P.S.--Allow me very affectionately to salute good M. Robert Dapantor[A] and all your household. Dear Sister Parise[B] took the habit on St. Claud's Day. Mgr. de Langres gave it to her and performed the whole ceremony. She sends you affectionate messages, as does likewise the deceased[C] Mother of Bourges and all that little family of nine daughters. If they dared they would all beg of you respectfully to salute on their part his Grace the Archbishop. FOOTNOTES: [A] Former tutor of the young Baron de Chantal. [B] Sister Marie Claire Parise was the foundress of the Visitation Monastery at Dijon--a humble and fervent soul. While still a secular she asked God never to permit her to be without suffering of some kind for His love. He heard her prayer, and her life was a continual interior martyrdom, nevertheless joy and tranquility of soul never abandoned her. Having with the utmost solicitude and care established the monastery of Dijon, she was sent to Beaune, on its foundation in 1632, and there died in the odour of sanctity. [C] A nickname given by the Saint to Sister Anne Marie Rosset when she was deposed from the Superiorship of Bourges. L. _To Mother Anne Catherine de Beaumont, Superior of the First Monastery of Paris._ Vive [+] Jésus! DIJON, _30th June, 1622._ I cannot but believe, my dearest daughter, that there is more artifice than martyrdom about our N., and I assure you I find it very difficult to think otherwise. If she were reproved, or passed over, I expect it would cure her. There will be nothing but trouble if God does not put His hand to the work. May His divine Goodness apply the remedy. I enclose her letter, and my reply. What a strange thing is this spirit of the world! You must remain patient and firm under its hard criticism. As you will see by my answers all your letters have reached me. It certainly is a rare thing, my child, in a large community not to find someone who is a trial, but that so many are good is a great subject of consolation. For the love of God, I pray you don't imagine that it is through your fault that others do not advance. That is not so, thank God. They will be very happy, my dearest daughter, if they follow your advice, and do as you do. In a word I am of opinion that in this (the support of feeble souls) consists in great part the cross of poor Superiors. The strength of mind God gives you to reprimand will be of great service to them. Persevere in allowing nothing contrary to perfection. For zeal combined with gentleness is of great force in animating hearts, and the like of us women need to be perpetually egged on and kept up to the mark.