six appear to have been written down
during the time she was a beguine at Magdeburg, and were collected and
arranged by a Dominican friar, Heinrich von Halle, whilst the
seventh, consisting of sundry visions and teachings during the last
years of her life, was put together just before her death at Helfta in
1282, and, as she pathetically adds, "by strange eyes and hands." In
all of these, whilst reflecting in them her inmost feelings, she
expresses her entire dependence on spiritual help and inspiration.
"The writing of this book," she says, "is seen and heard and felt in
every limb. I see it with the eyes of my soul, and hear it with the
ears of my eternal spirit, and feel in every part of my body the power
of the Holy Ghost."

[20] P. Gall. Morel, _Offenbarungen der Schwester Mechthild
von Magdeburg, oder das fliessende Licht der Gottheit_,
Regensburg, 1869.

The general tenor of her writings is contemplative and prophetic.
Whilst, as a contemplative, she reminds us of Suso, as a reformer,
proclaiming her prophetic warnings, she recalls to us St. Hildegarde,
though the latter was a more astute and powerful reasoner. It would
seem as if, in general, there are two conflicting tendencies in minds
such as Mechthild's, a tendency to tradition--in her case, of course,
church tradition--and a tendency to definite self-expression. With
Mechthild it was certainly that of self-expression which predominated,
for whilst, with her, both co-operated to make a beautiful whole, it
was in detail and ornament, so to speak, rather than in the design
itself, that she showed her special qualities and gifts. Further, as a
mystic, she may be classed with those "for whom mysticism is above all
things an intimate and personal relation, the satisfaction of a deep
desire," and who therefore fall back "upon imagery drawn largely from
the language of earthly passion," as opposed to the mystic whose
"longing is to go out from his normal world in search of a lost home,
a better country," as well as to the one whose "craving is for inward
purity and perfection."[21]

[21] For the suggestive elaboration of this threefold
classification, see Evelyn Underhill, _Mysticism_, chap. vi.
p. 151 _seq._

In order to enter into the spirit of her writings, and particularly
the prophetic ones, it is necessary to consider how the character and
style of her work was induced and affected, on the one hand by her
environment and her tim