away in a quarter of an hour, is very different from one in which the heart willingly steeps itself for days. Therefore must we tell, not only the cause and the number of our sins, but also the length of time for which they swayed us for although people are not obliged to be so particular in confessing venial sins, nor even to confess them at all (a hearty sorrow for them being all that is absolutely needed), yet those who seek to cleanse their souls thoroughly, and to devote themselves truly to a holy and godly life, must be heedful to tell the physician of their souls the least ailing of which they would get the better.

Be careful to tell all that is needful to make the priest understand the real nature of each sin-what it was that made you angry or that led you to uphold another in wrong. We know well that sometimes, if a person whom we dislike says any thing to us, even by way of a joke, we are inclined to take it amiss and to fly into a passion; while if the very same thing had been said to us by a person whom we liked, we should have found no fault with it. Well, then, let us confess that we put ourselves in a passion at somethiug that was said to us, merely because we disliked the person who said it and even if it be needful to tell what your anger led you to say or to do, tell it: for you will thus not only explain your sin, but

you will enable your spiritual father to understand your evil inclinations and habits, and to give advice how to overcome them. But always conceal, as much as you possibly can, the names of those who have been partners in your guilt, or to whom you refer.

Be heedful of a great many sins which often take root in the soul and sway it unawares, that you may confess them, and cleanse yourself of them: to help yourself to do this, read thoughtfully the chapter on Rules of Conduct, page 161, and that on Talk, page 214. Do not lightly change your director: but regularly, on the appointed days, confess your sins to him, and give him such an account of the state of your conscience as may enable him thoroughly to understand it, and to lead you on to that true devotedness and godliness which I would have you strive for as the one object of your life.ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

ON FORBEARANCE.

Be peaceable thyself first, and then thou mayest appease others: a peace-maker avails more than a scholar. A passionate man twists good into evil, and readily believes in evil: but a good peaceable man turns every thing to

good. A good peaceful man suspects no one: but he who is dissatisfied and anxious is worried by many suspicions, and is neither at rest himself nor allows any one else to be so. He often says what he ought not to say, and leaves undone what he most ought to do. He thinks of what others are bound to do, and heeds not the calls upon himself.

Do thou, therefore, be zealous, first of all about thyself, and then thou mayest shew thy zeal for others. Thou well knowest how to ex、 cuse and colour over thine own doings, and yet thou wilt not receive the excuses of others. It would be more just for thee to accuse thyself and to forgive thy brother.

If thou wouldst be borne with thyself, bear with others.

Bethink thee how far thou art from true charity and humility, which is never angry nor offended with any one but with oneself.

It is no great thing to live with the good and the gentle; it is naturally pleasing to every one to do so and every one would willingly live in peace and love with those who agree with them: but to be able to live pleasantly with the harsh, the perverse and captious, and with those who thwart us, this is a great mercy and a praiseworthy and a manly act.

Some there are who are at peace within themselves, and who live at peace with all: and there

are some who can neither rest themselves nor will let others rest; who are troublesome to others, and more troublesome still to themselves: and there are some who keep themselves unmoved, and who try to soothe others. But our whole peace in this miserable life depends more upon our being able humbly to bear and forbear, than upon our chance of not meeting with troubles.

He who best knows how to suffer, has most peace of mind. He has overcome himself and the world; he is the friend of Christ, and the heir of heaven.-IMITATION OF CHRIST.

CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

Every Christian soul is obliged to tend towards perfection. I say obliged: for although the precept does not define the degree of perfection, it is not the less a commandment, and a duty for every Christian soul to tend towards perfection, to strive for perfection. Be perfect, says Jesus Christ, because your heavenly Father is perfect. I see but one thing needful, said St. Paul; which is to forget all that I have done till now:-and what was it that he was willing to forget?-his infinite labours, his endless sufferings, his apostolic journeys, so

many nations converted to the faith, so many illustrious churches founded, so many revelations, so many miracles-all these he was ready to forget that he might push forward on the road that lay before him. The desire of perfection, constant efforts to attain it, holy regrets at the many hindrances which delay us on our road-these are not merely recommended to us as counsels and as exercises of devotion fit only for cloisters and deserts; they are the necessary state of a Christian, and the very life of faith while on the earth.

For the life of faith whereby the righteous live, is but an uninterrupted desire that the kingdom of God should rule in our hearts: a holy anxiety to put on the new man, and to create within us the perfect likeness of Jesus Christ; a continual aspiration, awakened by the inward feeling of our misery, and by the load of corruption that weighs down our soul, and covers it with so many badges of the world; a daily fight between the law of the spirit, which would raise us above our sensual affections, and the law of the flesh, which drags us back to ourselves-such is the state of Christian faith and justice. And, Christians! whomsoever you may be-prince, subject, nobleman, tradesman, labourer, or recluse-such is the state of perfection to which you are called! Such is the object, such is the spirit of your calling. We