Nevv epistles of Mounsieur de Balzac. Translated out of French into English, by Sr. Richard Baker Knight. Being the second and third volumes

To Madam de Campagnole. LETTER LIII.

MY most deare Sister, I send you the Book which you required of mee, for my Niece, and I beleeve, that this and her Prayer-Booke, make her whole Librarie: shee shall finde in it, a Devotion that is not too mysticall, nor too much refined; and which hath nothing but Morall and reasonable. I like this popular Divinitie, which meets us halfe way, and stoops a little, that we may not strayne our selves too much. It followes the example of its Authour, who made himselfe familiar with common peo∣ple, and put not backe so much as Courtisans and Publicans, farre from making division in families, and withdrawing women from obe∣dience to their mothers, and their husbands. It commends this obedience, as their principall verue, and calles it a second worship, and a se∣cond religion. I shall be glad to see my Neece make profession of a pietie, so conformable to naturall reason, and so good a counsellour of all other duties. But let her not, I pray, climbe higher, and undertake Meditations of her owne head: Grenada whom I sent her, hath taken this paines for her, and hath meditated for her, and for all other that shall reade his Bookes. There is nothing more dangerous, than to

mount up to Heaven without a helper and a guide; and it is a great confidence, one must have in his Spirit, to let it goe so farre, and be assured, it will ever come backe againe. It is not long agoe, there was in a Towne of Spaine, a Societie of devoted persons, who continued in meditation so many houres a day, leaving off all base works, to live, as they sayd, a more heavenly life; but what thinke you, became of it? even a thousand domesticall disorders, and a thousand publike extravagan∣cies. The lesse credulous, tooke the pricke of a pinne, for a Saints marke, the more humble, accounted their husbands prophane; the wi∣ser sort, spake what came in their heads, and made faces perpetually. In so much, that when in the moneth of May, there did not past three or foure runne madde; it was coun∣ted a good yeare. It is fit to stay ones selfe up∣on the true vertue, and not to follow the vaine Phantasmes of holinesse. And it is farre safer, to ground ones selfe upon a solid and certaine reading, than to goe wandring in a hollow, and unsteady contemplation. If I had more time, you should have more words; but hee that brings you the letter, calls upon mee for it, and I can no more to it, but that I perfectly am

My deare sister,

Your, &c.

At Balzac, 15. April. 1635.