rritating remarks;
nor self-opinionated spirits, who pose themselves as supreme
judges of talent and virtue as well as infallible dispensers of
praise and blame. Neither are they suspicious characters who are
constantly ruminating in their hearts, and who consider every
little insult as levelled at themselves; nor discontented beings,
who find fault with the places whither obedience sends them and
the persons with whom they live, and who could travel the entire
world without finding a single place or a single person to suit
them.

Charitable religious are not those imperious minds who endeavour
to impose their opinions on all and refuse to accept those of
others, however just they may be, simply because they did not
emanate from themselves, nor are they those ridiculing,
hard-to-be-pleased sort of people who do not spare even grey hairs.
Finally, they are not those great spouters who, instead of
accommodating themselves to circumstances as charity and
politeness require, monopolize the conversation, and thereby shut
up the mouths of others and make them feel weary when they should
be joyful and free.

IX

FOURTH CHARACTERISTIC

_To accommodate oneself to persons of different humour_

THEY who are animated by charity support patiently and in silence,
in sentiments of humility and sweetness, as if they had neither
eyes nor ears, the difficult, odd, and most inconstant humours of
others, although they may find it very difficult at times to do
so.

No matter how regular and perfect we may be, we have always need
of compassion and indulgence for others. To be borne with, we must
bear with others; to be loved, we must love; to be helped, we must
help; to be joyful ourselves, we must make others so. Surrounded
as we are by so many different minds, characters, and interests,
how can we live in peace for a single day if we are not
condescending, accommodating, yielding, self-denying, ready to
renounce even a good project, and to take no notice of those
faults and shortcomings which are beyond our power or duty to
correct?

Charity patiently listens to a bore, answers a useless question,
renders service even when the need is only imaginary, without ever
betraying the least signs of annoyance. It never asks for
exceptions or privileges for fear of exciting jealousy. It does
not multiply nor prolong conversations which in any way annoy
others. It fights antipathy and natural aversions so that they may
never appear