DEATH OF MÈRE AGNÈS

411

servant, he applied the Gospel of the Transfiguration to her.

It was Agnès who wrote the Constitutions of Port Royal, which she carried out so fully in her own beautiful life.

As we saw long ago in the time of the Chapelet Secret du Saint Sacrement, Agnès united strong common-sense with a touch of mysticism, and about her letters and herself hangs a perfume of grace and of unction. She possessed a real literary gift, a touch of poetic fervour. M. Faugère's delightful preface to the two volumes of Agnès's Letters should be read by any who wish to see a just appreciation of Agnès, who in no way came behind her great sister.

She was laid in the choir of the church, and opposite to her grave was buried the heart of her illustrious sister Mère Angélique, whose body was left in Port Royal de Paris.

The book of Mère Agnès, The Picture of a Perfect and of an Imperfect Religious, would be edifying for any Community to read. The Mother gives the most beautiful and inspiring directions to aid the Sisters in saying Offices, and for prayers to be said when kneeling before the Holy Sacrament.

"To be present at the Celebration, or before the Sacrament is a species of Communion; in which the soul should lose itself in God, in a way that only His Holy Spirit can bring about or teach us. . . As you are not before the Tabernacle simply for yourself, but also for the whole Church, and as you have other times for thinking of yourself, you ought chiefly to use this period for praying for the whole Church, and for all the children of Jesus Christ, remembering the worship they should give Him, and the sense they ought to have of their own needs, which most of them are not able to do for themselves."

But Agnès goes on to say that if the Sister feels overwhelmed by her own frequent falls, and longs to pray for herself, she may do so; for her imperfections are part of the Church's imperfections, and the getting

rid of one's own imperfections is a contribution to the Church's perfection.

She reminds them that if a Sister is called to the sick, she should be as glad to perform this office as she is to take a share of the never-ceasing prayer before the Holy Sacrament.

And the Sister, though she may occupy herself by saying her Office, must never hesitate to break it off and attend to the needs of an invalid, which needs she must try to anticipate.1

The Mother's instructions on mental prayer are edifying. She is very insistent on the need of quietness in prayer (this does not mean Quietism), and of the need of faith in the willingness of Christ to impart His grace.

"You have nothing to do but to keep yourself open to Him, and as a dry land which seeks the water of His Grace as a sick person coming to his physician, as a disciple seeking the Master, and as a feeble being attacked by enemies and seeking the protection of God, who longs to shelter under His Wings."

She tries to convince her children that the work of prayer is not a search for beautiful thoughts, but a perpetual effort to keep one's mind in absolute simplicity.

In common with all others who have thought deeply on prayer, she warns the Sisters that it is want of recollection, it is the letting oneself be too much distracted by outward things, which hinder fervent prayer.

And she says excellent words as to how a "religieuse parfaite" should bear dryness in prayer, and that it is good at these times to use verses of Psalms and of the Gospels.

Her directions as to work and the keeping of silence are admirable; and Agnès reminds her Sisters that a special remembrance is attached to each Office.

1 The most devout of us nowadays would prefer to be nursed by people who said their Offices outside our rooms.

2 It seems a pity that in saying the Offices of Terce, Sext, None, the special remembrance of the Passion is not invariably made.

MÈRE AGNÈS'S INSTRUCTIONS

413

Mass was always said after Terce, and afterwards half an hour was spent in reading.

The words on the Conferences of the Chapter, on the kind of faults to be noticed, all breathe the same desire for perfection, for no thought except the one of pleasing God.

The whole day is considered by the Mother, and advice for every moment, and sacrament, and office is given.

She also wrote some beautiful devotions on the Passion, and a set of Occupations Intérieures for the benefit of the lay Sisters. She gives them explanations of each of the petitions of the Lord's Prayer, and of all the Mysteries of the Passion.

She concludes with a set of maxims or directions, which she calls Manuel des Âmes Religieuses. They are most edifying. Here are two: "Avoid as much as you can great people, in great positions, and remember the world is very contagious." (Le monde est bien contagieux.)

"You must think of 'Religion' as being a Sacred School which you have entered, to learn in it with greater facility to love God, and to serve Him by a continual outpouring of love, humility, and obedience.'

"

Du Fossé's Memoirs provide us with many interesting details of the life at this time. His mother left Normandy and took up her abode with him and his brother, who was known as M. Le Sieur de Borroger. It is so rare to find anything like interest in ordinary human affairs, among the race of true Port Royalists, that Du Fossé's account of his brother's marriage is most consolatory, although the affair is destitute of any suspicion of romance. The bride selected for M. de Borroger was the daughter of M. Jean le Maître, a brother of M. de Saci, who was usually known as M. de Sainte Elme, and the young lady was styled the Demoiselle de Sericourt.

There were various small vexations, which are most amusing to read about. M. du Fossé, who was con