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Chapter 20Entretiens.1.20

Entretien XX. De la prétention religieuse

The True Motive for Vocation

The author warns against entering religious life for superficial reasons, emphasizing that a true vocation must be built on a solid foundation of self-renunciation.

The question our Mother asks me—that I should explain to you, my dear daughters, the intention one ought to have for entering the religious life—is truly the most important, the most necessary, and the most useful question that can be raised.1 In fact, my dear daughters, many girls enter the religious life without knowing why. They will come into a parlor, they will see Religious Sisters with serene faces, looking well, quite modest, very content, and they will say to themselves: My God, how good it is there! Let's go; besides, the world looks unkindly on us, and we do not find our aims fulfilled there.2 Another will say: My God, how well they sing in there! Others come looking for peace, consolation, and every kind of sweetness, saying in their hearts: 'My God, how happy the Sisters are!'3 They are free from the noise of a father and mother who do nothing but shout; you can never do anything that satisfies them—it's always starting over again. Our Lord promises many consolations to those who leave the world for his service, so let's enter the religious life. My dear daughters, here are three kinds of intentions that are worthless for entering the house of God.45 God must be the one to build the city; otherwise, even if it were built, he would have to—6 Psalm 126:1.7 —tear it down.8 I want to believe, my dear daughters, that your intentions are altogether different, and therefore that you all have good hearts, and that God will bless this little company that is just beginning. Two comparisons come to mind to help you understand on what, and how, your intention must be founded if it is to be solid; but I'll content myself with explaining just one, which will be enough.9 Suppose an architect wants to build a house: he does two things. First, he considers whether the building is meant for a private person, a prince, or a king, because he has to approach it differently in each case; then he carefully calculates whether his resources are enough for the work—for if someone set out to build a high tower and didn't have what it takes to finish it, people would laugh at him for having started something he could not—1011 —bring to an honorable conclusion; then he must resolve to tear down the old building that stands on the site where he wants to raise a new one.12

Building the Living Temple

Religious life is defined as a commitment to becoming a living temple of God through the continual mortification of the self.

We want to raise a great building, my dear daughters: to build within ourselves a dwelling place for God. Therefore, let's carefully and maturely consider whether we have enough courage and resolve to tear ourselves down and crucify ourselves—or rather, to let God himself tear us down and crucify us—so that he may rebuild us as the living temple of his Majesty. So I say, my dear daughters, that our✦13 Cor.14 3.15 16–17; our only aspiration must be to unite ourselves to God as Jesus Christ united himself to God his Father by dying on the cross—for I don't mean to speak to you of that general union that comes through Baptism, where Christians are united to God by receiving that divine Sacrament and the character of Christianity, and bind themselves to keep his commandments and those of the holy Church, to practice good works, and to practice the virtues of faith, hope, and charity; and so their union is valid, and they may rightly aspire to Paradise.✦16 Uniting themselves in this way to God as their God, they are not bound to anything more; they have reached their goal by the general and broad path of the commandments. But as for you, my dear daughters, it is not so; for beyond this common obligation you share with all Christians, God, by a wholly special love, has chosen you to be his dear spouses. You need to know how, and what it means, to be religious.17 It means being bound to God by the continual mortification of ourselves, and living only for God—our own heart always serving his divine Majesty, and our eyes, our tongue, our hands, and all the rest serving him continually.18 That’s why you’ll find that the religious life provides you with the means perfectly suited to this end: prayer, reading, silence, withdrawing your heart to rest in God alone, and constant aspirations toward Our Lord.19 And because we could never reach that goal without the constant practice of mortifying all our passions, inclinations, moods, and aversions, we are bound to keep a constant watch over ourselves to put all those things to death.20 Know, my dear daughters, that if the grain of wheat falling into the ground does not die, it remains alone; but if it rots,21 John 12:24–25.22 it will yield a hundredfold. Our Lord’s word is perfectly clear on this; His own holy mouth has spoken it.23 Therefore, you who are seeking the habit, and you others who are seeking holy Profession, look carefully—more than once—at whether you have the resolve to die to yourselves and live only for God. Weigh the whole matter carefully. There is still plenty of time to think it over before your veils are dyed black; for I tell you, my dear daughters—and I don't mean to flatter you—that anyone who wants to live according to nature should stay in the world, while those who are determined to live according to grace should enter the religious life, which is nothing other than a school of self-denial.24 44.25 and self-mortification: that's why you see it provides you with many tools for mortification, both interior and exterior.26

Beyond Sensible Devotion

True religious virtue is found in humble, consistent labor rather than in extraordinary spiritual consolations or visions.

But, my God! You'll tell me that isn't what I was looking for; I thought it was enough to be a good religious, to want to pray well, to have visions and revelations, to see angels in human form, to be caught up in ecstasy, and to love reading good books.27 And what of it? I was so virtuous, it seemed to me, so mortified, so humble! Everyone admired me. Wasn't it true humility to speak so gently with her companions about matters of devotion, to retell the sermons at home, and to deal kindly with those in the household—especially when they never contradicted her?28 Certainly, my dear daughters, that is all very well for the world; but the religious life requires us to do works—Eph.✦29 4:1.30 worthy of their calling — that is, dying to yourself in everything, both in what feels good and suits us31 and in bad and useless things. Do you think those good religious of the desert who have reached such a great union with God got there by following their inclinations?32 Certainly not. They mortified themselves even in the holiest things, and though they took great delight in singing the divine canticles, in reading, praying, and other things, they did not do it to please themselves.33 Not at all. On the contrary, they willingly deprived themselves of these pleasures to commit themselves to hard and painful work.34 It is certainly true that religious souls receive a thousand sweet consolations and joys amid the mortifications and exercises of the religious life, for it is primarily to them that the Holy Spirit distributes his precious gifts. Therefore they should seek only God and the mortification of their moods, passions, and inclinations in holy religious life, for if they seek anything else, they will never find there the consolation they claim.35 But we need invincible courage so that we don't grow weary of ourselves, because we will always have something left to do and to cut away.36 The work of the religious must be to cultivate their spirit well, so as to uproot all the bad growths that our depraved nature sprouts every day—so much so that it seems there is always something still to redo. And just as a plowman shouldn't get angry if he fails to gather a good yield—provided he has carefully cultivated the soil and sown it well—so too the religious must not grow angry if he doesn't quickly gather the fruits of perfection and the virtues, provided he is deeply faithful in cultivating the soil of his heart,37 by cutting away whatever he sees to be contrary to his work.38 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]39 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]40 the perfection he has committed himself to pursue, since we will never be perfectly healed until we reach Paradise.41

The Path of Obedience

Exact obedience to the Rule is the surest way to destroy the old self and achieve union with God.

Chapter 18. When your Rule tells you that books are to be requested at the appointed hour, do you think that what you are usually given are the ones you like best?42 Not at all; that isn't the Rule's intention, and it's the same with other exercises.43 A Sister might feel strongly drawn—or so it seems to her—to pray, to say the Office, or to keep retreat, and then she is told, 'Sister, go to the kitchen,' or 'Do this or that.'44 That's bad news for a girl who is very devout. So I say that we must die, so that45 Galatians 2:20.46 so that God may live in us—for it's impossible to gain the union of our soul with God by any means other than mortification. These words are hard: We must die. But they're followed by a great sweetness: it's so that we may be united to God through this death. You should know that no wise person puts47 Matthew 9:17. new wine into an old vessel; the liquor of divine love cannot enter where the old Adam reigns—it must necessarily be destroyed.48 But how, you'll ask me, are we to destroy him? How, my dear daughters? Through exact obedience to your Rules.49 I assure you on God's behalf that if you are faithful in doing what they teach you, you'll undoubtedly reach the goal you ought to aim for: being united to God.50 Notice that I say *do*, because you don't acquire perfection by sitting with your arms crossed; you have to work deliberately at mastering yourself and live according to reason, the Rule, and obedience—not according to the inclinations we brought with us from the world.51 Religious life does allow us to bring our bad habits, passions, and inclinations with us, but not to live according to them.52 She gives us Rules to serve as presses for our hearts, and to squeeze out of them everything that is contrary to God: so live courageously according to them. But, someone will say to me, my God!53 How am I supposed to do it? I don't have the spirit of the Rule at all. Indeed, my dear daughter, I readily believe you; it's something one doesn't bring from the world into religious life.54 The spirit of the Rule is acquired by faithfully practicing the Rule.55 I say the same to you about holy humility and gentleness, the foundation of this Congregation: God will give them to us without fail, provided we have a good heart and do all we can to acquire them.56 How blessed we'll be if, a quarter of an hour before we die, we find ourselves clothed in this robe!57 Our whole life will be well spent if we use it to sew onto that garment first one piece, then another; for this holy habit isn't made from a single piece alone—it takes several. You might think that perfection comes ready-made, and that all we have to do is put it on our heads like another robe; no, my dear daughters, no—it doesn't work that way.58

Courage for the Journey

The author encourages those struggling with their passions, reminding them that the religious life is a school for growth, not a place for the already perfect.

You tell me, Mother, that our Sister aspirants are of good will, but that they lack the strength to do what they would like, and that they feel their passions so strongly that they're quite afraid to begin walking the path. Take courage, my dear daughters. I've told you many times that the religious life is a school where you learn your lesson: the master doesn't always require that the pupils know their lesson without a mistake; it's enough that they're careful to do their best to learn it.59 So let's do what we can; God will be content, and our superiors will be, too. Don't you see people every day who are learning to fence?60 They fall often, just as those learning to ride do. But they don't count themselves defeated for that, because it's one thing to be thrown now and then, and another thing to be completely beaten. Your passions sometimes resist you, and because of that you'll say, "I'm not suited for the religious life because I have passions." No, my dear daughters, that's not how it is.6162 The religious life doesn't consider it a great triumph to shape a ready-made mind or a soul already gentle and quiet; rather, it values bringing to virtue those souls who are strong in their inclinations, for if those souls are faithful, they will outstrip the others, gaining by keen force of spirit what the others have without effort.6364 No one requires you to be free of passions; that isn't in your power, and God wants you to feel them until death for your greater merit—nor even that they be mild, for that would mean a poorly disposed soul could never be fit to serve God. The world is mistaken in this: God rejects nothing where no malice is found. Tell me, I beg you, what harm is there in a person having a certain temperament or being subject to a certain passion?65 Everything rests on the acts we do from that impulse, which depends on our will—sin is so voluntary that without our consent, there is no sin.66 Suppose anger catches me by surprise. I'll say to it: "Turn, twist, burst if you want; still I won't do a thing in your favor—not even speak a single word according to your impulse."67 God has left us this power; otherwise, by requiring perfection of us, He would be binding us to something impossible, and therefore to injustice—which cannot be found in God. On that subject, it occurs to me to tell you a story that fits you.68 When Moses came down from the mountain where he had just been speaking with God, he saw the people who, having made a golden calf, were worshiping it. Seized with a just anger born of zeal for God's glory, he turned to the Levites and said: "If anyone takes God's side, let him take the sword in hand to kill everything that presents itself to him, sparing neither father, mother, brother, nor sister; let him put them all to death."69 The Levites took up the sword, and the bravest among them was the one who killed the most with it.70 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]71 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]72 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]73 In the same way, my dear daughters, take up the sword of mortification to kill and annihilate your passions; the one who has the most to kill will be the most valiant, provided she is willing to cooperate with grace.74 Here are these two young souls, one of whom is a little past sixteen years old.75 The other is only fifteen; they have little to kill—so their spirit76 [Unreadable source: severe OCR corruption; no trustworthy French reading can be recovered for translation.]77 [Illegible source fragment ending with “1610.”] [Illegible source fragment.] [Illegible source fragment.] [Illegible source fragment.] [Illegible source fragment.] [Illegible source fragment.] [No recoverable source text.] [Illegible source fragment, possibly containing personal or place names.] The spirit isn't, so to speak, just a newborn; it's for those great souls who have experienced much and tasted the sweetness of Paradise to thoroughly put to death and annihilate their passions.✦78

The Compass of the Rule

By surrendering to the guidance of the Rule and Superiors, the religious finds a secure path to God, even amidst the trials of the spiritual life.

As for those you mention, Mother, who have such great desires for their own perfection that they want to outdo everyone else in virtue: they do well enough to soothe their self-love a little; but they will do quite enough by following the Community and carefully keeping their Rules, for that is the straight road to arrive at God.79 You are very blessed, my dear daughters, compared with the rest of us in the world. When we ask the way, one says, "It's to the right," another, "It's to the left," and in the end we are most often misled; but as for you, you only have to let yourselves be carried. You are like those who travel by sea: the boat carries them, and they stay inside it without worry; while they rest, they make their way, and they don't need to ask whether they are still on the right course. That is the sailors' duty: always watching the fair star—that compass of the ship—they know they are on a good course, and they say to the others in the boat, "Take heart; you are on the right path."80 Follow this divine compass without fear; it is Our Lord. The boat is your Rules. Those who steer it are the Superiors, who usually tell you: Walk, our Sisters, by the exact observance of your Rules; you will arrive safely at God, and He will lead you surely. But notice that I tell you: Walk by exact and faithful observance, for whoever despises his way will be killed, as Solomon says.✦81 Prov.82 . 19:16.83 You say, Mother, that our Sisters claim: "It's good to follow the Rules, but that's just the ordinary path." God draws us through particular attractions; each person has her own, and we aren't all led along the same path.84 They are right to say so, and it is true; but it is also true that if this attraction comes from God, it will undoubtedly lead them to obedience.85 It isn't for those of us under authority to judge our own particular attractions; that belongs to the Superiors, which is why individual direction is appointed. Be very faithful to that direction, and you'll gather the fruit of blessing from it. If you do what you are taught, my dear daughters, you will be very happy. You will live content, and even in this world you will experience the favors of Paradise, at least in small samples.86 But take care: if some interior sweetness or caress from Our Lord comes to you, don't cling to it. It's like a little candied anise that the apothecary puts on a sick person's bitter medicine. The patient must swallow the bitter dose for her health, and even though she takes those sugared grains from the apothecary's hand, she must necessarily feel the bitterness of the purge afterward.87 So you see clearly what aspiration you must have if you're to be worthy brides of Our Lord, and to make yourselves able to marry him on Mount Calvary.88 So live your whole life and shape all your actions by that aim, and God will bless you.89 All our happiness rests in perseverance; I urge you to it, my dear daughters.

A Final Blessing

The author concludes with a heartfelt prayer for the sisters and a final blessing, followed by an editorial note on the text's history.

I give you these True Spiritual Conferences with all my heart, and I pray His Goodness to fill you with grace and with His divine love in this world, and to let us all enjoy His glory in the next.90 Farewell, my dear daughters; I take you all with me in my heart. To commend myself to your prayers would be needless, for I'm sure from your piety that you never fail me in that. Every day I will send you my blessing from the altar, and for now receive it in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The last two sentences of the text are not found in the manuscript,91 which, by contrast, places the first paragraph of the following Conference here. In the Colloques, these two fragments are joined under the title: Farewell of Monsieur when he left Paris to accompany Monsieur the Prince of Piedmont.]92

Read the original French

La question que nostre Mcre me fait, de vous déclarer, mes chères filles, la prétention que l'on doit avoir pour entrer '^^ en Religion, est bien la plus importante, la plus nécessaire et la plus utile qui se puisse faire. Certes, mes chères filles, plusieurs filles entrent en Religion, qui ne sçavent pas pourquoy. Elles viendront en un parloir, elles verront des Religieuses avec un visage serein, tenant bonne mine, bien mode:>tes, fort contentes, elles diront (*^' en elles-mesmes: Mon Dieu, qu'il fait bon là î allons-y; aussi bien le monde nous fait mauvaise mine, nous n'y rencontrons point nos prétentions. Une autre dira: Mon Dieu, que l'on chante bien là dedans! Les autres y viennent pour y rencontrer la paix, les consolations et toutes sortes de douceurs, disant en leur |x*ns<'e **: Mon Dieu, que les Rchgieusct sont heureuses! elles sont hors du bruit de père, de mère, qui ne font autre chose que crier; on ne sçauroit rien faire qui les contente, c'est tousjours à recommencer. Nostre Seigneur promet à ceux qui quittent le monde pour son service plusieurs consolations; allons donc en Religion.

\^oicy, mes chères filles, trois sortes de prétentions qui ne valent rien pour entrer en la maison de Dieu. Il faut, par nécessité, que ce soit Dieu qui bastisse la cité, ou autrement, bien qu'elle fust bastie, il la fau- • Ps. cxxvi, I. droit ruiner *. Je veux croire, mes chères filles, que vos prétentions sont toutes autres, et partant que vous avez toutes bon cœur et que Dieu bénira ceste petite troupe commençante. Il me vient en l'esprit deux similitudes pour vous donner à entendre sur quoy et comment vostre prétention doit estre fondée pour estre solide; mais je me content eray d'en expliquer une qui suffira. Posez le cas qu'un architecte veuille bastir une maison; il fait deux choses: premièrement, il considère si son bastiment doit servir pour quelque particulier, pour un prince, ou bien pour un roy, à cause qu'il faut qu'il y procède de différente manière; puis il calcule à loisir si ses moyens sont bastans pour cela, car qui se voudroit mesler de bastir une haute tour, et qu'il n'eust pas de quoy fournir son bastiment (t\ on se mocqueroit de luy, d'avoir commencé une chose de laquelle il ne pour- • Luc«, XIV, 28-30. roit sortir à son honneur*; puis il faut qu'il se résolve de ruiner le vieil bastiment qui est en la place où il en veut édifier un nouveau.

Nous voulons faire un grand bastiment, mes chères filles, qui est d'édifier chez nous la demeure de Dieu. Partant, considérons bien meurement si nous avons suffisamment du courage et de la resolution pour nous ruiner nous-mesmes et nous crucifier, ou plustost pour permettre à Dieu mesme de nous ruiner et nous crucifier, à fin qu'il nous reedifte pour estre le temple vivant de sa Majesté •• Je dis donc, mes chères filles, que nostre •! Cor. m. 16, 17; unique prétention doit estre de nous unir à Dieu comme Jésus Christ s'est uni à Dieu son Père, qui a esté en mourant sur la croix; car je n'entens point vous parler de ceste union générale qui se fait par le Baptesme, où les Chrestiens s'unissent à Dieu en prenant ce divin Sacrement et caractère du Christianisme, et s'obligent à garder ses cominandemens, ceux de la sainte Eglise^ s'exercer aux bonnes œuvres, pratiquer les vertus de la foy, espérance et charité; et partant leur union est valable, et peuvent justement prétendre au Paradis. S'unissant par ce moyen à Dieu comme à leur Dieu, ils ne sont point obligés à davantage; ils ont atteint leur but par la voye générale et spacieuse des commandemens <*»'. Mais quant à vous, mes chères filles, il n'en va pas ainsi; car outre ceste commune obligation que vous avez avec tous les Chrestiens, Dieu, par un amour tout spécial, vous a choisies pour estre ses chères espouses. Il faut sçavoir comment, et que c'est d'estre ReligieuîH^s.

C'est estre reliées à Dieu par la continuelle mortification de nous-mesmes, et ne vivre que pour Dieu, nostre propre cœur servant tousjours à sa divine Majesté, nos yeux, nostre langue, nos mains et tout le reste le ser\'ant continuellement. C'est pourquoy vous voyez que la Religion vous fournit de moyens tous propres à cest effet, qui sont l'oraison, les lectures, silence, retraitte du propre ca*ur pour se reposer en Dieu seul, ehmcemens continuels <" à Nostre Seigneur. Et parce que nous ne sçaurions arriver à cela que par une continuelle pratique de mortification de toutes nos passions, inclinations, humeurs et aversions, nous sommes obligés à veiller continuellement sur nous-mcsmcs J74 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels à fin de faire mourir tout cela. Sçachez, mes chères filles, que si le grain de froment tombant en terre ne meurt, il demeurera tout seul; mais s'il pourrit, •joan. , XII, 24, 25. il rapportera au centuple *: la parole de Nostre Seigneur y est toute claire, sa tres-sainte bouche l'ayant elle-mesme prononcée. Par conséquent, vous qui prétendez à l'habit, et vous autres qui prétendez la sainte Profession, regardez bien plus d'une fois si vous avez assez de resolution pour mourir à vous-mesmes et ne vivre qu'à Dieu. Pesez bien le tout; le temps est encore long pour y penser, avant que vos voiles soyent teints en noir; car je vous déclare, mes chères filles, et je ne vous veux point flatter, quiconque désire vivre selon la nature, qu'il demeure au monde; et ceux qui sont déterminés de vivre selon la grâce, viennent en la Religion, laquelle n'est autre chose qu'une escole de l'abnégation • Constit.

XLiv. et mortification de soy-mesme *: c'est pourquoy vous voyez qu'elle vous fournit de plusieurs outils de mortification, tant intérieurs qu'extérieurs.

Mais, mon Dieu! me direz-vous, ce n'est pas cela que je cherchois; je pensois qu'il suffisoit pour estre bonne Rehgieuse, d'avoir désir de bien faire l'oraison, avoir des visions et révélations, voir des Anges en forme d'homme, estre ravie en extase, aymer bien la lecture des bons livres. Et quoy? j'estois si vertueuse, ce me sembloit, si mortifiée, si humble! tout le monde m'admiroit. N'estoit-ce pas estre bien humble (J) de parler si doucement à ses compagnes des choses de dévotion, raconter les sermons estant chez soy, traiter doucement avec ceux du logis, sur tout quand ils ne contredisoyent point? Certes, mes chères filles, cela est oit bon pour le monde; mais la ReUgion veut que l'on fasse des œuvres • Ephe». , IV, I.

dignes de sa vocation *, c'est à dire, mourir à soy mesme en toutes choses, tant à ce qui est bon à nostre gré ^^)

qu'aux choses mauvaise*^ et inutiles Pensez-vous que ces bons Religieux du désert qui sont parvenus à une si grande union avec Dieu, y soyent arrives en suivant leurs inclinations? Cert^ nenny; ils se sont mortifi*^ es choses les plus saintes, et bien qu'ils eussent grand goust à chanter les divins cantiques, à lire, prier et autres choses, ils ne le faisoyent point pour se contenter eux-mesmes. Nullement; au contraire, ils ^ privoyent volontairement de ces plaisirs pour s'adonner à des œuvres de travail et pénibles ''.

Il est bien vray, certes, que les âmes religieuses reçoivent mille suavités et contentemens parmi les mortifications et les exercices de la sainte Religion, car c'est principalement à elles que le Saint Esprit départ ses pretieux dons. Partant, elles ne doivent rechercher que Dieu et la mortification de leurs humeurs, passions et inclinations en la sainte Religion, car si elles cherchent autre chose, elles n'v trouveront jamais h consolation qu'elles prétendent. Mais il faut avoir un courage invincible pour ne nous p<3int lasser avec nous-mesmes, parce que nous aurons tousjours quelque chose à faire et à retrancher. L'office des Religieux doit estre de bien cultiver leur esprit, pour en déraciner toutes les mauvaises productions que nostre nature dépravée fait bourjonner tous les jours, si bien qu'il semble qu'il y ayt tousjours à refaire. Ht comme il ne faut pas que le laboureur se fasche, puisqu'il ne mérite pas d'estre blasmé jKiur n'avoir point recueilh une bonne prise, pourveu neantmoins qu'il ayt eu soin de cultiver bien la terre et de la bien ensemencer, de mesme 1»* Religieux ne doit point se fascher s'il ne recueille j>as si tost les fruicts de la perfixition et des vertus, pourveu qu'il ayt une grande fidehlé de bien cultiver la terre de son cœur. en retranchant ce qu'il apperçoit estre contraire à b «W travail «t <u,-r -. ;»; [L'allfWU «uJvAfit M M irouira al d*B« to Ma. ai àsm Im C«il«f»M.)

276 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels perfection à laquelle il s'est obligé de prétendre, puisque nous ne serons jamais parfaitement guéris que nous ne soyons en Paradis.

• Cap. xviii. Quand vostre Règle vous dit* « que l'on demande les livres à l'heure assignée, » pensez-vous que ce soit pour l'ordinaire ceux qui vous contentent le plus que l'on vous donne? Nullement, ce n'est pas là l'intention de la Règle; et ainsi i^) des autres exercices. Une Sœur se sentira, ce luy semble, fort portée i^) à faire l'oraison à dire l'Office, à estre en retraite, et on luy dit: Ma Sœur, allez à la cuisine, ou bien: Faites telle ou telle chose. C'est une mauvaise nouvelle pour une fille qui est bien dévote. Je dis donc qu'il faut mourir à fin •Gaiat. , Il, 20.

que Dieu vive en nous *, car il est impossible d'acquérir l'union de nostre ame avec Dieu par un autre moyen que par la mortification. Ces paroles sont dures: Il faut mourir; mais elles sont suivies d'une grande douceur: c'est à fin d'estre unies à Dieu par ceste mort. Vous devez sçavoir que nulle personne sage ne met point m Matt. , IX 17. ^^ ^^^^ nouveau dans un vieil vaisseau *; la liqueur du divin amour ne peut entrer où le vieil Adam règne, il faut de nécessité le destruire. Mais comment, me direz-vous, le destruire? Comment, mes chères filles? par l'obéissance ponctuelle à vos Règles.

Je vous asseure de la part de Dieu, que si vous estes fidelles à faire ce qu'elles vous enseignent, vous parviendrez sans doute au but que vous devez prétendre, qui est de vous unir à Dieu. Remarquez que je dis faire, car l'on n'acquiert pas la perfection en croisant les bras; il faut travailler à bon escient à se dompter soy-mesme, et vivre selon la raison, la Règle et l'obéissance, et non psLS selon les inclinations que nous avons apportées du monde. I^ Religion tolère bien que nous apportions nos mauvaises habitudes, passions et inclinations, mais non pas que nous vivions selon icelles. Elle nous donne des Règles pour ser\ir à nos cœurs de pressoirs, et en faire sortir tout ce qui est contraire à Dieu: vivez donc courageusement selon icelles (^K Mais, me dira quelqu'une, mon Dieu! comment ferayje? je n'ay point l'esprit de la Règle. Certes, ma chère fille, facilement je vous croy; c'est chos<* qui ne s'apporte p>oint du monde à la Religion. L'esprit <*> de la Règle s'acquiert en pratiquant fidèlement la Règle.

Je vous en dis de mesme de la sainte humilité et douceur, fondement de ceste Congrégation; Dieu nous les donnera infailliblement, jxjurveu que nous ayons bon cœur et fassions nostre possible pour les acquérir. Bien-heureux serons-nous si un quart d'heure devant que mourir nous nous trouvons revestus de ceste robbe i*/! Toute nostre vie sera bien employée si nous l'occupons à y coudre tantost une pièce, tantost une autre; car ce saint habit ne se fait pas avec une pièce seulement, il est requis qu'il y en ayt plusieurs. (") Vous estimez peut estre que la perfection se doit trouver toute faite, et qu'il ne faille faire autre chose que de la mettre sur nostre teste comme une autre robbe; nenny, mes chères filles, nenny, il n'en va pas ainsi.

Vous me dites, ma Mère, que nos Sœurs les Prétendantes sont de bonne volonté, mais que la force leur manque pour faire ce qu'elles voudroyent, et qu'elles ressentent leurs passions si fortes, qu'elles craignent bien de commencer à marcher. Courage, mes chères filles. Je vous ay dit plusieurs fois que la Religion est une escole où l'on apprend sa leçon: le maistre ne requiert pas tous] ours que les escoliers sçachent sans faillir leur leçon, il suffit qu'ils ayent attention de faire leur possible pour l'apprendre. Faisons ainsi ce que nous pourrons, Dieu se contentera, et nos Supérieurs aussi. Voyez- vous pas tous les jours les personnes qui apprennent à tirer des armes? ils tombent souvent; de mesme en font ceux qui apprennent à monter à cheval: mais ils ne se tiennent pas pourtant vaincus, car autre chose est d'estre quelquefois abbatus, et autre chose absolument vaincus. Vos passions parfois vous font teste, et pour cela vous direz: Je ne suis pas propre pour la Rehgion à cause que j'ay des passions; non, mes chères filles, il n'en va pas ainsi. La Religion ne fait pas grand triomphe de façonner un esprit tout fait, une ame douce et tranquille en elle-mesme; mais elle estime grandement de réduire à la vertu les âmes fortes en leurs incHnations, car ces ames-là, si elles sont fidelles, elles passeront les autres, acquérant par la pointe de l'esprit ce que les autres ont sans peine.

On ne requiert pas de vous que vous n'ayez point de passions; il n'est pas en vostre pouvoir, et Dieu veut que vous les ressentiez jusques à la mort pour vostre plus grand mérite; ni mesme qu'elles soyent peu fortes, car ce seroit dire qu'une ame mal habituée ne peut estre propre à servir Dieu. Le monde se trompe en ceste pensée, Dieu ne rejette rien de ce où la malice ne se rencontre point; car dites moy, je vous prie, que peut XX Dk la Prétention reugieusb 379 mais une personne d'estre de telle ou telle température, sujette à telle ou telle passion? Le tout gist donc aux actes que nous en faisons par ce mouvement, lequel dépend de nostre volonté, le f>eche estant si volontaire que si»ns nostre consentement il n'y a point de jjeché. Posez le cas que la colère me surprenne. Je luy diray: tourne, retourne, crevé si tu veux; si ne feray-je rien en ta faveur, non pas seulement prononcer une parole selon ton mouvement. Dieu nous a laissé ce pouvoir; autrement ce seroit, en nous demandant la perfection, nous obliger à chose impossible, et partant injustice, laquelle ne se peut rencontrer en Dieu A ce propos, il me vient en pensée de vous raconter une histoire qui vous est propre. Lors que Movse descendit de la montagne d'où il venoit de parler à Dieu, il vid le peuple qui ayant fait un veau d'or, l'adoroit. Espris d'une juste colère du zèle de la gloire de Dieu, il dit en se tournant vers les Lévites: S'il y a quelqu'un qui tienne le parti d< Dieu, qu'il prenne l'esjX'e en main pour tuer tout ce qui se présentera à luy, sans espargner ni père, ni mère, ni frère, ni sœur; qu'il mette tout à mort.

Les Lévites donc prirent l'espée en main, et le plus brave c'estoit celuy qui en tua le plus •. 'EïoJ. iim. té a. De mesme, mes chères filles, prenez l'espée de la mortification en main pour tuer et anéantir vos passion<(; et celle qui en aura le plus à tuer sera la plus vaillante, si elle veut co<JiKTer à la grâce. Ces deux jeunes âmes que voicy ('^ dont l'une passe un peu seize aa^. l'autre n'en a que quinze <«>, elles ont peu à tuer; aussi leur Par1«. qui avait éU fondé!

• t** mal 1610. D*aprè« to L%trt du \ ■. : éa oatu MAi«nQ. )m ««tous fmtam êwm» doei U «'acii ici dr. ar. t /. . r im Scmin Mari^-CalbariM Camu» «l HélètM-IUria Griaoo.

qui n^urmt rtuNt fftiijian» \t» a5 aovamfara 1619, AfNa r«M àê qnàmm aaa al l'aulfa éê êm «1 Mol 380 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels esprit n'est pas quasi né: mais ces grandes âmes qui ont expérimenté plusieurs choses et ont gousté les douceurs du Paradis, c'est à elles à qui appartient de bien tuer (>) et anéantir leurs passions.

Pour celles que vous dites, ma Mère, qui ont de si grands désirs de leur perfection qu'elles veulent passer toutes les autres en vertu, elles font bien de consoler un peu leur amour propre; mais elles feront prou de suivre la Communauté en bien gardant leurs Règles, car c'est la droite voye pour arriver à Dieu. Vous estes bien heureuses, mes chères filles, au prix de nous autres dans le monde; (^') lors que nous demandons le chemin, l'un dit: C'est à droite, l'autre: C'est à gauche, et en fin le plus souvent on nous trompe; mais vous autres, vous n'avez qu'à vous laisser porter. Vous ressemblez à ceux qui cheminent (b') sur mer; la barque les porte, et ils demeurent là dedans sans soin; en se reposant ils marchent, et n'ont que faire de s'enquérir s'ils sont bien en leur chemin. Cela est du devoir des nautonniers, qui voyant tousjours la belle estoille, ceste boussole du navire, sçavent qu'ils sont en bonne voy^ et disent aux autres qui sont en la barque: Courage, vous estes en bon chemin.

Suivez sans crainte ceste boussole divine, (c') c'est Nostre Seigneur; la barque ce sont vos Règles; ceux qui la conduisent sont les Supérieures, qui pour l'ordinaire vous disent: Marchez, nos Sœurs, par l'observance ponctuelle de vos Règles; vous arriverez heureusement à Dieu, il vous conduira (^') seurement. Mais remarquez que je vous dis: Marchez par i observance ponctuelle et fidelle, car qtdi mesprisera «'^ sa voye sera tué, dit Salomon •. • prov. . xix, 16.

Vous dites, ma Mère, que nos Sœurs disent: Cela est bon de marcher par les Règles, mais c'est la voye générale. Dieu nous attire par des attraits particuUers, chacun a le sien spécial, nous ne sommes pas toutes tirées par un mesme chemin. Klies ont raison de le dire et il est véritable; mais il est vray aussi que si cest attrait vient de Dieu, il les conduira à l'obéissance sans doute. Il n'appartient pas à nous autres, qui sommes inférieurs, de juger de nos attraits particuliers; cela est du devoir des Supérieurs, et pour cela la direction particulière est ordonnée. Soyez-y bien fidelles, et vous en rapporterez le fruict de bénédiction. Si vous faites ce qui vous est enseigné, mes chères filles, vous serez tres-heureuses. vous vivrez contentes et expérimenterez dés ce monde les faveurs du Paradis, au moins par petits eschantillons. Mais prenez garde que s'il vous vient quelque goust intérieur et caresse de Nostre Seigneur, de ne vous y attacher pas; c'est comme un peu d'anis confit que l'apothicaire met sur la potion amere du malade: il faut que le malade avale la médecine bien amere, pour sa santé, et bien qu'il <'*' prenne de la main de l'apothicaire ces grains sucrés, il faut par nécessité qu'il ressente par après les amertumes de la purgation.

Vous voyez donc clairement quelle est la prétention que vous devez avoir pour estre dignes espouses de Nostre Seigneur, et pour vous rendre capables de l'espouser sur le mont de Calvaire. Vivez donc toute vostre vie et formez toutes vos actions selon icellc, et Dieu vous bénira. Tout nostre bon-heur consiste en la persévérance: je vous y exhorte, mes chères filles.

382 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels de tout mon cœur, et prie sa Bonté qu'il vous comble de grâce et de son divin amour en ce monde, et nous fasse tous jouir en l'autre de sa gloire. (&') A Dieu, mes chères filles, je vous emporte toutes dans mon cœur; de me recommander à vos prières ce seroit chose superflue, car je croy de vos pietés que vous n'y manquez point Je vous envoyeray tous les jours de l'autel ma bénédiction, et ce pendant recevez-la au nom du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit.

[Les deux dernières phrases du texte ne se trouvent pas dans le Ms. , qui par contre, donne ici le premier alinéa de l'Entretien suivant. Dans les Colloques, ces deux fragments sont réunis sous le titre de: Vadieu de Monsieur lors qu'il partit de Paris pour accompagner Monsieur le Prince de Piemond.]

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩1Cor.3.16-1Cor.3.17 — Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1Cor.3.17 — If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person. For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.
  2. ↩1Cor.3.16-1Cor.3.17 — Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1Cor.3.17 — If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person. For the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.
  3. ↩Eph.4.1 — Therefore, I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.
  4. ↩Rom.8.13;Col.3.5 — For if you live according to the flesh, you are about to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Col.3.5 — Put to death, therefore, the parts of you that belong to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.
  5. ↩Prov.19.16 — Whoever keeps the commandment keeps his own soul; whoever despises his ways will die.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Source print/OCR reads «Mcre»; translated as «Mother» (Mère). French prétention here means the aim or claim with which one seeks to enter, not empty self-importance.
  2. 2 ↩Source OCR garbles «bien modestes» as «bien mode:>tes» and inserts noise («(*^'», «î»); normalized as «bien modestes» and exclamation «là!».
  3. 3 ↩Source OCR reads «en leur |x*ns<'e **» and «Rchgieusct»; translated as «en leur pensée» (in their hearts/thoughts) and «Religieuses» (Sisters).
  4. 4 ↩Source opens with corrupted "\^oicy"; read as Voici ("Here" / "See").
  5. 5 ↩In this Salesian context prétention means the purpose or intention with which one enters religious life, not empty self-display.
  6. 6 ↩Sentence is cut mid-word ("il la fau-") before a Psalm cue; continued in s3–s4 as faudrait ruiner, alluding to Ps 126:1 Vulgate (Nisi Dominus aedificaverit...).
  7. 7 ↩Source has "cxxvi, I." after "Ps." from s2; Vulgate numbering (Hebrew Ps 127:1).
  8. 8 ↩"droit ruiner" completes s2's truncated "il la fau-" as "il la faudrait ruiner": otherwise God would have to tear the city down.
  9. 9 ↩Source splits "me contenteray" as "me content eray"; read as je me contenterai.
  10. 10 ↩Sentence breaks mid-word at "ne pour-" with a Luke citation; completed in s8 as "ne pourrait sortir à son honneur" (could not bring it to a fitting end / to his honor).
  11. 11 ↩Embedded citation Luc XIV, 28-30 (tower builder who fails to count the cost).
  12. 12 ↩Opening "roit" completes s7's "ne pour-" as "ne pourrait sortir à son honneur".
  13. 13 ↩Source ends mid-sentence after 'que nostre'; the thought continues after the intercalated Cor. citation in s3–s5 as 'nostre unique prétention…'.
  14. 14 ↩Citation fragment; with s4–s5 almost certainly '1 Cor. 3:16–17' (living temple).
  15. 15 ↩Source fragment 'm.' is read as chapter 'iii' / '3' of Corinthians, matching the 16–17 verse numbers in s5 and the living-temple theme.
  16. 16 ↩'nostre' belongs at the head of this sentence (left on s2 by the intercalated citation). 'cominandemens' corrected to 'commandemens'. A coordinating 'and' is supplied before 's'exercer' where the source syntax requires it.
  17. 17 ↩Source 'ReligieuîH^s' corrected to 'Religieuses' (women religious), confirmed by the following section on continual mortification and the religious life.
  18. 18 ↩Source ends with garbled 'le ser\'ant'; read as 'le servant' (serving him).
  19. 19 ↩Source has 'ca*ur' (read as 'cœur') and garbled 'ehmcemens' (read as 'élancemens' / spiritual aspirations).
  20. 20 ↩Page header intrusion removed: 'J74 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels'; 'nous-mcsmcs' read as 'nous-mesmes'.
  21. 21 ↩Trailing '•joan.' is the start of the citation label for John (Joan.), completed in s5.
  22. 22 ↩Citation fragment ', XII, 24, 25' completes 'Joan.' from s4 as John 12:24–25.
  23. 23 ↩Source says 'rapportera au centuple' (hundredfold); John 12:24 has 'much fruit.' Rendered faithfully to Sales; may blend with the hundredfold of renunciation sayings.
  24. 24 ↩Trailing '• Constit.' is a cross-reference fragment (Constitutions), continued in the next section; not translated into the sentence body.
  25. 25 ↩Fragmentary citation continuation from the previous section's trailing 'Constit.'; almost certainly 'Constitutions XLIV' rather than independent prose.
  26. 26 ↩'elle' continues the prior sentence's 'la Religion' (the religious life). 'outils de mortification' kept as 'tools of mortification' to preserve the concrete school/workshop image of religious discipline.
  27. 27 ↩Source print/OCR reads «Rehgieuse»; translated as Religieuse (a Religious / woman in religious life).
  28. 28 ↩Source has a parenthetical marker «(J)», likely apparatus or note-letter; omitted from the English surface.
  29. 29 ↩«oit» in «cela est oit bon» looks corrupt (likely fort/bien); rendered as the concessive 'all very well'. «ReUgion» corrected to Religion (religious life). «• Ephe»» is a broken scripture citation opening, continued in s8 and completed by the next section's «dignes de sa vocation» (Eph 4:1).
  30. 30 ↩Citation fragment completing s7's «Ephe» as Ephesians 4:1; body of the verse phrase continues in the next section.
  31. 31 ↩This section is a mid-clause continuation of 1.20.6 (Religion requires works… worthy of their vocation); the comparative ‘tant…’ is completed in 1.20.8 with ‘…and to what is bad and useless.’ Source marks (*, ^^) look like note anchors and were not rendered as wording.
  32. 32 ↩Normalized from OCR damage: 'mauvaise*^' → 'mauvaises'; 'y soyent arrives' → 'y soient arrivés'. The opening 'qu'aux…' continues the previous section's 'tant… que…' construction (both what suits us and what is bad/useless).
  33. 33 ↩Normalized from OCR: 'Cert^ nenny' → 'Certes, nenni' (emphatic no); 'mortifi*^ es' → 'mortifiés ès' (old French 'ès' = 'en les', 'in the'); 'goust' = 'goût'; 'faisoyent' = 'faisaient'.
  34. 34 ↩Normalized from OCR: 'ils ^ privoyent' → 'ils se privaient' (reflexive 'se' lost to corruption; 'privoyent' = 'privaient'). Trailing quotation marks/noise ignored.
  35. 35 ↩Normalized OCR damage: «n'v trouveront jamais h consolation» read as «n'y trouveront jamais la consolation».
  36. 36 ↩Normalized OCR damage: «ne nous p<3int lasser» read as «ne nous point lasser».
  37. 37 ↩Normalized OCR damage throughout: «Ht»→«Et», «jKiur»→«pour», «recueilh»→«recueilli», «1»* Religieux»→«le Religieux», «j>as»→«pas», «perfeition»→«perfection», «fidehlé»→«fidélité». «Bonne prise» taken as agricultural yield/haul.
  38. 38 ↩Source is badly damaged after «contraire à». Recoverable core: «en retranchant ce qu'il apperçoit estre contraire à ... travail». Remainder of the clause («b «W ... «t <u,-r») is unreadable and may conceal further objects (e.g. duty, God, perfection).
  39. 39 ↩Raw text «;»; [L'allfWU «uJvAfit M M irouira al d*B« to Ma.» is essentially illegible; may be page-header or print damage rather than continuous discourse.
  40. 40 ↩Raw text «ai àsm Im C«il«f»M.)» is illegible; likely residual damage or non-sentential print debris.
  41. 41 ↩Normalized source begins with page/running-title debris (“276 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels”) before “perfection…”. Rendered from the intended continuation: “perfection à laquelle il s’est obligé de prétendre, puisque nous ne serons jamais parfaitement guéris que nous ne soyons en Paradis.”
  42. 42 ↩The asterisk after dit* points to the Cap. xviii note split across s1–s2.
  43. 43 ↩Normalized away the garbled marker i^) in 'et ainsi i^) des autres exercices'; sense is 'et ainsi des autres exercices'.
  44. 44 ↩Read 'portée à faire l'oraison, à dire l'Office, à estre en retraite' (asyndeton/list); discarded garbled 'i^)' as a footnote marker.
  45. 45 ↩Source 'à fin •Gaiat.' = afin + the start of a Galatians citation (Gaiat. = Galatians). The purpose clause continues in the next section ('que Dieu vive en nous').
  46. 46 ↩Normalized ', Il, 20.' with s7's 'Gaiat.' as Galatians 2:20.
  47. 47 ↩Source is truncated mid-clause before a Matthew citation ('ne met point m Matt.'). Intended sense, completed by s4–s5 and Matt 9:17, is that no wise person puts new wine into an old vessel.
  48. 48 ↩Opening tokens are garbled ('^^ ^^^^ nouveau'); reconstructed as 'vin nouveau' from Matt 9:17 and the vessel image that follows.
  49. 49 ↩'obéissance ponctuelle' means exact, careful, detail-faithful obedience, not merely being on time.
  50. 50 ↩elles points back to vos Règles (your Rules) in the previous section; prétendre here means to aim at / claim as one's end, not to pretend.
  51. 51 ↩Source has OCR garble 'non psLS selon'; translated as 'non pas selon' (not according to), the only contextually coherent reading.
  52. 52 ↩Leading 'I^' treated as a footnote/marker artifact, not part of the sentence. Religion = religious life / the institute, not abstract 'religion'.
  53. 53 ↩Normalized 'ser\ir' as servir; trailing '(^K' treated as footnote marker noise. pressoirs = wine-presses: the Rules press the heart and force out what opposes God. The objection ('Mais, me dira quelqu'une...') continues into s5–s6.
  54. 54 ↩Normalized corrupt spans 'chos<*' → 'chose' and 'p>oint' → 'point'.
  55. 55 ↩Marker '<*>' between esprit and de dropped as non-lexical noise.
  56. 56 ↩Source reading «jxjurveu» is treated as OCR corruption of «pourvu» (provided that).
  57. 57 ↩Trailing source garbage «i*/» after «robbe» is ignored as OCR noise; the robe continues the metaphor of humility and gentleness from s1.
  58. 58 ↩Leading source artifact «(")» is ignored as editorial/OCR noise.
  59. 59 ↩Normalized OCR garble 'tous] ours' as 'toujours' (always).
  60. 60 ↩'tirer des armes' rendered as fencing (weapons drill); the following fall/ride analogies support combat training rather than firearms.
  61. 61 ↩Normalized OCR 'Rehgion' as 'Religion' (religious life).
  62. 62 ↩'vous font teste' taken as older French 'faire tête' (stand against / defy), not modern 'tête' as head alone.
  63. 63 ↩Normalized OCR 'incHnations' as 'inclinations'.
  64. 64 ↩'par la pointe de l'esprit' rendered as 'by keen force of spirit' (sharp effort of mind/will); echoes the fencing image earlier in the section.
  65. 65 ↩Normalized text is interrupted by a page-header intrusion ("XX Dk la Prétention reugieusb 379"); reconstructed sense is "que peut [faire de] mal une personne d'estre…" = "what harm is there in a person being…".
  66. 66 ↩Corrected OCR forms f>eche / jjeché → péché, si»ns → sans.
  67. 67 ↩"si ne feray-je" is the older adversative inversion ("still / even so I will not"); rendered as "still I won't".
  68. 68 ↩Missing sentence break after "en Dieu"; treated as two clauses: theological conclusion, then transition to the Moses exemplum.
  69. 69 ↩Corrected d< → de; esjX'e → espée (sword).
  70. 70 ↩Trailing bullet «•» treated as footnote/print mark, not lexical content.
  71. 71 ↩Source unit is only «'EïoJ.»; likely a mangled biblical citation or footnote mark (possibly Exod.) attached to the Levites exemplum, not continuous prose.
  72. 72 ↩Source unit is only «iim.»; likely a severed citation numeral (e.g. xxxii) or footnote debris, not continuous prose.
  73. 73 ↩Source unit is only «té a.»; residual OCR/footnote debris between the Levites sentence and the application to the sisters.
  74. 74 ↩Corrected «passion<(» → «passions»; «co<JiKTer» → «coopérer» (cooperate with grace).
  75. 75 ↩Corrected «aa^» → «ans»; ignored parenthetical OCR noise «('^».
  76. 76 ↩Trailing «Par1«» is apparatus/OCR bleed. Continuous paragraph recovers «esprit» before the clause «n'est pas quasi né» (picked up after editorial note debris in later units). «quinze <«>» read as «quinze».
  77. 77 ↩«qui avait éU fondé!» is almost certainly editorial-apparatus bleed (a foundation note), not authorial continuous prose; «éU» → «été» would still leave a non-narrative fragment.
  78. 78 ↩Opening of the section is heavily OCR-corrupted (page furniture and garbled tokens before the recoverable clause). Translated from the clearest normalized French core after the running title 'Les vrays Entretiens spirituels'; the leading clause may be incomplete.
  79. 79 ↩Old French «feront prou» rendered as 'will do quite enough' (prou = enough/plenty): they need not strive to surpass others; keeping the common Rule is already sufficient.
  80. 80 ↩Normalized «voy^» read as «voye» (way/course), matching the section's navigation imagery and the following section's boussole/Rule metaphor.
  81. 81 ↩Normalized OCR corruptions: 'par i observance' → 'par l'observance'; 'qtdi mesprisera' → 'qui mesprisera' (qui méprisera).
  82. 82 ↩Citation label only; pairs with s4–s5 as Prov. xix, 16.
  83. 83 ↩Chapter–verse of the Proverbs citation supporting s2 (Prov. 19:16).
  84. 84 ↩Normalized OCR form 'particuUers' as 'particuliers' (particular).
  85. 85 ↩Normalized corrupt opening 'Klies' as 'Elles' (They), matching the Sisters just quoted.
  86. 86 ↩Normalized 'dés' as 'dès' (from / even in).
  87. 87 ↩Ignored residual markup artifact "<'*'" before 'prenne' in the source line; sense is clear without it.
  88. 88 ↩In this early modern spiritual French, prétention is not pejorative 'pretension' but the high claim/aim of religious life; rendered as 'aspiration'.
  89. 89 ↩Source reads 'icellc', almost certainly a corruption of 'icelle' (this/that one), referring back to the prétention/aspiration of s1; translated as 'that aim'.
  90. 90 ↩Source opens with the page mark “382” and an elliptic title-phrase before “et prie”; subject “je” is implied for “prie.” Rendered as a first-person closing gift of the Conferences with the following petition.
  91. 91 ↩Editorial note (not authorial speech): "Ms." rendered as "manuscript." The opening bracket is retained as in the source.
  92. 92 ↩"Vadieu" is an early-modern farewell form (cf. adieu); rendered "Farewell" in the title. "Piemond" normalized to "Piedmont." Closing bracket retained as in the source.

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