When you go abroad, let humility, modesty, and a decent carriage, be all the state you take upon you; and let tenderness, compassion, and good-nature, be all the fine breeding you shew in any place.
If evil speaking, scandal, or backbiting, be the conversation where you happen to be, be as much grieved as if you was amongst cursing and swearing, and retire as soon as you can.
Tho’ you intend to marry, yet let the time never come, till you find a man that has those perfections which you have been labouring after yourselves; who is likely to be a friend to all your virtues, and with whom it is better to live, than to want the benefit of his example.
18. Love poverty, and reverence poor people; as for many reasons, so particularly for this, because our blessed Saviour was one of the number.
Visit and converse with them frequently; you will often find simplicity, innocence, patience, fortitude, and great piety amongst them.
Rejoice at every opportunity of doing an humble action; whether it be, as the scripture expresses it, in washing the saints feet, that is, in waiting upon, and serving those that are below you, or in bearing with the haughtiness and ill manners of those that are your equals, or above you. For there is nothing better than humility; it is the fruitful soil of all virtues, and every thing that is kind and good, naturally grows from it.
Therefore, my children, pray for, and practise, humility; and reject every thing in dress, or carriage, or conversation, that has any appearance of pride.
Strive to do every thing that is praise-worthy, but do nothing in order to be praised; nor think of any reward for your labours of love, till Christ cometh with all his holy angels.
19. And above all, my children, have a care of vain thoughts of your own virtues. For as soon as ever people live different from the common way of the world, the devil represents to their minds the height of their perfections; and is content they should excel in good works, provided he can make them proud of them.
Therefore watch over your virtues with a jealous eye, and reject every vain thought, as you would reject the most wicked imaginations; and think what a loss it would be to you, to have the fruit of all your good works devoured by the vanity of your minds.