments
 of the heart1 the habits of character1 
and often even over the general         
deportment4  ,the good sense of our     
fathers has expressed this truth by one 
of those proverbs so familiar to them3  
,tell me your company and ,i know who   
you are4 ,of course you have frequently 
heard those words1 and knowing their    
meaning withal1 perhaps you have not    
considered the circumstances wherein    
they may be applied4 ,we earnestly wish 
that they may never be employed relative
 to you1 at the expense of the joy of   
your heart or the peace of your         

conscience4  ,you should use much       
discretion in the choice that you make  
of the person with whom you would form  
an intimate acquaintance2 for such an   
intimacy is not only founded on a mutual
 confidence1 and reciprocal affections2 
it is also the result which follows from
 being frequently in each other's       
company4 ,this latter intimacy is more  
dangerous than the former because the   
heart1 not thinking itself interested1  
is less upon its guard1 and consequently
 more exposed to suffer from the poison 
concealed in words and examples4  ,be   
assured of the nature of the attraction 
you feel4 ,see if it is founded upon    
solid qualities1 capable of making an   
impression upon an upright and serious  
mind1 or upon those superficial         
qualities which the world esteems1 and  
which allure volatile minds4 ,in the    
latter case1 you cannot1 without danger1
 engage in relations2 the inevitable    
effect of which must be either to       
fortify your present defects1 or add to 

them others which you have not at       
present4 ,if your love for any one be   
founded on trivial motives1 and if you  
dispense yourself from the obligation of
 restraining your affections1 let me    
entreat you to take at least all the    
precautions that prudence requires to   
prevent you from becoming the dupe of a 
foolish fondness4 ,but if your          
affections are founded on sympathy of   
character1 on a concurrence of holy     
thoughts and sentiments1 with a view to 
strengthen the love and practice of     
virtue2 then the attainment of their    
object is highly commendable and        
praiseworthy2 and you may justly hope to
 secure the happiest results from it4   
,but even then1 you should be on your   
guard against your own judgment1 placing
 a certain restraint on your sentiments 
of confidence and love1 or friendship1  
which1 in order to be lasting1 must be  
calm1 devoid of that impetuosity which  
acts violently on the heart4 ,it should 
be the work of time1 shedding its sweet 

influence on the duties of life1        
rendering their accomplishment less     
laborious and more fruitful4  ,those who
 love each other with a sincere         
,christian affection1 willingly         
sacrifice to duty the pleasure of being 
together1 or rather their great pleasure
 consists in doing ,god's will2 with    
noble courage they rise superior to all 
other considerations1 and mutually      
inspire each other with a holy zeal1    
imposing silence upon the voice of their
 affections1 in presence of the voice of
 their conscience4  ,such is the manner 
in which persons should love each other2
 such are the affections that ,god      
blesses and rewards4 ,you are deeply    
indebted to ,divine ,providence if it   
has sent you one whom you can love in   
this way1 for this is one of the most   
precious gifts of ,god's mercy4 ,it is  
especially at your age that such        
friendships are most easily formed1     
because then the heart is more tender   
and confiding4 ,how many women owe1 in a

 great measure1 their peace of mind and 
conscience to the good advice and       
protecting influence of a friend whom   
they met with in the springtime of life4
  ,there are in woman's life many       
delicate and trying circumstances that  
demand the intervention of a sincere    
friend1 to direct and sustain her1 when 
the light of conscience becomes obscured
 or extinct2 when the energies of the   
heart succumb to the allurements of     
pleasure2 when the mind1 embarrassed by 
doubt and perplexity1 can scarcely      
distinguish the line of duty1           
semi-obliterated by prejudice and       
passion2 happy1 then1 is the woman who  
can call upon a faithful and tried      
friend1 to whom she can confide the     
secrets of her heart1 and from whom she 
may hope to receive the help and        
consolation that her condition calls    
for4     ,,chapter ,,xv4   ,,toilet4    
,an undue attention to toilet is a      
dangerous rock for many women who1      
otherwise remarkable for their grave    

deportment1 are sometimes greater slaves
 than the most frivolous women to dress 
and fashion4 ,it is truly a great misery
 to be taken up with undue solicitude   
for the fragile and perishable part of  
our being2 but more especially so1 when 
such preference is given it by minds    
which are otherwise noble and elevated4 
,it is painful to be obliged to confess 
that many women of high and cultivated  
attainments spend a considerable portion
 of their life in this futile           
occupation4 ,it seems incredible that a 
ribbon-knot1 the color of a robe1 or the
 form of a head-dress1 could become a   
capital matter for an intelligent       
creature destined to contemplate with   
the angels of heaven the majesty of     
,god4  ,if there are so few women who   
enjoy all the advantages of their happy 
dispositions and attainments1 it is     
because of their inordinate love for    
toilet and fashion2 for nothing narrows 
the mind or contracts the heart so much 
as excessive care of the body4 ,when    

they neglect the soul1 the noblest part 
of man1 she revenges herself of the     
insult by concealing all her brilliant  
qualities1 which alone constitute       
woman's true beauty and adornment4  ,it 
is impossible for a vain or gaudy woman 
to converse on any serious matter1 but  
she will talk for whole hours on the    
form or quality of a dress2 should the  
conversation happen to turn on a serious
 subject1 capable of engaging the       
attention of an elevated mind1 her      
countenance will soon betray a sense of 
dissatisfaction and weariness4  ,give   
befitting attention to the care of your 
body1 because it is the temple of ,god1 
who has deposited therein a precious    
germ of immortality4 ,but at the same   
time1 keep it in its own place2 and     
since it is the inferior part of your   
being do not allow it to infringe upon  
the rights and privileges of the soul1  
whose docile and obedient servant it    
should be4 ,avoid in your toilet all    
that savors of frivolity1 which betray a

 desire to attract attention2 but above 
all2 avoid every thing that might in the
 least wound modesty4 ,do not forget    
that this virtue is one of the most     
beautiful ornaments of your sex1 and    
that when woman is deprived of it she is
 like a faded flower1 without eclat or  
perfume4 ,you should conform to the     
customs of your country and condition   
without being in any way their slave1   
remembering that your soul is at all    
times in duty bound to soar above all   
those futilities1 and conserve by a     
noble independence1 her glory and her   
majesty4  ,do not follow the example of 
those women who1 slaves of the world1   
obey with blind docility all its        
caprices2 seeking with avidity whatever 
is novel1 in order to be the first in   
the fashion1 and acquire by that1 the   
vain reputation of a woman of good      
taste4 ,those who believe themselves    
obliged to have recourse to the         
seductions of fashion and dress in order
 to attract the attention of their      

would-be admirers1 give a sad           
manifestation of the emptiness of their 
minds and the depravity of their hearts4
 ,those who are distinguished for their 
noble qualities of head and heart attach
 their hopes1 to loftier claims2 by     
their modesty and reserve they are      
pleasing to all1 and the sentiments     
which they inspire1 being always noble  
and pure1 never give the slightest      
annoyance to any one2 on the contrary   
they arouse the holiest and most        
generous instincts of the soul4  ,one of
 the sweetest charms that adorns your   
age is that which arises from its       
simplicity and candor4 ,the world       
itself1 so liberal in its judgments1    
will not pardon in you whatever savors  
of egotism and ostentation4 ,in these   
and similar things it will avail you    
naught to offer for excuse custom and   
usage1 behind which so many aged women  
try to take refuge4 ,profit1 then1 by   
the truce which the world in a measure  
concedes in favor of your modesty1 to   

acquire the habit of simplicity in your 
dress and whole exterior4 ,this         
simplicity1 once acquired1 will be your 
guarantee1 later on1 against the        
examples and seductions of the          
fashionable world1 which shows as little
 deference for the laws of good taste as
 for those of ,christian modesty4  ,the 
beautiful and good are never in         
contradiction with each other4 ,the same
 is true of what are perverse and       
depraved4 ,and this is why the depravity
 of taste is in keeping with the        
standard of a people's moral life4 ,be  
assured that there is nothing beautiful 
except what is true and good2 and that  
there is neither truth nor goodness in  
things devoid of simplicity4 ,if you    
regulate your dress and whole exterior  
bearing according to these two          
principles you will stand irreproachable
 to your own conscience1 and secure the 
respect and admiration of the most      
exacting worldlings1 for simplicity of  
dress and manners possesses charms that 

win universal approbation4  ,never lose 
sight of your glorious title of         
,christian4 ,remember that on the day of
 your baptism you renounced the pomps   
and vanities of the world1 and1 if you  
are allowed to conform to customs not   
contrary to the maxims of the ,gospel1  
you ought at the same time manifest in  
your dress1 as in the rest1 the glorious
 character that ,god has stamped in your
 soul4 ,you should show by your conduct 
the striking contrast that exists       
between the ,christian woman and the    
woman who1 being incredulous or         
indifferent1 does not draw her rule of  
life from the precepts of the ,gospel4  
,your dress should be grave and modest3 
these are the characteristic marks by   
which it can be distinguished from that 
of women who are slaves of the world4   
,st4 ,paul said to the ,christians of   
his time3 ,let your modesty appear to   
all men1 for the ,lord is near you6     
,what a profound lesson there is in     
these words1 and how strongly they set  

forth the motives for which a ,christian
 should be modest4 ,to put in practice  
this counsel of the ,apostle1 you must  
accustom yourself to walk in the        
presence of ,god1 representing to       
yourself by a lively faith that ,god is 
near you1 that ,he sees you and will    
demand a strict account one day from you
 of all your actions4 ,frequently call  
to mind what ,st4 ,paul said to the     
,corinthians1 namely3 that we are a     
spectacle to men and angels4 ,let the   
true sense of those words sink deeply   
into your heart1 and it will enable you 
to regulate soul and body4  ,the desire 
to attract attention1 to draw the       
admiring gaze of fellow- beings is a    
weakness that lurks in every human      
heart2 but with woman it seems to be the
 main-spring to all her actions1 which  
is kept in motion alike by the applause 
and reproaches of spectators4 ,in the   
light of faith all this is folly and    
vanity2 for in that light we behold the 
whole court of heaven1 ,god and ,his    

angels watching with an interest full of
 tenderness and solicitude not only our 
exterior actions1 but even the secret   
movements of our souls4 ,could we have a
 better or more appreciative audience to
 witness what we do8 ,the very thought  
of their presence should inspire us with
 a disgust for those vain desires that  
urge us to see and be seen by mankind in
 order to secure to our actions the     
approbation of the multitude4 ,regulate 
your conduct in this matter according to
 ,st4 ,paul's instruction to ,timothy3  
,let women be clothed in decent apparel1
 adorning themselves with modesty and   
sobriety1 not with platted hair1 or gold
 or pearls1 or costly attire4 ,but1 as  
it becometh women professing godliness1 
with good works4  ,moreover1 you labor  
under a great mistake if you think that 
gaudiness in dress is necessary to      
render you attractive and inspire those 
sentiments of esteem and affection which
 sometimes prepare the way to an        
advantageous alliance4 ,should you      

succeed by this means in securing such a
 marriage1 be assured that you deceive  
yourself2 for the man who1 setting aside
 the qualities essential to woman1 lets 
his affections be won by her outward    
charms only does her an injury1 and     
prepares for her1 as well as for        
himself1 bitter regrets in the future4  
,if you fully understand your true      
interest1 both in this life and in the  
next1 far from making your dress a means
 of attraction1 you would tremble to owe
 to such vile contrivances the affection
 bestowed on you4 ,you would not compel 
by your vanity those who love you for   
your own good to pander to your         
self-love and encourage your negligence4
  ,the sentiments that a woman awakens  
in the hearts of her admirers draw their
 worth from the motives that inspire    
them1 and this being the case1 what     
value shall you set upon affections     
determined by empty show1 and flattered 
by qualities purely exterior1 unworthy  
of the attention of an intelligent      

being8 ,still1 for some unaccountable or
 visionary reason1 the greater part of  
women attach excessive importance to    
such puerile advantages1 and neglect    
those that are capable of making a deep 
and lasting impression upon valiant and 
noble souls4 ,if they are much          
depreciated in the esteem of those by   
whom they would like to be loved and    
admired1 the cause may be traced to     
their own frivolity2 let them labor with
 the same zeal to cultivate the heart   
and mind that they display upon external
 show1 and they will more readily       
attract the attention of all who belong 
to refined and educated society4        
,,chapter ,,xvi4   ,,desire ,,to        
,,please4  ,,after having created man   
,god saw that it was not good for him to
 be alone2 and in order to console and  
cheer him in his solitude ,he took from 
his side1 near his heart1 the material  
out of which ,he made him a companion4  
,this origin of woman tells us more of  
her nature1 and points out more clearly 

the end that ,god proposed to ,himself  
in creating her than the most elaborate 
and profound treatises or the most lucid
 theological theories4  ,man was made   
out of the slime of the earth1 woman has
 been formed out of a body already      
organized and vivified by the breath of 
life2 man has been created to reign over
 the world1 to govern the animals which 
,god placed under his control1 woman has
 been created to be man's companion2 to 
cheer him in his solitude1 and share    
with him the power and gifts which he   
received from ,god4  ,hence it is quite 
natural that woman should feel in the   
depths of her heart a gnawing desire to 
please and be agreeable1 for in that she
 only obeys the instinct of her nature4 
,still1 woman would be abusing that     
instinct1 and acting contrary to the    
designs of ,providence1 if she sought to
 please by means unworthy of her4       
,before plunging ,adam into that        
mysterious sleep1 ,god brought all the  
animals before him1 that he might see   

and know the extent of his dominion4    
,the sacred writer remarks1 that among  
all those animals ,adam did not find a  
single being that resembled himself4 ,he
 could find in none of those animals a  
sociable companion1 because none of them
 had a soul like his1 and consequently1 
could not share in the sweet joy that   
arises from an interchange of thoughts  
and sentiments1 which constitutes the   
charming pith of life4  ,many of them   
surpassed him in bodily strength1       
fleetness and agility1 many attracted   
his attention by the beauty of their    
form1 by their wonderful instinct and   
industry4 ,and ,god1 through ,his       
unbounded goodness1 had planted in their
 very nature a desire or want of        
attachment1 an instinctive gratitude and
 fidelity1 such1 that it seemed         
impossible to desire anything more      
exquisite of the kind4 ,still1 with all 
these advantages1 man was unsatisfied1  
he required a being like himself1       
possessing qualities superior to those  

found in irrational beings1 one with    
whom his intelligence and heart might   
commune4  ,you must have already        
penetrated the profound sense of the    
words of the sacred historian and       
obtained a clear knowledge of the end   
that ,god proposed to himself in        
creating woman4 ,yes1 ,he has certainly 
willed that you should be a messenger of
 consolation and comfort1 that your     
mission should be1 not to please and    
flatter the senses1 which the animals   
did for ,adam before ,eve was created1  
but to meet the wants of the mind and   
heart of man4  ,irrational beings       
suffice to please the senses and        
imagination2 hence1 if this is all that 
you propose to do1 you put yourself in  
contradiction with the designs of ,god  
over you1 and the grandeur of your      
destiny4 ,you seem to say to ,god that  
it was not necessary for ,him to create 
woman1 that man could dispense with her1
 because the animals subject to his     
empire sufficed to meet all the wants of

 his mind and heart4 ,do not debase and 
despise your noble nature by thus       
placing yourself in the same category   
with animals1 which can have nothing in 
common with the duties of your sublime  
mission4  ,the senses are blind1        
impetuous and changeable in their       
instincts2 inconstancy and change are so
 necessary to them1 that1 rather than be
 condemned to remain immutable1 they    
readily quit a more agreeable object for
 another very inferior1 simply to       
satisfy that need of change inherent to 
their nature4 ,hence the strongest      
protestations1 the most assiduous       
attentions1 and the most active         
devotedness1 though truly sincere in    
themselves1 but when founded on the     
senses1 are like smoke that disappears1 
even as the material that produces it4  
,you will not have the right even to    
blame those who may deceive you in this 
way1 because it is not in the power of  
man to conserve for any notable length  
of time a sentiment produced by the     

senses1 and which has received no higher
 sanction than that of the imagination4 
,the difference1 however1 between this  
abortive sentiment and a genuine one is 
so palpable and characteristic that it  
is impossible to be mistaken in them1   
unless that we wilfully close our eyes  
to the truth4 ,but1 alas6 it must indeed
 be confessed that a vast number of     
women wish to be deceived1 not only in  
their discernment of the sentiment by   
which they are actuated1 but also in    
their preference for it4 ,and through   
some unaccountable blindness1 they fear 
every thing that might interfere with   
their cherished idol4 ,they purposely   
shut their eyes to the light of truth1  
preferring to deceive and be deceived   
than to be obliged1 on seeing the matter
 in its true light1 to doubt the power  
of their frivolous charms2 as a proof of
 this the least compliment paid them for
 their beautiful or handsome appearance 
puts them beside themselves so far as to
 make them forget to consider whether   

such compliments are authorized by      
sincerity or flattery4  ,in vain will   
you try to convince them that this is   
not the way in which a genuine sentiment
 is formed and manifested4 ,it is       
useless to tell them that such a        
sentiment does not spring up suddenly in
 the heart2 that1 on the contrary1 its  
development is due to the process of a  
constant and almost insensible growth2  
being characteristically modest1 calm1  
reserved1 and even timid2 having ,god   
for its first confidential friend1 and  
pure souls for its tutors4 ,it is labor 
in vain to point out to them that an    
affection1 unaccompanied by the         
necessary precautions1 should be        
repelled by a young lady as an insult to
 the dignity of her sex4 ,but they will 
readily listen to any language that     
flatters their vanity1 which paves the  
way to so many fatal friendships that   
often entail a lifetime of woe and      
sorrow4  ,when necessity or propriety   
requires your presence in society1      

somewhat brilliant1 where you must      
inevitably come in contact with young   
men whom perhaps you do not know2 then  
you should guard the senses1 the mind   
and the heart with vigilant care2       
without ceasing on that account to be   
simple and natural in your whole        
demeanor2 for the most vigilant are     
neither troubled nor embarrassed on     
account of their vigilance2 yet         
excessive fear of being recreant either 
to duty or propriety in such like       
circumstances1 would only expose you to 
greater danger of falling into the snare
 you try to avoid1 as it would          
pre-occupy the mind and weaken the will4
 ,in such conjunctures1 remain as near  
as possible to your mother1 keeping your
 eyes fixed upon hers1 always hearkening
 with a tender respect to the mysterious
 language that escapes from the maternal
 heart2 a language easily understood by 
a daughter that loves the virtue of     
filial piety4  ,the mother's presence is
 always an infallible protection for    

young ladies2 her looks are a book      
constantly open1 and in which they can  
read her most secret thoughts2 whether  
they approve or condemn their actions4  
,whenever you are called on to          
participate in worldly festivities let  
your mother be your visible guardian    
angel2 she will preserve the innocence  
of your heart from the dangers that     
surround you4 ,if you feel a secret     
desire to be relieved of your mother's  
presence1 as being something noxious to 
your liberty1 rest assured that your    
heart has already lost something of its 
innocence and simplicity4 ,a daughter   
who dreads her mother's eye has         
evidently entered on a winding way1 and 
ought to consider with suspicion the    
state of her soul4 ,there is no company 
that you should prefer to that of your  
mother1 no conversation that you should 
esteem more than hers2 there should be  
no pleasure that could engage you to    
forego the pleasure of being near her4  
,god himself has placed those sentiments

 in the hearts of young ladies in order 
to guard them against the seduction of  
the world and the attractions of false  
pleasures4 ,he strengthens in their soul
 the virtue of filial piety1 which forms
 an impregnable citadel around the      
heart1 keeping it in perfect security   
against the evil influences of wicked   
agents4  ,your conduct in every detail  
ought to be discreet and grave in the   
company of young men with whom you are  
unacquainted4 ,if they speak to you1    
answer them briefly modestly and with   
simplicity1 but fearlessly4 ,let it be  
your constant endeavor to converse on   
subjects capable of interesting a       
serious mind2 in this way you can better
 divert their attention from frivolous  
topics1 and prevent perhaps indiscreet  
questions or rash intimacies4  ,it is   
well to advert to the fact that1 in     
consequence of a deteriorated faith and 
virtue among young men1 in whom a bad   
education has oftentimes destroyed the  
happiest dispositions2 many among them  

have lost that esteem1 respect and      
veneration for woman so prevalent in the
 ,christian ages prior to ours4 ,such1  
unfortunately1 is the case in thousands 
of instances now-a-days2 for when a     
young man finds himself in company with 
a young lady his chief object is to     
amuse himself with her1 if his heart1   
already vitiated1 does not entertain    
desires more criminal still2 he is      
unguarded in his conversation1 while    
displaying his talents1 complimenting   
her for qualities which he interiorly   
believes her devoid of4  ,bear in mind  
that this young man with whom you are   
conversing watches all your movements1  
studies all your looks1 discusses and   
interprets interiorly every word you    
speak2 while treating with you he plays 
the part of a cunning diplomatist whose 
wiles you happily ignore2 but in order  
to escape from becoming his dupe1       
prudence should govern all your actions 
while in his company4  ,remember that   
there are in the world manners1 gestures

 and attitudes that constitute a        
conventional language1 but which hold   
nothing in common with the genuine      
sentiments of the heart1 being like a   
counterfeit money which vanity pays and 
receives4 ,it is one of the most        
dangerous snares for a young girl whose 
simplicity and candor are yet intact4   
,those qualities1 so precious in        
themselves1 are sometimes prejudicial to
 her safety from the perfidy of a heart 
already skilful in the art of deceiving4
 ,for1 judging others by her own heart1 
she cannot suspect those who converse   
with her of wicked designs4 ,she accepts
 all that is told her as the sincere    
expression of the heart1 and very often 
receives for a genuine affection what is
 only hypocrisy and deception4  ,if you 
are acquainted with the young men whom  
you meet in the world1 you should know  
how to treat with them2 yet experience  
proves that for the most part a young   
lady is little posted in matters of this
 nature4 ,if the mind is already        

poisoned by the distemper of            
incredulity1 if the heart is already    
vitiated1 if they have justly won by    
their evil conduct a sad notoriety in   
the world1 if they are of that class    
that seek to take the advantage of      
woman's simplicity by rendering vice    
agreeable to her in their own person2   
oh1 you cannot treat them with too great
 severity4 ,your language1 your looks1  
your attitude1 should repel them from or
 command a respectful fear in your      
presence4 ,do not fear to wound their   
feelings1 or to be impolite1 or         
indecorous in their regard4 ,an         
obstinate reserve1 a severe demeanor1 is
 all that you owe them4 ,treating them  
with that courtesy due to gentlemen     
would prove noxious to you1 as they     
would not fail to make of it a plausible
 reason to justify their insolent       
conduct and rash judgments2 be not      
deceived1 the slightest mark of         
benevolence that they would receive from
 you would be immediately interpreted by

 them in the most perfidious manner4    
,they detest virtue as much as you      
detest vice4 ,they have a sovereign     
contempt for every woman1 for they      
believe that she is unable to resist the
 allurements of pleasure4  ,they are    
mutual confidentials1 and tell each     
other1 with deplorable levity1 all that 
young ladies innocently say to them2    
wickedly misconstruing their intentions1
 exaggerating what was true1 and        
treating with sneering contempt those   
who were simple enough to believe in the
 sincerity of their hypocritical        
compliments4 ,most assuredly you have   
not the slightest desire of becoming the
 subject of the scandalous conversation 
of those men2 you have but one means1   
however1 of guarding yourself against   
their venomous tongue2 that is1 to exact
 from them a respectful deference by the
 gravity of your demeanor1 and the      
severity of your relations with them4   
,if1 on the contrary1 you meet with     
young men who1 with a lively faith1 have

 conserved the purity of their hearts1  
and as a consequence of these virtues1  
all due respect for woman1 you can show 
them greater confidence1 and let them   
feel that you highly esteem them for    
their virtues1 without1 however1        
renouncing the precautions advised by   
prudence while in their company4 ,it is 
in such encounters that your            
conversation should reveal a serious    
turn of mind1 carefully avoiding every  
thing that would intimate undue         
confidence or intimacy2 for the heart of
 a young lady should never be on her    
lips2 except with regard to her mother1 
she should keep it buried in the depths 
of her soul to converse familiarly only 
with ,god and ,his angels4     ,,chapter
 ,,xvii4   ,,curiosity4  ,,curiosity is 
a defect that seems to be particularly  
inherent to the heart of woman1 and     
which1 when not properly governed1 never
 fails to entail the most disastrous    
consequences4 ,through it they have     
frequently acquired a knowledge of evil 

and a disgust for virtue4 ,you are well 
aware that curiosity was the door       
through which sin and death enter the   
world2 that when the devil sought our   
destruction he made use of woman's      
curiosity4 ,now1 it is well not to lose 
sight of the fact that woman is always  
the daughter of ,eve4 ,she feels a      
pressing desire to see what pleases the 
mind1 flatters the senses1 and enlivens 
the imagination4 ,eager for vivid       
emotions1 she seeks them with an        
insatiable avidity2 and1 rather than    
feel nothing1 she prefers painful       
emotions1 finding a certain secret charm
 even in the fits of sorrow and pains of
 her imagination4 ,her great desire to  
see and hear whatever tends to excite or
 create emotion is in a great measure   
the source of her curiosity4 ,the       
education that women for the most part  
receive develops this disposition of the
 heart3 an education which1 instead of  
elevating the mind and giving it a taste
 for serious things1 narrows it1 and    

accustoms it to feed upon aliments that 
are trivial and void of consistency4    
,the mind requires to he kept in        
constant activity1 and since thoughts   
alone can do this they should be such as
 to amply furnish it with solid and     
wholesome food1 for all kinds of        
thoughts are not equally good for it1 no
 more than all kinds of food are equally
 good for the body4 ,in some kinds of   
food the quantity and quality of        
nutriment are much inferior to what they
 are found to be in other kinds4 ,hence 
greater moderation is required in the   
use of the latter than in that of the   
former1 otherwise the stomach1          
overcharged1 would soon become disgusted
 with it4  ,on the other hand1 no       
quantity of food void of nutritious     
qualities will ever appease hunger4 ,the
 same thing may be said of the kind of  
thoughts with which the mind is fed2    
some are used less for their sound and  
wholesome nutriment than for their      
efficiency to flatter sensuality1       

inflame the passions1 create new wants  
in the heart1 and excite a depraved     
curiosity4 ,under this regime the mind  
is starved and tortured by an incessant 
hunger4 ,it sadly languishes and pines  
in the grip of famine2 and all this in  
the midst of full and plenty1 but this  
abundance contains no nutriment1 it is  
made up of news1 whether true or false1 
which amuses without satiating2 still   
the mind enlists the service of the     
senses to gather it up from all sides4  
,the eyes1 continually gaping and       
watching what passes before them1       
present the mind with numberless images 
to amuse it in its weary or lonesome    
moments4  ,hence that insatiable thirst 
to see and observe every thing1 that    
inconstancy and want of changing from   
one place to another1 that desire to    
read useless and frivolous books1       
novels1 weeklies and magazines1 which   
for the most part enervate the mind by  
their futilities1 trouble and darken it 
by a multitude of incoherent images and 

contradictory thoughts1 and poison the  
heart by foul and filthy images that    
will constantly torment the soul4  ,the 
ears are on the alert to catch every    
report1 every murmur1 all kinds of news1
 detractions and calumnies1 stories and 
scandals4 ,i say all kinds of news1     
no--,i make a mistake1 it is only such  
news as is of an exciting or startling  
nature to break up the monotony of life4
 ,hence those indiscreet questions which
 provoke answers more indiscreet still2 
those rash revelations made by          
thoughtless young ladies1 those prying  
efforts to discover things which only   
exist perhaps in their own imagination1 
and of which they should live in holy   
ignorance4  ,hence those long           
conversations1 discussing the vices and 
evil doings of others1 in which justice 
and charity are discarded1 and iniquity 
drank like water4 ,few forego the       
criminal satisfaction of participating  
in those detestable conversations1 and  
fewer still1 alas6 reproach themselves  

at night for the detractions and        
calumnies committed1 permitted1 or      
provoked during the day1 and by a       
monstrous union they couple with those  
deeds the external practices of piety4  
,this is but a feeble picture of the    
frightful condition of a mind starved   
for want of solid and wholesome food1   
and poisoned by the empty frothings of  
vanity and passion4 ,curiosity is the   
constant companion of this mediocrity of
 the mind and poverty of the heart4 ,in 
order to avoid this fatal rock1 no pains
 should be spared1 and if1              
unfortunately1 you have already drank at
 its poisoned sources1 hasten to use    
every available means to arrest its     
ravages4 ,to insure success1 do not     
amuse yourself with lopping off the     
branches of the evil1 allowing the root 
to remain1 do at once what is essential3
 feed your mind and heart with a genuine
 love for the true and beautiful4  ,a   
frivolous woman is invariably curious1  
and a curious woman always finishes by  

becoming the dupe and victim of her     
curiosity4 ,to overcome an inordinate   
love for sights and news you must       
accustom the mind's eye to feast on the 
panoramic beauties of nature1 and       
confine yourself to the company of      
persons of your own age1 in whom you    
remark an elevated mind and             
heart1--lovers of what is truly good and
 grand4  ,curiosity has its source1     
also1 in another defect which becomes   
daily more and more prevalent--it is a  
want of forethought and reflection1     
arising from a volatile and frivolous   
mind4 ,few1 indeed1 are lovers of the   
interior life2 all seem to be bent on   
parading the mind and heart1 the        
imagination and senses4 ,now1 when man  
has not learned the art of living and   
conversing with himself1 he becomes     
wearisome and sometimes dangerous to    
himself when alone2 because the mind1   
not knowing how to occupy itself1 and   
not finding in its own resources the    
thoughts that elevate and nourish it1 is

 obliged1 in order to avoid             
lonesomeness1 to dwell upon images which
 at least distract and weaken it1 and   
not unfrequently disturb the peace of   
the heart4  ,religion1 always inspired  
by ,god in the choice and formation of  
the terms which it employs to convey the
 ideas that it wishes to impress upon   
the heart1 has invented two words1 which
 admirably express the meaning of the   
concentration of the faculties of the   
soul1--in other words1 that society or  
cohabitation of man with himself--they  
are self-composure and recollection4    
,these words express that state or power
 of the will by which it holds complete 
control over all the faculties of the   
soul2 so that sensibility can have no   
command over any of their operations4   
,thus shielded from this turbulent      
disturber they are enabled to labor     
peacefully and efficiently in their     
interior province or the soul4  ,the    
advantages secured by interior          
recollection are so great and the       

consequence of its absence so           
prejudicial that the ,holy ,ghost       
distinctly declares its absence to be   
the cause of all the evils that desolate
 the earth4 ,with desolation is the     
earth laid desolate because there is no 
one who thinketh in his heart4 ,this is 
a terrible truth1 but it is not the less
 real on that account4 ,to be convinced 
of this you need only descend into your 
own heart1 and you will soon discover   
that the want of interior recollection  
has been the cause of the most of your  
faults4 ,it is during the interior      
composure of the soul's faculties that  
we understand what the ,lord says4 ,i   
will hear what the ,lord ,god will speak
 in me1 for he will speak peace unto    
them that are converted to the heart4   
7,psalm #hd47  ,but if we find nothing  
in the heart but trouble and obscurity  
we must naturally find many pretexts to 
justify our preoccupation with external 
things2 and like a man1 finding his     
house the abode of pain and displeasure1

 remains away from it as long as        
possible1 we1 too1 will shun as far as  
possible the scene of our misery4 ,it   
is1 therefore1 of most vital importance 
for you to form in your own heart an    
agreeable and useful society with which 
you can always converse4 ,this society  
you carry with you wherever you go1 for 
you are with yourself at all times2 and 
since you have not always the           
satisfaction to enjoy the company of    
others you should learn how to turn to  
good account this privation by making it
 an incentive to cultivate with industry
 an agreeable society in your own heart2
 and the best way to insure the success 
of this work is to accustom yourself to 
converse with ,god who is always present
 in your heart1 except when you expel   
him by mortal sin4  ,the work itself    
must be made up of pious readings1      
meditation and prayer1 which will       
furnish you with such thoughts and      
affections as will prove to be constant 
friends in pain as in joy2 hasten to    

amass these honeyed treasures during the
 noon-tide of life2 for the winter will 
soon come upon you1 the flowers of life 
shall lose their perfume and their      
withered corolla shall be strewn on the 
ground4 ,then you will not have time to 
enrich the soul with the longed-for     
booty when you will be reduced to the   
miserable condition of those women who  
endeavor to conceal the poverty of their
 mind and heart by a foolish and puerile
 deception4     ,,chapter ,,xviii4      
,,meditation ,,and ,,reflection4        
,meditation and reflection are two words
 that express two shades of difference  
of the same idea4 ,in meditation we     
consider supernatural things pertaining 
to our eternal salvation4 ,the soul     
maintains herself with difficulty in the
 love and practice of virtue without the
 help derived from meditation2 for when 
she gives it up1 her fervor in piety    
grows lax1 temptations became more      
frequent and obstinate1 often followed  
by humiliating falls4  ,you are well    

aware that the real object of the       
,christian's life upon earth is to      
establish ,god's kingdom in our heart2  
and this is what forms the object of the
 second petition that we address to ,god
 every day in the ,lord's prayer2 and   
since the kingdom of ,god is entirely   
interior1 as ,jesus ,christ himself     
tells us1 when ,he says3 the kingdom of 
,god is within us1 we should acquire the
 habit of looking for ,god in our own   
heart2 but in order to find ,him there  
we must give ,him a place in it by      
meditation and prayer4  ,the advantages 
derived from meditation are so numerous 
and so great1 that it is a matter of    
surprise why it is not more universally 
practised2 for the effects that it      
produces in the souls of those who are  
faithful to its practice are so striking
 that it is easy to discern a man given 
to this habit from those who are entire 
strangers to its holy influence4        
,meditation teaches us to know ,god and 
ourself2 it lays open to us our faults  

and vices1 their source and fatal       
consequences and the arms we should     
employ to combat them4 ,finally1        
meditation contributes most efficiently 
to form our minds and purify our hearts1
 to fortify the will and develop in us  
the habit of reflecting4  ,the knowledge
 of ,god and ourself is such an         
important factor in the work of our     
spiritual perfection that ,st4 ,augustin
 constantly prayed for it1 saying3 ,lord
 grant that ,i may know ,thee and       
myself4 ,the pagans themselves well     
understood the advantage of this most   
important science1 even for the securing
 of the happiness of this life2 since   
they had the following words inscribed1 
as a summary of all human science1 upon 
the frontispiece of the most celebrated 
temple of ,greece1 know thou thyself4   
,but1 alas6 this knowledge is as rare as
 it is necessary2 with a mind absorbed  
by distractions1 and a heart harassed by
 passions1 we flee1 so to speak1 from   
,god and from ourselves4  ,where is the 

,christian that knows ,god8 ,do you     
presume that you know full well what ,he
 is1 what ,he has done for you1 and what
 ,he still does for you every day8      
,every moment you receive ,his gifts3   
your life is due to ,his beneficence and
 ,his love1 you are carried in the bosom
 of ,his providence as in the arms of   
your mother1 ,he is continually         
preoccupied with your welfare1 ,he has  
done all1 created all things for your   
comfort and happiness2 for your sake he 
has become man1 to participate in all   
the infirmities1 weakness and miseries  
of our humanity1 in order to heal them  
and console us4 ,every thing speaks of  
,him1 and proclaims ,his holy name to   
you4 ,all that you see1 all that you    
hear and feel must recall to your mind  
some gift of ,his love1 or some effect  
of ,his mercy4 ,all creatures in heaven 
and on earth are like so many voices    
which1 mingling in a harmonious concert1
 sing to you ,his praises and publish   
,his mercies4  ,do you listen to them8  

,do they not pass you unperceived like  
the flitting zephyrs' leaving no trace  
to mark their passage4 ,did you ever    
seriously try to render an account of   
the attributes of ,god1 and particularly
 of ,his goodness and justice8 of ,his  
goodness to endear ,him to all1 and of  
,his justice to make ,him be feared by  
all4 ,have you considered well that to  
know ,god is to know all1 because ,he is
 the ,author of all creation possessing 
in ,himself to an infinite degree all   
the perfections of ,his creation8  ,he  
who does not labor to obtain a knowledge
 of ,god can scarcely obtain any        
knowledge of himself4 ,how is it        
possible for us to know what we are     
while we ignore what ,god is for us and 
what we owe ,him8 ,oh1 how few there are
 who know themselves6 ,the first        
condition necessary to secure this      
knowledge1 so important and so precious1
 is profound humility1 which unsparingly
 reveals the real motive of all our     
actions1 the uncompromising antagonist  

of our pride and self-love4  ,now it is 
quite evident that he who does not know 
,god does not possess this virtue2 for  
how can a man humble himself before a   
being that he ignores8 ,at first sight  
it may seem that there is nothing so    
easy as to know one's self1--that this  
knowledge may be obtained by a close    
consideration of the heart's operations2
 but when we give the matter sufficient 
thought the work does not appear to be  
so easy4 ,and the number of those who   
have acquired this knowledge to any     
noted degree is so limited that we are  
forced to infer that a knowledge so rare
 must offer great difficulties4         
,however1 there is one thing certain1   
namely3 that this knowledge is not      
obtained in the midst of tumult and     
pleasures1 from the seductions of the   
world or the distractions of life4 ,it  
is not by fleeing one's-self as we would
 fly an enemy2 by concealing with a     
complaisant but perfidious veil our     
defects1 to avoid being troubled by     

their appearance--always painful to     
pride2 it is not by living a dreamy life
 of fiction to which the slaves of the  
world condemn themselves with a         
deplorable obsequiousness2 it is not by 
continually trying to deceive ourselves 
and others that we may learn how to know
 ourselves2 and1 just as our knowledge  
of material things increases by the     
frequency of our relations with         
them--for instance we know persons      
better with whom we are intimately      
acquainted than those with whom we are  
comparatively strangers--so1 likewise1  
in order to know ourselves well1 we must
 live intimately with ourselves1 observe
 closely and impartially all the        
movements of our mind and heart1        
frequently descending into the depth of 
our soul1 scrupulously examining our    
thoughts1 desires and actions1 sparing  
no pains to discern well their source   
and motives2 this latter portion of the 
work is1 without doubt1 the most        
difficult1 since it is the point at     

which all the passions unite to deceive 
us by the most subtle illusions4 ,the   
best actions are despoiled of their     
merit by certain motives of vanity1     
often concealed from our own notice4    
,the motives by which we are actuated   
are1 relative to our actions1 what the  
eye is relative to our body1--it is the 
motive that gives light and brilliancy  
to our actions4 ,this is the sense in   
which we should understand our ,lord    
when ,he says if our eye be simple our  
whole body will be luminous4 ,now the   
great light by which we can clearly see 
the motives for which we act is         
meditation4  ,in the peaceful calm of   
solitude1 and in the silent slumber of  
the passions1 meditation puts us in     
presence of ourselves1 before our own   
eyes1 by which we see ourselves as in a 
true mirror4 ,meditation teaches us to  
judge without prejudice what we have    
done and to determine with propriety    
what we should do1 by making the        
experience of the past our lamp for the 

future1 and by converting past mistakes 
into practical lessons for the present4 
,the meditative and recollected soul    
will turn even her shortcomings to good 
account2 seeing her delinquencies1 she  
clothes herself with the mantle of      
humility1 she rises with renewed        
confidence1 and shuns with greater care 
the occasion of those evils from which  
she has suffered2 she is rarely taken by
 surprise1 a few moments' reflection    
will suffice for her to determine what  
is to be done under the circumstances2  
she is rarely taken in the snare of     
deception1 for she knows that human     
nature is weak1 vacillating and         
unreliable1 and1 consequently1 she keeps
 herself on her guard4  ,considered from
 this point of view2 meditation is      
particularly necessary to woman1        
because1 being endowed with a very      
lively imagination and a tender heart1  
she is more exposed to illusions which1 
for the most part1 spring from those two
 sources4 ,moreover1 surrounded as she  

is1 by the seductions of the world2     
breathing incessantly the poisoned      
atmosphere of flattery and adulation2   
waited on by men who seek to deceive    
her2 distracted by a multitude of cares 
which absorb her soul2 lost in a painful
 detail of trifles2 how will she be able
 to resist the united action of those   
trials2 if she has not contracted the   
salutary habit of frequently conversing 
with her own heart by holy meditation   
and recollection8  ,the precious habit  
of meditation makes its influence felt  
by all the faculties of the soul4 ,it   
imparts to the mind the love of         
solitude1 assurance and confidence to   
the judgment1 consistency to all the    
thoughts4 ,it is by reflecting on what  
we interiorly feel1 as well as on what  
we exteriorly see1 that we enrich our   
intelligence and acquire that cheerful  
alacrity and firmness of purpose so     
necessary and precious in the most      
trying and delicate circumstances of    
life4  ,a woman of an irreflective mind 

becomes an easy prey to her own         
impressions2 rarely ever seeing things  
in their true light she is balloted from
 one illusion to another1 from one error
 to another2 she believes in every      
thing1 hopes for all that she desires1  
and desires all that flatters her4      
,unable to render an exact account      
either of the thoughts of her mind or   
the movements of her heart1 she acts    
without aim or motive1 governed solely  
by the caprice of her imagination or the
 impulse of whimsical humor2 equanimity 
is impossible in the midst of such      
confusion4 ,all this will have a fatal  
effect upon her spiritual welfare2 for  
what shocked her some time ago will now 
fail to make the slightest impression4  
,the bloom of youth will soon fade away1
 leaving to her only confused souvenirs 
of those days when1 to be happy1 it     
sufficed for her to descend into her own
 soul1 where she always found peace and 
consolation4  ,if you wish to preserve  
in all their integrity the faculties of 

your soul2 if you would not have your   
life ruled by the caprice of the        
imagination2 contract at an early age   
the salutary and happy custom of making 
your meditation4 ,set apart a special   
time for it every day1 let it be        
practical1 having for its object the    
spiritual progress of your soul1 the    
sanctification of your life4 ,lay out in
 ,god's presence what you have to do    
every day1 recall to mind the places1   
persons and things that have been to you
 an occasion of sin1 or a help in the   
exercise of virtue1 in order to avoid   
the evil accruing from the one source1  
and increase the influence arising from 
the other4 ,never recline your head upon
 your pillow before having rendered an  
exact account of the day you have just  
finished1 like the merchant who1 every  
night1 tots up his loss and gain1 to see
 what has been the result of the day's  
transactions4 ,the next day1 with the   
double armour of experience and resolve1
 you will be better able to avoid what  

proved noxious before1 as well as to do 
the good that you had omitted4 ,by thus 
acting you will give to your life a sure
 direction1 a powerful impetus in the   
accomplishment of all that is worthy of 
your glorious destiny4     ,,chapter    
,,xix4   ,,obedience ,,to ,,parents4    
,in the natural order of things1 man1   
after having obeyed his parents in his  
youth1 becomes in turn the head of      
another family which he must govern by  
the authority of his word and example4  
,god has given to woman another         
vocation4 ,she obeys from her childhood1
 and obedience becomes more necessary to
 her as she advances in years2 for when 
she quits the paternal roof for the one 
of her choice1 it is still to obey and  
be directed by the will of another4 ,but
 in this second moiety of her life she  
often finds the practice of obedience   
more difficult and painful than it was  
when she lived with her parents4 ,more  
than once has the young woman1 allured  
by the deceitful charms of a false      

liberty1 left with a secret joy the     
paternal roof1 hoping thereby to be     
delivered from the duty of obedience    
which weighed so heavily on her heart4  
,but1 alas6 she has often been obliged  
to regret those days as the happiest of 
her life1 when the tender solicitude of 
a mother rendered submission sweet and  
easy4  ,god1 whose ,providence is       
infinitely wise1 has disposed all things
 in such a way that each epoch of life  
is a preparation to that which follows2 
strengthened by the labors of the past1 
we are fitted for those of the future1  
and prepared for the accomplishment of  
the duties of to-day by our fidelity to 
obligations less difficult of yesterday2
 we are thus imperceptibly and safely   
conducted by this graded scale to the   
end for which we were created4  ,hence  
you may consider the present as your    
noviciate to the future2 the family     
circle at home is the image of that with
 which you must live at a later time2   
and while your duties and trials will   

vary with your position1 there is one   
obligation that always remains          
invariable2 that is obedience4 ,if you  
have learned well how to obey your      
parents whom ,god has given you1 you    
will find it easier in after life to    
bend your will when obliged in          
submission to that of another4  ,at     
present holy obedience is not painful to
 you2 on the contrary1 it is a pleasure1
 as it is a means by which you can      
please your dear parents whom you love2 
and by force of habit it is now so      
deeply engraved in your heart as to be  
an act of second nature4 ,but other     
times and other circumstances will      
present new difficulties1 when perhaps  
you will be obliged to obey a man of    
your own age1 possessed of none of those
 qualities that give authority and      
prestige to command4  ,the familiarity  
that exists between the married couple  
which1 when truly ,christian1 is one of 
the greatest charms of their life1 not  
unfrequently becomes for woman an       

obstacle to the observance of obedience2
 but she has reason to rejoice when her 
delinquency does not diminish the sacred
 authority of her husband's commands4   
,the lady who has been docile to the    
orders of her parents will be docile to 
those of her husband2 for as we are     
assured by ,holy ,writ1 our             
accomplishment of the duties that ,god  
has imposed on us relative to our       
parents is rewarded even in this life2  
as likewise our delinquencies on this   
point will incur heaven's displeasure4  
,the paternal home should be for you a  
school of respect1 obedience1 gratitude1
 and love2 and these virtues should be  
constantly manifested in your conduct2  
for1 mark it well1 you will be in the   
position destined for you later by ,god 
what you are presently in that which you
 now occupy4 ,there is a logical        
succession in all our actions1 whether  
good or bad4 ,in each one of your       
actions may be found the germ of another
 which1 being developed in due time1    

will produce others4 ,the same is also  
true of that happy or unfortunate       
succession of thoughts and affections   
which is developed into habit2 and which
 is engrafted in our very souls1        
forming1 as it were1 an integral part of
 our nature4 ,from our infancy1 ,god1 in
 ,his infinite goodness1 has given us a 
facility to do good1 which in the course
 of time can be strengthened by habit2  
it will enable us to surmount obstacles 
and dangers that increase with age1 but 
which are ignored in childhood4  ,the   
individual practice of respect1         
obedience1 confidence2 and gratitude is 
necessary for the preservation of       
society2 and in order to render this    
practice easy for us1 ,god1 in loving   
goodness has removed from those         
beautiful flowers of virtue1 whose      
perfume should embalm our whole life1   
the thorns that might pierce us4 ,he has
 confided their care to those to whom1  
after ,god1 we owe our life1 and towards
 whom we are drawn by an invincible     

inclination of the heart4 ,when we merge
 into the noon-tide of life we find     
these virtues already engrafted in our  
souls1 with little trouble to us1 for   
they were planted there by the hands of 
good and pious parents2 and1 as a reward
 for our fidelity to their instructions1
 those cherished virtues take deep root 
in the heart and grow imperceptibly as  
we advance in years4  ,but if1 instead  
of being docile to their orders1 we have
 stubbornly resisted them1 if1 by some  
unaccountable egotism1 the soul has     
become concentrated in herself2 and     
instead of giving our confidence and    
love to those who have so generously    
given their life and means to secure to 
us the happiness we enjoy1 we rest      
satisfied with living on the fruits of  
their labors without making them any    
return2 we will carry with us later on  
into the family of our choice only a    
withered heart1 dead to every noble and 
generous sentiment4  ,you should respect
 and honor your parents with the filial 

love of a ,christian daughter4 ,such is 
the precise meaning of the precept given
 you by ,god in their regard3 ,honor thy
 father and thy mother6 ,relative to you
 they hold ,god's place1 who is the     
source of all paternity in heaven and   
upon earth4 ,nothing can dispense you   
from this respect which ,god requires   
for them1 and which nature ought to     
render easy to you2 for1 even when your 
parents would suffer by a criminal      
negligence the image of ,god to be      
deteriorated in their souls2 they always
 remain ,his representatives for you1   
because they are always1 no matter what 
they may do1 the instruments that ,god  
employed to give you existence4  ,the   
faults of your parents should never     
diminish in your heart the respect and  
honor that you owe them2 and in certain 
painful and delicate circumstances1 you 
should imitate the example of the two   
sons of ,noah in order to escape the    
malediction that fell upon ,cham for his
 impudent strictures of his father's    

faults4 ,you should carefully draw the  
mantle of charity over any fault of your
 parents that might tend to weaken your 
respect for them4 ,silence should seal  
your lips forever on all their          
shortcomings1 even before those who know
 them1 unless that it be to ask advice  
in some critical conjuncture1 or bring  
them to receive some useful and         
charitable counsel4 ,god alone should be
 the depository of your sorrowful       
confidence in this matter4 ,to ,him     
alone you should confide your sorrows   
and alarms1 because ,he alone should    
hold the first place in your mind and   
heart1 for ,he will be your judge as    
well as theirs4  ,if you see that a     
salutary effect may be obtained by a    
prudent and respectful observation1 be  
slow in making it1 and never act before 
having consulted some virtuous and      
enlightened persons2 should they advise 
you in the affirmative1 let your        
observation assume the tone of a        
remonstration rather than a warning4    

,your language1 actions or gestures     
should never savor of anything that     
betrayed a disregard for that profound  
veneration with which you should honor  
in them the title of ,god's             
representatives in your regard4 ,an     
unfortunate custom1 the fruit of a bad  
education1 or of an excessive tenderness
 on the part of parents1 has sadly      
vitiated the nature and form of the     
relations that should exist between     
child and parent4   ,during the present 
century in many places a fatal          
familiarity seems to have sapped the    
very foundation from that profound      
respect which was the honor and glory of
 the ,christian family1 and the salt    
that preserves nations from corruption2 
that respect which children1 who truly  
feared ,god1 paid to their parents4 ,to 
that beautiful order that reigned in the
 ,christian family1 and which preserved 
inviolable the father's authority in    
,christian times1 has succeeded a spirit
 of equality as hostile to the natural  

order as to the order of ,divine        
,providence1 since it destroys both rank
 and duty4 ,it gives birth to that false
 independence which may justly be called
 the seed of revolution and anarchy2 no 
consequence is more natural1 for what   
can be expected of a citizen who imbibed
 in his childhood1 under the paternal   
roof1 the spirit of disobedience and    
insubordination1 who was taught to      
regard superiority with a jealous eye1  
and treat with contempt those who are   
beneath him4  ,after paying due respect 
to your parents1 they should be1 after  
,god1 the depositories of your          
confidence1 and since a daughter's wants
 are more easily communicated to her    
mother1 it is in her mother's heart that
 a ,christian daughter will deposit the 
secrets of her own4 ,this filial        
confidence supposes1 also1 in a young   
lady a sincere diffidence in her self1 a
 consciousness of her own weakness      
which1 so far from being a fault1 is the
 result of true humility4 ,those young  

ladies who are wanting in confidence in 
their own mothers are indeed great      
objects of compassion4 ,for this        
confidence is not only an essential     
condition to their advancement in       
virtue1 but also one of their principal 
safeguards against deception and        
intrigue4  ,the heart of woman1         
especially at your age1 feels an        
imperative need of making a confidant of
 some one1 and if that one is not her   
mother1 it will be some friend who1     
perhaps1 will not possess greater       
experience nor more wisdom or force than
 herself1 and consequently1 instead of  
giving the proper counsel1 will add evil
 to evil by the fatal help of           
encouragement in a course that should be
 abandoned4 ,rest assured that you can  
never find any one able to fill the     
mother's place in this regard4 ,this    
unreserved abandonment to a mother's    
confiding heart is not always possible1 
since death often interferes4 ,when such
 is the case it is a great misfortune   

for a young lady--a misfortune that can 
scarcely be retrieved in her lifetime4  
,it is easy to recognise a woman whose  
soul has been fostered in that of her   
mother4 ,such women ordinarily possess a
 milder disposition1 a more amiable     
ingenuousness1 with a certain simplicity
 of heart which1 without being          
prejudicial in the least to her mind1   
adds a new charm to the noble and       
generous virtues which become the mother
 of a family4 ,those habits of          
confidence and abandonment contracted   
from childhood have made frankness and  
sincerity second nature4 ,their love for
 truth and sincerity is revealed in     
their conversation1 the sanctity of     
which is the echo of their souls4 ,their
 whole demeanor sheds such a halo of    
delight around them that they become1   
unpretentiously1 the centre of          
attraction for all those whose enviable 
pleasure it is to be honored by their   
company4  ,if up to this hour you have  
concealed nothing from your mother2 if  

you have given her the key to your soul2
 if your heart is for her an open book2 
if she can at all times read in your    
looks your very thoughts2 on bended     
knees thank ,god from the depths of your
 soul for having given you such a       
mother1 and the grace of giving her your
 confidence4 ,if you remain a child to  
your mother you will preserve your youth
 through the toilsome days of life to a 
ripe old age1 an advantage so precious  
that nothing should be left undone to   
secure it4  ,woman is pleasing to others
 only in as much as she possesses this  
adornment1 which exhales a sweet odor   
like the perfume of youth4 ,alas6 how   
many women there are who have never been
 children even with their mothers4      
,women from their youth1 they have      
treated their mother with a kind of     
diffidence1 dissembling at an age when  
the only danger to be feared should be  
an excessive confidence4  ,as for the   
gratitude and love that you owe your    
parents1 ,i would regard it as an injury

 offered to the candor of your age and  
the sincerity of your heart to undertake
 to prove that these are obligations    
which you are in duty bound to          
discharge4 ,god who has commanded us to 
honor our parents1 left us no precept   
obliging us to love them2 but while ,he 
engraved other commandments upon stone  
this one ,he has written in the very    
essence of our being4 ,hence ,i appeal  
only to your heart in this matter1      
leaving you entirely to its instincts to
 point out to you your duty1 which to   
assert by any other proof1 ,i fear would
 lead you to suspect that there are     
children unnatural enough to forget and 
neglect their parents4  ,bear in mind1  
however1 that your love and gratitude   
for them must by no means be restricted 
to a sentiment of the heart or an       
instinct of nature4 ,those virtues must 
find an echo both in your words and     
actions4 ,love founded on sensibility   
has no signification1 if you can make no
 sacrifice to obey or please them4 ,love

 in man is effective1 and this is why   
our ,lord tells us with regard to the   
love we owe ,him3 ,he who loves me keeps
 my commandments4  ,to love consists in 
pleasing him who is loved2 it is        
prefering his will to our own1 his      
interests to ours2 in a word1 it is to  
seek him rather than attract him2 it is 
to become his property rather than to   
appropriate him2 it is to forget ourself
 to think of him4 ,love lives upon      
sacrifices2 as the pious author of the  
,following of ,christ says3 where love  
is1 there is also pain3 but love        
converts that pain into pleasure4 ,if   
this be true of all the affections of   
the human heart2 what shall we think of 
the one that we have first felt1 and    
which in some way forms a part of our   
very nature8     ,,chapter ,,xx4        
,,melancholy4  ,it will perhaps seem    
strange to you to be warned in the bloom
 of youth against a sentiment that seems
 to be reserved for that period of life 
when delinquents1 through the infinite  

goodness of ,god1 are brought to enter  
into themselves2 when the illusions of  
the heart have been replaced by a cold  
and sad reality2 when hope seems to     
recoil under the weight of sad          
recollections4 ,still1 because this     
mental canker preys on the most vital   
interests of the soul1 and because a    
predisposition to it is found to prevail
 even among the youthful portion of your
 sex1 a certain knowledge of it is      
necessary in order to resist it         
effectually4  ,it is most delightful and
 consoling to find in persons of your   
age and sex that pure joy1 so frank and 
candid1 springing out of the innocence  
and simplicity of the heart2 a good     
conscience and a lively faith1 with     
unbounded confidence in ,divine         
,providence2 all of which combine to    
produce that sweet and saintly          
cheerfulness which dilates the heart and
 lights up the soul with its amiable    
reflections4 ,but1 alas6 we confess with
 deep regret1 that many young ladies    

have been ruthlessly robbed of all those
 charms by a precocious development     
received under the world's tutorship1 by
 which they have been made to cross with
 a bound the smiling season of hope and 
joy1 to a premature old age before      
having tasted the charms of youth4  ,in 
order that joy may reign in the heart1  
the heart must first repose in the bosom
 of ,divine ,providence--free from the  
pressure of doleful souvenirs1 and from 
the pestering desires stirred up by     
vanity2 in a word1 exempt from every    
obstacle1 whether intrinsic or          
extrinsic1 that might in any way oppose 
the designs of ,god4 ,but1 alas6 by some
 unaccountable inconsistency1 we are in 
contradiction with ourselves2 for1      
notwithstanding our great desire to     
live1 and our horror of death1 still we 
seem to be in a hurry with the time to  
pass1 as though we advanced too slowly  
to the grave4  ,now1 we are well aware  
that of this lifetime the present is all
 that we can claim1 the past and future 

being in the hands of ,god2 still1 true 
to the same principle of inconsistency  
we make little or no use of the present1
 it is something annoying that we wish1 
to get over1 as quickly as possible1    
while we are absorbed by a countless    
multitude of useless but importunate    
desires relative to the past1 which we  
can never recall1 and the future1 which 
perhaps we shall never see4  ,hence1 as 
we journey onward in this way1 we must  
naturally find ourselves a prey to fears
 and doubts1 sometimes suspended between
 hope and despondency1 while the heart  
is harassed by corroding desires that   
succeed each other like waves on a      
tempest-driven sea4 ,we wish to be our  
own providence1 to dispose of our own   
future of our lifetime according to     
those desires1 instead of leaving that  
work to ,him from whom we have received 
all that we possess4  ,when we are      
assailed by regrets in the evening1 and 
filled with anxieties for the morrow1   
how can our heart rebound with joy1 or  

our lips wear the smile of confidence   
and tranquility8 ,behold some of the    
many sources from which the fatal fiend 
of melancholy is fed and strengthened4  
,but this vile destroyer of peaceful joy
 springs from another source not less   
fatal than those just mentioned4 ,that  
is a certain vagueness of mind and      
heart1 which is sometimes the result of 
some physical or bodily indisposition1  
but more frequently the consequence of  
an imperfect education1 or indifference 
in the service of ,god4  ,that which    
gives to the mind its needed assurance  
and strength1 and to the heart its      
consistency and solidity1 is a lively   
faith1 nourished and sustained by a     
sincere piety4 ,of this you are         
thoroughly convinced1 as you know full  
well that faith alone can give a solid  
basis to our thoughts1 a true direction 
to our desires1 and an eternal destiny  
to our hopes4 ,without faith the mind is
 without ballast--unsettled as to what  
it ought to believe or reject2 the heart

 ignores what it should fear or hope    
for2 in a word1 the soul is lost in the 
midst of her vacillating desires4  ,in  
order that faith may impart its         
vivifying influence it must penetrate   
the soul's substance1 and become to her 
the principle of a new life1 directing  
all her movements1 animating all her    
thoughts1 desires and hopes4 ,a         
superficial and inactive faith that is  
purely exterior1 satisfied with         
believing what ,god reveals1 without    
quickening the spiritual pulsations of  
the soul1 will not preserve her from    
that vagueness and uncertainty which    
deprive all objects of their natural    
colors1 and lend them a sombre shade    
which saddens the heart4  ,if you would 
escape falling a victim to melancholy1  
preserve your faith with precious care1 
enliven it constantly by fervent prayer1
 by meditation and the abundant graces  
received through the ,sacraments4 ,let  
its pure light be the rule of your      
thoughts and actions1 accustom your mind

 to dwell upon things that are          
practical1 and consequently useful1     
sedulously avoiding all speculative or  
doubtful topics1 that have no other     
result than to keep the mind in a state 
of suspense and indecision4 ,you will   
fare better in having a clear knowledge 
of practical things1 even at the cost of
 appearing less learned than others4  ,a
 third source of melancholy is a species
 of mental idleness1 concerning which   
women are exposed to labor under a false
 impression4 ,as they are naturally     
given to manual occupation habit begets 
with them an antipathy to mental labor2 
their judgment is readily but           
erroneously convinced by their feelings1
 which easily lead them to believe that 
they are sufficiently occupied when     
their fingers are engaged in fixing an  
embroidery or something similar4 ,to    
reason the matter1 they will readily    
admit that labor exclusively manual     
having no share in the exercise of the  
mental faculties1 cannot be considered  

to give sufficient occupation to an     
intelligent being2 since the imagination
 would be left to the mercy of its      
caprices and the heart to the whims of  
its desires1 which is not worthy of a   
being created to the image and likeness 
of ,god1 who commands us to labor as ,he
 labored1 namely3 with mind and heart   
constantly supplying useful thoughts to 
the one and noble sentiments to the     
other4  ,such is the heavenly duty      
enjoined by those consoling words of our
 ,saviour3 pray always4 ,at first sight 
it would seem that such an obligation is
 impossible and contrary to human       
nature4 ,we cannot1 however1 even       
suppose that ,he who has made man what  
he is1 misunderstood his nature so far  
as to command him to do impossibilities4
  ,every thought that raises the mind   
towards ,god1 every sentiment that      
brings the heart near to ,him1 is a     
prayer4 ,hence there is no occupation   
that may not become a prayer1 since     
there is none that may not be referred  

to ,god4 ,the duties and obligations of 
woman1 far from being an obstacle to the
 practical exercise of the above        
principle1 on the contrary favor its    
execution most admirably2 for her       
duties1 though of the manual order for  
the most part1 are not of a nature to   
distract the mind or absorb the heart2  
she can easily and constantly           
concentrate the thoughts of the one and 
the affections of the other upon ,god4  
,that you should make ,god the object of
 all your actions is your first and most
 imperative duty1 and the moment that   
you discharge your duties for any other 
end that moment they shall lose the     
dignity of deeds worthy of a ,christian 
or even of a rational being2 moreover1  
your mind1 as you are fully aware1 is   
endowed with perpetual activity1 it is  
never idle1--you need only chose the    
objects to which you wish to apply it4  
,but if you fail to apply it to things  
worthy of your sublime calling it will  
soon escape from your control1 and1     

flitting from one trifle to another1 it 
will meddle with objects that might     
become dangerous to the peace of your   
soul4 ,it will soon become preoccupied  
by puerile fears1 unfounded             
apprehensions1 vague sadness1 which1    
when constantly indulged in1 will       
deliver your soul over to melancholy    
which never fails to tarnish the purity 
of the heart and enervate the energy of 
the will4  ,the pain that many suffer   
from their imaginary ills robs them of  
the noble and generous love of          
compassionating the real and painful    
griefs of others4 ,egotism is nurtured  
and fortified in those ravings which    
attach the soul's energies to the       
consideration of our own ills or        
sorrows2 the heart grows cold and       
hardened in a deplorable insensibility  
which estranges it to every sentiment of
 pity and compassion for others4  ,there
 is1 ,i am aware1 a sorrow that is      
salutary to the soul1 and conformable to
 the spirit of ,christianity1 as also to

 man's condition in this vale of tears4 
,i know that it is very difficult to be 
always joyful1 when we take into account
 the dangers by which we are surrounded1
 the countless calamities to which we   
are exposed since the day that sin had  
entered the world4 ,we very often see   
the objects of our warmest affections   
disappear from around us2 and every day 
some new misfortune or some new loss    
adds some new tears to our cup of       
sorrow1 from whose bitterness every one 
is doomed to drink during life4  ,far   
from me be the thought of engaging you  
to fly this holy sorrow imposed by our  
condition and recommended by our ,lord  
,himself4 ,there is1 says ,st4 ,paul1 a 
sorrow according to ,god which1 far from
 plunging the heart into a state of     
despondency1 enables the soul to avoid  
the dangers which constantly expose her 
to lose ,god by sin4 ,but this sorrow   
does not trouble the peace of either the
 heart or the mind1 for it is that      
sorrow which our divine ,saviour called 

blessed1 and for which ,he has promised 
consolation4  ,far be from me1 also1 the
 thought of advising that foolish and   
boisterous joy which carries away the   
soul1 absorbing all her energies filling
 her with void and disgust4 ,this joy1  
far from being a remedy or a protection 
against melancholy1 is1 on the contrary1
 both its cause and effect4 ,the result 
of those intemperate paroxysms of joy1  
so little in conformity with our nature 
is that which invariably results from   
any forced or undue influence4  ,when   
shackled nature recovers her liberty she
 revenges the violence that she was made
 to endure4 ,but1 seizing her rights    
with too great avidity1 she suffers more
 from the reaction than from the force  
that infringed upon them4 ,this explains
 the reason of those fitful outbursts of
 joy and grief that pass in quick       
succession4 ,those puerile fears1       
followed by hopes1 without rule or aim1 
that vain confidence giving place to sad
 discouragement4 ,those despondent      

feelings after moments of zealous fever1
 during which we seem to be able to do  
and attempt everything4 ,here we find   
the solution of those sudden and varied 
shades of temperament which will        
instantaneously cheer or prostrate the  
energies of the soul4  ,if you would    
preserve your soul from melancholy1     
conserve your heart in a calm composure1
 your mind in a just equanimity keeping 
both equally distant from all extremes  
able to taste joy with discretion1 and  
sorrow without becoming discouraged4    
,this will be putting in practice the   
advice of the wise man3 ,give not up thy
 soul to sadness and afflict not thyself
 in thy own counsel4 ,the joyfulness of 
the heart is the life of man and a      
never-failing treasure of holiness1 and 
the joy of man is length of life4 ,have 
pity on thy own soul1 pleasing ,god and 
contain thyself2 gather up thy heart in 
his holiness and drive away sadness far 
from thee4 ,for sadness hath killed many
 and there is no profit in it4 ,envy and

 anger shorten a man's days1 and        
pensiveness will bring old age before   
the time4 ,a cheerful and good heart is 
always feasting1 for his banquets are   
prepared with diligence4 ,eccl4 xxx4    
#bb-bg4     ,,chapter ,,xxi4   ,,on     
,,reading4  ,if the wisdom of nations1  
which loves to find expression in the   
proverbs1 teaches us that a man may be  
known by knowing the company that he    
frequents2 we can say with the same     
assurance that his character and        
dispositions may be known from the books
 which he constantly reads4 ,of all     
friends1 the most intimate are the books
 that we constantly read1 hence there is
 nothing more important for a young     
person1 as there is nothing that entails
 such grave consequences for the moral  
culture1 than the selection of proper   
and suitable books4 ,because it is a    
noted fact that such readings exercise  
the deepest influence over the mind and 
heart1 so much that all the resources   
which the ingeniousness of maternal love

 can employ against it avail nothing4   
,god's minister in the pulpit of truth  
has no weight with those souls          
fascinated by the deceitful charms of a 
bad book1 which addresses itself to     
their prejudices and passions4 ,the     
charitable advice of the confessor in   
the tribunal of penance is futile       
against the intoxicating seductions of  
those romances whose only merit consists
 in flattering the most depraved        
inclinations of the human heart4        
,indeed it is a subject both of surprise
 and sorrow to see an author of the most
 menial abilities lauded to the skies   
for a book still more abject than       
himself1 a book teeming with error and  
immorality2 while1 very often1 a        
discourse1 a sermon or an instruction1  
whatever may be the authority that they 
receive either from the character of the
 person who pronounces them1 or from the
 gravity of the circumstances in which  
he speaks1 are heard with indifference4 
,good and evil1 truth and error1 are    

never so rapidly propagated1 never so   
powerful in their action1 never so      
certain in their effects as when they   
are communicated to us under the form of
 a book authorized by fashion or party  
spirit4 ,hence there is no greater      
responsibility before ,god than that    
which man assumes when he wields the pen
 in the name of humanity1 whether for   
noble or selfish ends4  ,a book is a    
teacher whose doctrine is listened to   
with a willingness equal to its degree  
of conformity to the inclinations of our
 heart4 ,it is a friend that gains our  
confidence1 inasmuch as it flatters our 
prejudices and passions1 and in which we
 find a reflection of our own thoughts1 
the echo of our most secret sentiments4 
,you would not like to receive a        
stranger into your house without his    
being properly recommended1 but you will
 readily receive a book on the strength 
of reports that are often deceitful4    
,the country is flooded with productions
 that sap the foundations of morality1  

and which bear that imprimatur given by 
a poisoned public opinion to such       
authors as pander to its craven spirit4 
,the world judges with a depraved       
indulgence the book in which it finds   
its maxims approved and sanctioned1     
portraying the exact seducing picture of
 its vanities4 ,the purest souls and1   
not unfrequently1 serious minds are too 
often imposed upon by those popular     
prejudices1 and1 despite their good     
reason1 yield to their influence by     
reading the flimsy productions of       
depraved minds1 which1 besides all the  
other injuries they cause1 rob them of a
 most precious time4 ,a book must be    
very bad before the world condemns it1  
so bad1 in fact1 that its own intrinsic 
filth disgusts the reader and seals its 
fate4 ,but1 there is another kind of    
literature favorably received by that   
portion of mankind called respectable1  
honest1 and sometimes even severe1 and  
whose authority is capable of making a  
grave impression on your mind4  ,it is1 

therefore1 very important for you to    
know not only the signs by which to     
recognize a bad book1 but also whom you 
should consult as judges in the matter4 
,there can be no question here of those 
books professedly immoral1 in which vice
 is eulogized and corrupt maxims        
sustained4 ,those books are not         
dangerous for you1 because they will not
 fall under your hands1 and even when   
they would you could not open one of    
them without flinging it away with      
horror2--in this case the evil--contains
 in itself its own remedy4  ,but there  
are books1 less dangerous in appearance1
 in which the most delicate situations  
are represented1 clothed in all the     
charms of style1 well calculated1 under 
their moral guise and serious bearing1  
to captivate the heart and imagination4 
,indeed to represent in lively colors   
the terrible effects of the passions1   
and the fatal consequences that a       
momentary excitement might entail is not
 of a nature to inspire a young lady    

with horror for vice and love for       
virtue4 ,how is it possible that she    
will guard against the evil inclinations
 of the heart1 when she is conscious of 
the danger in giving them free scope1   
and that a momentary forgetfulness is   
sometimes punished by a life-time of    
sorrow and bitterness8 ,such a culpable 
negligence might be accounted for1 if   
there existed a necessary relation      
between the will and the imagination1 by
 which the determinations of the former 
are necessarily dependant upon the      
impressions of the latter4  ,but such is
 not the case1 for the imagination has a
 sphere of action very different from   
that of the intelligence or the will4   
,it is an interior mirror which reflects
 back upon the soul images of things    
beheld by the senses and conceived by   
the intelligence1 without regard to time
 or place4 ,positively no1 would be the 
answer of a young lady of self-respect1 
whom we would ask if she would like to  
see with her own eyes all that is spoken

 of in the novel which she reads with so
 little caution6 ,your answer would be  
given in the same terms1 should we ask  
you if she might read without impunity  
to virtue those intrigues1 those scenes 
so engaging to curiosity1 and which     
incite the reader to follow up the      
details of ineffectual struggles against
 passion4 ,could she1 without blushing1 
listen to the passionate conversations  
of those who had lead each other to     
destruction1 after having exhausted all 
the resources of heart and mind to      
render vice amiable1 even when their    
fall would seem to be less the effect of
 a criminal will than the result of a   
kind of fatality8 ,your answer to all   
this would be emphatically1 no6  ,but   
while young ladies will neither listen  
to nor look at scenes of this nature1   
many1 alas6 do not scruple to look at   
them in books1 where they are much more 
dangerous1 for being adorned with all   
the charms of style1 and because the    
persons represented are made to speak   

and act in a much more luring manner    
than they do in reality4 ,they devour   
with avidity those dangerous1 and       
sometimes scurrilous pages2 but while   
they chain their attention to the matter
 they are reading1 their imagination    
gains the ascendancy over all the       
senses1 and under their united action   
images are formed which leave a lasting 
impression on the mind--images of       
misfortune that has befallen persons    
either through their own fault or the   
fault of others1 and which1 through     
sympathy1 the human heart1 whether wrong
 or right1 is always ready to find a    
pretext to justify4  ,in reading of     
those misfortunes she may perhaps       
recognize the hand of divine vengeance  
pursuing the criminal culprit1 which is 
of a nature to inspire her with a       
sentiment of fear that deters from the  
commission of crime2 but such sentiments
 have been felt by the heroes of the    
novel which she has read1 and           
nevertheless they have fallen into the  

abyss which they so much dreaded1 ,i    
would almost say while fleeing from it4 
,but when they take their stand on a    
declivity so steep and slippery1 nothing
 short of a miracle can save them4      
,such is precisely the nature of the    
danger in which the readers of such     
books place them-selves4 ,in those books
 human frailty is idolized1 deeds       
committed through it are either         
necessary or excusable1 the hair-breadth
 escapes1 and often the tragical        
conclusion of their story1 will often   
inspire the reader with a salutary      
terror1 it is true2 but will that       
feeling destroy all those tender        
sympathizing sentiments that were felt  
while dreading it8 ,of course this fear 
is felt by the will1 but the imagination
 has already finished its work2 it has  
seen1 heard and felt by the senses2 it  
has delighted and fascinated the soul by
 those images whose charms cannot be    
destroyed by the unfortunate issue of   
those struggles in which frailty played 

such an important role4  ,the will1     
distracted by the tumult of external    
things1 and the variety of1 her         
occupations or pleasures1 will soon lose
 this sentiment of terror on which she  
seems to count so much1 but the         
imagination will conserve for a long    
time the impressions and images upon    
which it has feasted1 and which will    
form the constant subject of her        
thoughts during the day and of her      
dreams during the night4  ,hence1 the   
books that are capable of producing such
 results are evidently bad1 and if you  
wish to preserve intact the innocence of
 your heart you should never take one of
 them in your hands4 ,if you wish to    
conceive a deep horror for vice1 and    
guard against the snares of passion1 you
 will more readily and securely attain  
your end by reading a few serious books 
in which truth is presented in its own  
simplicity without artifice4 ,books in  
which the author1 realizing the         
importance of his mission1 directly     

addresses the mind without trying to    
captivate the heart and imagination1 or 
to render vice amiable first in order to
 inspire you with horror for it         
afterwards4 ,if you wish to be true to  
yourself2 if by your readings your      
object is to cultivate a love for virtue
 and horror for evil1 novels are not the
 books that you will have recourse to4  
,hence1 to draw a practical conclusion  
from our considerations on this subject1
 you may safely say that a book is1 if  
not bad1 at least dangerous when its    
tendencies are to render interesting1   
and agreeable such deeds or language as 
you would neither look at nor listen to4
 ,this should be the first rule by which
 to judge of the moral worth of the     
books you wish to read4     ,,chapter   
,,xxii4   ,,same ,,subject ,,continued4 
,to the rule given in the foregoing     
chapter may be added another of equal   
importance in the selection of suitable 
books to read4 ,generally speaking1 all 
books that draw too much on the         

imagination may be considered as        
dangerous4 ,you are well aware1 and it  
has been frequently said1 in the course 
of this little book1 that the           
imagination is precious and useful when 
regulated with discretion1 and directed 
with prudence2 but the moment that it is
 allowed to assume a preponderance which
 does not belong to it1 it becomes      
noxious to our spiritual and temporal   
welfare4 ,moreover1 it is united to the 
senses by the most intimate ties1       
through which it receives impressions   
and images that keep it in constant     
activity2 we should constantly labor to 
check1 rather than to encourage its     
development2 while we should spare      
neither pains nor diligence to develop  
the intelligence which1 when left in    
ignorance of truths that could enlighten
 and elevate it1 becomes the victim of  
cruel doubt1 idleness1 effeminacy and   
pleasure4  ,there are books said to be  
useless1 and consequently harmless1 but 
the conclusion1 without being false1 is 

not just2 for we have just as much      
reason to believe they are dangerous as 
to admit the contrary4 ,now1 if a book  
is indeed useless you cannot bear to    
read it1 and since you do read it1 it   
must certainly contain something        
interesting which renders it agreeable  
to you2 it pleases some faculty of your 
soul1 some habitual thought of your     
mind1 some predominating disposition of 
your heart4  ,that a book may be read   
without profit is quite true4 ,but that 
the same book can be read without danger
 of sustaining some loss is evidently   
false1 unless that it be maintained that
 we are justified in having no proposed 
end for our actions2 or that we may act 
solely for pastime which is             
diametrically opposed to the end for    
which we were created3 ,our time is too 
precious to be used indifferently4      
,again if there is in life anything that
 may be read or omitted without losing  
some advantage1 or committing some evil1
 it is certainly not a book1 for it     

always contains either some facts or    
some pictures1 or some maxims capable of
 making an impression on your mind and  
heart4  ,the intelligence is formed and 
developed by means of language1 and     
language1 considered from this point of 
view1 furnishes us with no idle words4  
,hence a useless book is1 in the true   
acceptation of the term1 a book that    
amuses the imagination and the heart4   
,now1 whatever the soul receives through
 these channels must be of some         
importance for good or evil4 ,hence we  
are not justified1 on the plea of       
indifference to accept any book that    
falls under our hands without being     
thoroughly examined and competently     
recommended4  ,here1 of course1 a new   
difficulty occurs3 at your age1 and with
 your experience1 you are unable to     
judge what books you should read2 you   
are therefore obliged to follow the     
advice of others in the matter1 but not 
the advice of all indiscriminately1 as  
all are not competent to direct you in a

 matter of such grave importance4       
,popularity will give a wide circulation
 to a book bat can by no means recommend
 it2 hence public opinion is not a rule 
that will guarantee you against         
deception4  ,those in whom you place    
entire confidence to choose a book for  
you should themselves be recommended by 
their sincere and generous piety1 the   
dignity of their life1 the solidity of  
their judgment1 strengthened by an      
extensive knowledge of men and things4  
,above all things be on your guard      
against the books recommended by worldly
 women1 lovers of pleasure and parties2 
those whose light and frivolous minds   
sicken at serious thoughts1 who are on  
their guard lest they may do too much   
for ,god1 and who vainly endeavor to    
reconcile1 in a monstrous union1 the    
maxims of the world with those of the   
,gospel1 the seductions of pleasure with
 the austerities of virtue1 desiring to 
serve ,god and mammon4  ,if1 by some    
negligence1 or even in good faith2 you  

open one of those books against which   
you have been warned1 shut it the moment
 you feel your imagination excited by   
the images it offers1 or when you       
perceive that the mind's curiosity      
becomes aroused to its agreeable        
narration of incidents1 for it is almost
 always an unfavorable sign of a book   
that produces those and similar effects4
 ,such is not the manner in which truth 
and virtue affect us4 ,their action is  
milder and calmer1 and has the heart and
 will1 rather than the imagination for  
its object4 ,hence1 be on your guard1   
lest by some indiscretion you allow a   
poison to enter your soul1 which is     
never more dangerous than when it seems 
least to be feared4  ,finally1 to resume
 in a few words1 all that we have       
considered on the subject3 ,if you would
 place the moral merit of a book beyond 
question1 ask yourself if you would like
 to have its author for your spiritual  
director2 do not think that this        
precaution is exaggerated or uncalled   

for2 for between the author of a book   
and the reader there are relations      
established so intimate that they beget 
a kind of intellectual paternity1 which 
produces deeper and more durable effects
 than you may be aware of4  ,to express 
the influence that our actions exercise 
over our life and over our fate1 man is 
said to be the son of his works4 ,for   
similar reason1 it may be said of him1  
but more especially of woman1 that he is
 the son of his readings1 for reading   
forms such an important factor in the   
formation of the heart and mind that it 
often modifies our whole being4         
,besides1 if you wish to profit by your 
reading1 read only a few books1 but read
 them well1 with close attention1       
reflecting long and often on what you   
have read1 identifying your very        
thoughts and sentiments with the subject
 matter of their pages4 ,but let all    
this have its practical utility1 let all
 those advantages find a living         
expression in your language1 in your    

actions1 and in your whole life4        
,,end4