M. vii. ch. i. 5, 6. Excl. ch. x. 9.

® Excl. ix. 15. “ It may be said that the fever of love or desire

is no less a fever than is that of temperature. One heats the
soul and the other the body. Avarice is one of our fevers ;
impurity is our fever, luxury is another ; ambition and wrath
are both our fevers ” (S. Ambros., Horn, in S. Luc. lib. iv. iji
cap. iv. sub fine).

THE WAY OF PERFECTION.

8

[chap. II.

tioning for that which, were it granted, might cost some
soul its entrance into heaven ? No, sisters, this is no
time to ask God for what is of little moment. Were
there no need to humour the weakness of human nature,
which seeks for help everywhere (and, indeed, it would
be well if we could help it in any way), I should wish
it to be known that these are not the matters for which
God is so fervently entreated within the convent of
St. Joseph.