rficial state, neither respond to their professions
of friendship; these are very repulsive to my feelings.

The love which dwells in my heart, is not a natural love, but arises
from a depth which rejects, what is not in correspondence with it, or
rather what is not in unison with the heart of God. I cannot be with a
child without caressing it, nor with a child-like soul without a tender
attachment. I do not regard the exterior, but the state of the soul;
its affinity and oneness with God. The only perfect union, is the
union of souls in God; such as exists in heaven, and on earth after the
resurrection, life takes effect in the soul.

NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT.

Do not be disheartened, my friend, on account of your slow progress. A
long martyrdom is sometimes necessary, in order to purify our souls
from the concealed faults of self-love--faults interwoven in our
nature, and strengthened by long indulgence. As you cannot control at
once the agitations of nature, arm yourself with patience, to
accomplish the task little by little; not in the way of direct effort,
but rather by ceasing from effort, remaining quiet, permitting neither
gestures nor words to betray your feelings.

Could we enter into the highest state of grace, as we enter into a
room, it might be easily accomplished. But alas! the door is straight,
and there are many deaths to pass; in a word, death to self. It is
this long martyrdom, or dying of the old man of sin, which causes all
the pains of the interior life. It is rare to find persons, who are
willing to die entirely to self, and therefore few reach the highest
state of grace.

Have good courage. It is a great work to draw a large ship from her
moorings, but when she is in the waters, how easily she rolls! What
happiness, when by perseverance, you have triumphed over nature, to
find yourself in the abundant waters of grace! I pray God to put his
own hand to the work. He will.

In Him, devotedly yours.

WEAKNESS AND IMPERFECTION.

I reciprocate your friendship, madam, with all my heart. Our divine
Master knows how happy I am to serve you in any possible way. Oh!
madam, it is better to be feeble, when God leaves us in our weakness,
than to have a strength which is our own. I once thought, that the
pure soul was free from all faults, but I now see otherwise. God
clothes his children with frailties, that they may be humble in their
own eyes, and be concealed from