Such is almost word for word what I learned from his lips, and to know his will is sufficient, I feel assured, in the goodness of your hearts, to render you docile to it. For me, it but remains to urge you to this, not only exteriorly, but what is of far more consequence, interiorly, in the spirit, to be cordial, gentle, humble, artless, poor with a poverty which keeps us to a holy medium in everything, avoiding superfluities and all that savours of ostentation. To all this I affectionately entreat you with all the earnestness of which I am capable. I cannot truly bring my letter to a close without congratulating this dear convent of Annecy on the privileges and graces with which eternal Providence has been pleased to favour it in rendering it lovable and worthy of respect to all the other houses, for where will true daughters of this Order be found who hold it not in high esteem and who envy it not its privileges, above all that of being the dear guardians of the sacred body of its Founder?--verily, a most precious grace, for which it ought unceasingly to offer the sacrifice of praise to the divine Majesty. But, my very dear daughters, what, think you, ought to be this sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving for so great a benefit? None other surely than the constant and persevering offering of a very exact and holy observance to all contained in the Institute, so that it will always there be found practised in its perfect vigour and integrity. See, my dear daughters, to what our birthright obliges us. Let us then remain very humble, very poor in our own esteem, and in holy fear before God, showing our appreciation of the dignity conferred upon us not by esteeming ourselves above others, which would but turn to harm the priceless gifts we possess, but rather by being the most humble, the most lowly, the most faithful of all. May God grant us this grace! Amen. May I venture to add a very humble prayer to our Sisters the Superiors, that they will keep in mind this word of the Rule: "Let us be before God under the feet of all our Sisters"? Ah! my God, if we treat them so, if we love our Sisters with a truly maternal love, which is solicitous, vigilant, zealous for the welfare of its children; if we govern them not according to our own views we shall draw upon our family all manner of blessings. Let them feel that you have a mother's heart and solicitude for them, keeping their minds tranquil and contented, and you can do what you like with them. All I have said above, very dear Sisters, I have said solely moved by love and desire. I reiterate it all with the most emphatic and tender entreaties from the depth of my heart. All our happiness is shut up in it. We are obliged to it by vow. It is our way of perfection of which we shall have to render an account at the hour of death. Think well on this.