short prayers repeated often in the depths of the heart. "A mixture of prayer and action," such was the spirit of the Institute. Mme. de Maintenon endeavours to forearm her girls against the perils they have already encountered. "Have neither fancy nor curiosity to seek for extraordinary reading and _ragouts d'oraison_." "There is a great difference between knowing God through learning, by the _point of the mind_, by the subtlety of reason, by the multiplicity of studies, and knowing Him through the simple instructions of Christianity." Between those lines I seem to read, "Above all, not much Racine and no more Fénelon." Truly, it was a high idea that the Dames de Saint-Louis were destined to bring up young ladies to be mothers of families and to take part in the good education of their children, thus placing in their hands a portion of the future of France and of religion. "There is," says Mme. de Maintenon, "in this work of Saint-Louis, if properly done in a spirit of true faith and a real love of God, the wherewithal to renew throughout this kingdom the perfection of Christianity." The foundress reminds them in so many words that, being at the gates of Versailles as they are, there is no medium for them between a very strict or a very scandalous establishment. "Make your parlours inaccessible to all superfluous visits. Do not fear to seem a little stern, but do not be haughty." She counsels a more absolute humility than she is able to obtain. "Reject the name of Dames [ladies] and take pleasure in calling yourselves the Daughters of Saint-Louis." She particularly insists on this virtue of humility, which is always the weak side of the Institution. "You will preserve yourselves only by humility. You must expiate what there is of human grandeur in your foundation." Recognizing these conditions of society, Mme. de Maintenon gives this advice to a young girl leaving Saint-Cyr for the world: "Never appear without the body of your gown (meaning in dishabille), and flee from all the other excesses common even to girls in the present day, such as too much eating, tobacco, hot liquors, too much wine, etc.; we have enough real needs without inventing others so useless and dangerous."