The Saint, as the reader will observe, does not keep to any fixed rule in regard to capital letters.

CONTENTS

LETTERPAGE
JUDGMENT OF ST. FRANCIS ON THE VIRTUES OF MOTHER DE CHANTAL[1]
I.TO ST. FRANCIS DE SALES[3]
II.TO THE SAME[4]
III.TO M. LEGROS[5]
IV.THE DUKE OF SAVOY TO ST. JANE FRANCES DE CHANTAL[6]
V.TO MADAME D'AUXERRE[7]
VI.TO ST. FRANCIS DE SALES[9]
VII.TO THE SISTERS OF THE MONASTERY OF ANNECY[11]
VIII.TO SISTER J. C. DE BRÉCHARD[12]
IX.TO SISTER P. M. DE CHÂTEL[15]
X.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[17]
XI.TO THE SAME[20]
XII.TO THE SAME[23]
XIII.TO SISTER P. M. DE CHÂTEL[27]
XIV.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[30]
XV.TO SISTERS P. M. DE CHÂTEL AND M. A. DE BLONAY[33]
XVI.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[37]
XVII.TO MADAME DE GOUFFIER[40]
XVIII.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[42]
XIX.SISTER M. A. DE BLONAY[46]
XX.TO THE SAME[49]
XXI.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[51]
XXII.TO THE SAME[55]
XXIII.TO MOTHER J. C. DE BRÉCHARD[58]
XXIV.TO M. DE NEUCHÈZE[60]
XXV.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[61]
XXVI.TO MADAME DE LA FLÉCHÈRE[64]
XXVII.TO SISTER P. J. DE MONTHOUX[65]
XXVIII.TO M. MICHEL FAVRE[68]
XXIX.TO SISTER A. M. ROSSET[71]
XXX.TO SISTER P. J. DE MONTHOUX[72]
XXXI.TO MADAME DE LA FLÉCHÈRE[73]
XXXII.TO MOTHER J. C. DE BRÉCHARD[75]
XXXIII.TO MOTHER P. M. DE CHÂTEL[76]
XXXIV.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[77]
XXXV.TO SISTER M. A. HUMBERT[79]
XXXVI.TO THE SISTERS OF THE VISITATION AT BOURGES[80]
XXXVII.TO THE SISTERS OF THE VISITATION AT MOULINS[81]
XXXVIII.TO MOTHER P. M. DE CHÂTEL[83]
XXXIX.TO MADEMOISELLE DE CHANTAL[85]
XL.TO MOTHER J. C. DE BRÉCHARD[87]
XLI.TO MADEMOISELLE DE CHANTAL[90]
XLII.TO SISTER M. M. LEGROS[92]
XLIII.TO MADAME DU TERTRE[94]
XLIV.TO M. DE PALIERNE[95]
XLV.TO ST. FRANCIS DE SALES[100]
XLVI.TO MADAME DE LA FLÉCHÈRE[102]
XLVII.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[103]
XLVIII.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[105]
XLIX.TO M. DE NEUCHÈZE[108]
L.TO MOTHER A. C. DE BEAUMONT[110]
LI.TO MOTHER M. J. FAVRE[112]
LII.TO MOTHER A. C. DE BEAUMONT[116]
LIII.TO MOTHER M. H. DE CHASTELLUX[118]
LIV.TO SISTER M. M. MILLETOT[123]
LV.TO SISTER F. G. DE LA GRAVE[124]
LVI.TO THE BISHOP OF AUTUN[125]
LVII.TO SISTER A. M. ROSSET[127]
LVIII.TO THE REV. FATHER DOM JOHN DE SAINT FRANÇOIS[129]
LIX.TO A RELIGIOUS OF THE FIRST MONASTERY OF THE VISITATION AT PARIS[139]
LX.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[141]
LXI.TO SISTER A. C. DE SAUTEREAU[144]
LXII.TO MOTHER A. C. DE BEAUMONT[146]
LXIII.TO THE SAME[148]
LXIV.TO MOTHER M. A. FICHET[149]
LXV.TO THE SISTERS OF THE VISITATION[152]
LXVI.TO SISTER A. M. DE LAGE DE PUYLAURENS[164]
LXVII.TO THE BARON DE CHANTAL[166]
LXVIII.TO THE SAME[167]
LXIX.TO M. DE COULANGES[168]
LXX.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[169]
LXXI.TO THE SAME[170]
LXXII.TO MOTHER M. A. FICHET[171]
LXXIII.TO MOTHER A. C. DE BEAUMONT[173]
LXXIV.TO A VISITATION SUPERIOR[175]
LXXV.TO MOTHER J. H. DE GÉRARD[176]
LXXVI.TO SISTER F. A. DE LA CROIX DE FÉSIGNEY[179]
LXXVII.TO ST. VINCENT DE PAUL[181]
LXXVIII.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[183]
LXXIX.TO MOTHER FAVRE (EXTRACT)[185]
LXXX.TO SISTER A. M. CLÉMENT[186]
LXXXI.TO MOTHER C. C. DE CRÉMAUX DE LA GRANGE[187]
LXXXII.TO M. POITON[189]
LXXXIII.TO DOM GALICE[191]
LXXXIV.TO THE SAME[193]
LXXXV.TO MOTHER A. M. CLÉMENT[194]
LXXXVI.TO SISTER M. D. GOUBERT[195]
LXXXVII.TO DOM GALICE[196]
LXXXVIII.TO SISTER M. A. DE MORVILLE[198]
LXXXIX.TO M. DE COYSIA[201]
XC.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[203]
XCI.TO MGR. ANDRÉ FRÉMYOT[205]
XCII.TO A BLIND SISTER[208]
XCIII.TO SISTER B. M. DE HARAUCOURT[209]
XCIV.TO SISTER P. J. DE MONTHOUX[211]
XCV.TO M. NOËL BRULART[214]
XCVI.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[216]
XCVII.TO M. NOËL BRULART (EXTRACT)[218]
XCVIII.TO THE COUNTESS DE TOULONJON[219]
XCIX.TO SISTER M. A. DE RABUTIN[224]
C.TO M. NOËL BRULART[225]
CI.TO MOTHER M. A. LE ROY[229]
CII.TO SISTER A. L. DE MARIN DE SAINT MICHEL[231]
CIII.TO THE ABBÉ DE VAUX[234]
CIV.TO A GREAT SERVANT OF GOD[237]
CV.TO MOTHER A. M. DE RABUTIN[243]
CVI.TO ST. VINCENT DE PAUL[244]
CVII.TO SISTER C. M. F. DE CUSANCE[246]
CVIII.TO SISTER J. B. GOJOS[248]
CIX.TO SISTER L. A. DE LA FAYETTE[249]
CX.TO THE DUCHESS DE MONTMORENCY[252]
CXI.TO A NOVICE[254]

JUDGMENT OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES ON THE VIRTUES OF MOTHER DE CHANTAL

"My brother de Thorens," said St. Francis to one of his friends, "travelled last month into Burgundy to fetch his little wife, and brought back with her a mother-in-law whom neither he is worthy of having nor I of serving. God has given her to me. She has come to be my daughter in order that I may teach her to die to the world and to live to Jesus Christ. Urged by God's design over her she has left all, and has provided for all with a strength and prudence not common to her sex, such that in her every action the good will find wherewith to praise her and the wicked will not know in what to blame her."

In a letter the holy Bishop expresses himself as follows: "The Queen Bee of our new hive, because she is so eager in the pursuit of virtue, is much tormented with sickness, yet she finds no remedy to her liking save in the observance of her Rule. I have never seen such singleness of intention, such submission to authority, such detachment from all things, such acceptance of the will of God, such fervour in prayer as this good Mother shows. For my part I believe that God will make her like unto St. Paula, St. Angela, St. Catherine of Genoa, and the other holy widows." Writing elsewhere to one of his relations he says: "I feel unutterable consolation in seeing the moderation of our dear Mother in regard to all the obstacles that come in her way and her total indifference to the things of earth. In all truth I may say that, proportionately to the graces received, a soul could not arrive at higher perfection. I regard her as an honour to her sex, one who with the science of the Saints leads a most holy, hidden life concealed by an ordinary exterior, who does nothing out of the common and yet is irreproachable in all things."

Once again, writing to a Bishop in answer to a letter about Mother de Chantal, St. Francis says: "I cannot speak but with respect of this most holy soul which combines profound humility with a very broad and very capable mind. She is simple and sincere as a child, of a lofty and solid judgement. A great soul with a courage for holy undertakings beyond that of her sex. Indeed, I never read the description of the valiant woman of Solomon without thinking of Mother de Chantal. I write all this to you in confidence, for this truly humble soul would be greatly distressed if she knew that I had said so much in her praise."