Selected Letters of Saint Jane Frances de ChantalChantal, Jeanne-Françoise de, Saint
Religion
Selected Letters of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal
Chantal, Jeanne-Françoise de, Saint
Chantal, Jeanne-Françoise de, Saint, 1572-1641 -- Correspondence
[B] Françoise de Chantal.
XLI. _To Mademoiselle de Chantal._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS, 1620.
Listen to this, daughter dear. M. de Toulonjon finds himself free for
eight or ten days, and off he is going to know whether you consider him
too old to please you; for as regards everything else he is in hopes of
finding favour with you. As for me, to be candid with you I see nothing
to find fault within him, and even nothing more to wish for. I never
before remember feeling such satisfaction about a temporal matter. Our
Lord has given me this feeling. It is not so much this gentleman's good
nature and good birth that attracts me as his mind, disposition,
candour, his good sense, uprightness, and reputation. In a word, my dear
Françoise, we may well bless God about this affair. In gratitude to Him,
my child, you should try to love and serve Him better than you have ever
done and to let nothing whatsoever prevent you from frequenting the
sacraments and from practising humility and gentleness. Take the Devout
Life for your guide and it will lead you safely. Do not lose your time
over such little vanities as jewels and clothes. You are about to
possess them in abundance, but, dear daughter, never forget that we
should use the good things God gives us without being attached to them,
and everything that the world esteems should be looked upon in this
light. Henceforth, let your ambition be to be adorned with honour and
modest discretion in the position into which you are about to enter.
Indeed I am gratified that your relatives and I have arranged this
marriage without you. It is thus that the wise act, and I should like
always to be your counsellor. Besides, your brother, who has a good
judgment, is charmed with this alliance. M. de Toulonjon it is true is
some fifteen years your senior, but, my child, you will be far happier
with him than if you married a foolish, inconsiderate young scamp such
as are the young men of to-day. You are marrying a man who is nothing of
all this, who never gambles, but who has passed his life at court and
in the battlefield with honour and who has a high appointment from the
King. You will not have the good judgment with which I credit you if you
do not receive him cordially and frankly. Do so, my daughter, with a
good grace, and be assured that God has you in His mind and will not
forget you if you throw yourself tenderly into His arms, for He takes
care of those who trust in Him.
XLII. _To Sister Marie-Marthe Legros, at Bourges._
Vive [+] Jésus!
PARIS, 1620.
MY VERY DEAR SISTER,
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