l, and sanctified his life in the religious
state,--humility, sweetness, obedience, and an incomparable modesty; and
at the same time manifested a marvellous inclination to silence,
retirement, and prayer. Wherefore, even in childhood, he made choice of
a room in the most secluded quarter of the house, and therein fitting up
a little altar to Our blessed Lady, (on whose great festival he had the
happiness to be born, and towards whom, through life, he cherished a
tender and filial devotion,) he spent his whole time in study and pious
exercises. Here, too, he early manifested his attachment to the cross,
sleeping upon a narrow hard bed, and fasting on appointed days during
the week; and as he mortified the flesh betimes, so also he checked all
pride, by wearing constantly mean clothes, notwithstanding his birth and
station, in despite of remonstrances and reproach. His horror of sin was
equal to his love of virtue, so that his mind, from the first dawn of
reason, shrunk like a delicate plant from the very shadow of guilt, and
was all-imbued with zeal for God's glory. Idleness, levity, vanity, and
falsehood, even in trivial matters, were censured by him as faults
severely reprehensible. And when his efforts to check sin drew upon him
the hostility of others, he was so far from losing patience, that he
therein only discovered a fresh opportunity of practising virtue.
Towards the poor he overflowed with tenderness, reserving for them the
choicest portion of his meals, and devoting to their use the
pocket-money he received.

The sanctity of his boyhood merited for him the grace of a divine call
to a state of holiness; and feeling an interior movement to quit the
world, he {513} sedulously sought counsel from the Father of lights, as
to the manner in which he should obey this inspiration. For this end he
redoubled his ordinary devotions and mortifications; performed a novena
to the Holy Ghost, and threw himself upon the tender patronage and
powerful intercession of Our Lady. God hearkened to his fervent appeal;
for his providence so disposed that at this period the renowned servant
of God, Father John da San Bernardo, a Spanish Alcantarine, came into
the country of our saint, with the view of establishing his order in the
kingdom of Naples. The mean habit and devout demeanor of this holy man
and his companions, touched and won the heart of Joseph; he desired to
imitate what he beheld, and doubted not but the desire came from G