derly furnished with the gifts of fortune, he feared God; and this child was a bleffing to him, and to many. After her, he had another daughter, and four fons. From her early age fhe was inclined to filence and folitude. Wherefore, when she grew up, her mother fent her to tend the fheep. Here fhe retired to fome corner of a hedge, while her little companions were intent on play. Even then, the Lord attracted her to himself, by much tenderness and sweetness in her devotions.

When she was of age to attend her firft communion, fhe made all poffible preparation for it, and longed for the day. Receiving this facrament fhe felt herself fo filled with love, that she could have wifhed for it every day. The more fhe grew in age the more this defire encreased.

So great was her fympathy with the fufferings of her fellow creatures, that in her repafts fhe often deprived herself of what fhe liked beft, and even of the whole, to give it to the poor. Often fhe denied the cravings of thirst, or of relaxation, with the fame defign. So ready was fhe to serve and fuccour every body, that many had recourfe to her in their neceflities or diftreffes; fo obedient to her parents, as never to cause them the the leaft difpleasure.

When he had attained the age of two and twenty they wanted her to marry, and folicited her to it exceedingly; but she was never willing to hear of it. Soon after a good young gentlewoman, who efteemed her highly, had a great desire to take her into her fervice; and for that purpose earnestly requested it of her parents, who at firft would not hearken to fuch a propofal. But at length feeing her fo urgent, and their daughter joining in her defire, they gave their consent, though not without great regret: both for the lofs of her endearing company, and of the great fervices the performed for them.

With this gentlewoman, living at Ploermel, fhe feemed to herself to be delivered from a great burden, being now no more obliged, on holidays and Sundays, to attend at country dances

and

and affemblies, to which her companions had fometimes taken her. Befide, she had more frequent opportunities of hearing the mafs and fermons; which she had greatly desired, the word of God being dear and precious to her.

Her mistress was fo well pleased with her company and her fervices, that fhe was as fond of her as if fhe had been her own child, never blaming her for any thing, except working too much; for fhe would dispatch as much work as two others. In the mean time her father dying, her miftrefs gave her leave to go for fome days to confole and affift her mother, but fhe defired her to return as foon as poffible; which fhe did. Though she met with nothing but affection from without, fhe now laboured under an increafing uneafinefs within. And after having lived here two years fhe defired her discharge, and with no small difficulty obtained it, her mistress offering both to raise her wages, and to discharge her from a part of the work. She returned to her mother in the country,§ who joyfully received her. But fhe had not here the conveniency of hearing sermons, or being at the communion, fo frequently as in the town; to which, after having refided here four months, fhe therefore returned; where feveral were defirous of having her in their fervice, from the excellent charafter which fhe had acquired.

In less than four months fhe tried three new places; but kind treatment did not answer the ftate of her mind. Her inward fatisfaction was gone; anxiety and agony of fpirit had taken its place. About this time God‡ prefented her with one, proper for the accomplishment of the defigns he had upon her. Here she had no expectation of an easy place, but quite the contrary; yet fhe felt her mind moved to think this her right place: and here the Lord put his hand to the

work.

* How is this confiftent with the piety she is faid to have had even then? Here the feems to have followed her own imagination, without any reason whatever.

+ Enthusiasm all over! No, Satan rather; tho' God brought good out of evil.

1

work, to lay the foundations of that high and great edifice of perfection.

In this houfe they were accuftomed every evening, after fupper, to read the lives of Saints, or fome other spiritual book, which gave her great pleasure, with an ardent desire to join herself to the companions of Chrift. Day and night the could think of nothing else but the means of becoming like them. She often defired one of the daughters of this family, to read for her; which the willingly did. God alfo provided Armelle with a director, well acquainted with the ways of the fpirit. He encouraged her much to be faithful to God, and to refign herself entirely to his conduct.

After this, fhe underwent great spiritual conflicts; through which he was preferved ftedfast in the fear of God, though in great distress of mind, till it pleased him in his tender compaffion to caufe light to fhine into her heart. Hereupon she renewed her folemn covenant, in humble thankfulnefs, with him. She proftrated herself, both body and mind, before the Lord, and offered herself entirely to the fervice of his divine Majefty. Knowing well that the moft certain means of attaining a still greater union with God, was the folid practice of virtue. She applied herself thereto with all her might; watchful to let no occafion flip of fhewing her meekness and patience, of humbling herself, of obeying, andof furmounting herself in every thing.

Soon after the fell fick, and fo continued for five or fix months, having a fever without intermiflion, which reduced her to very great weakness and languor. Her mistress perfuaded herself that floth was the fource of her maladies, and that clofe and hard labour would be the best remedy for them. She was confirmed in this way of thinking by a perfon of piety, who, coming to vifit her, had met Armelle fo recollected, and retired in herself, as to take little or no notice of her, whereby fhe was offended. She conceived an unfavour

* I am afraid that the very imprudent step she took was owing to him.

able

able notion of her, and faid to her miftrefs, "If Armelle continues thus, fhe will go out of her fenfes, as fhe is now making great ftrides toward fuch a ftate." Hereupon her miftrefs, fearing that event, made her work inceffantly, and forbad her all her devotions. She exercifed and haraffed her in fuch a manner, that I had it from the miftrefs's own mouth (telling it by way of diversion) "that if Armelle were a faint, fhe had contributed a good deal to it."

Before this, her employ was only to take care of the children: But now, befide that, fhe was put to every thing most fatiguing in the house. From morning 'till evening fhe had no reft allowed her. Often the fainted away under her labour; her mistress attributed it all to imagination. But this was not all: whatever she did, her miftrefs found fault with it; to which fhe never made any reply, fuppreffing every movement of impatience or refentment; this the other attributed not to virtue, but to ftupidity, and on that account defpifed her the

more.

Once the fever, joined to her conftant hard labour, had weakened her to fuch a degree, that fhe could keep up no longer, but was conftrained to lie down. But her repose was fhort. Her miftrefs made her rife and work, telling her that her floth and folly made her fancy herself sick; that she hated work, and had recourfe to contrivances to fhun it. She commanded her inftantly to carry out dung on her head into the garden. Her heart fhivered at the hearing of this order, having at the fame time violent pains in her head. Yet, without making any reply, fhe went like a poor lamb, and was kept to this employ for two days, which were the most painful days, the ever felt; because every time the loaded her head she seemed to feel as many thorns run into her head as there were hairs on it. But the confideration of our Saviour's crown of thorns gave her courage to fupport it. If every thing were finished about the houfe, her miftrefs would rather invent the most disagreeable employment for her, than let her have a moment's refpite. Often

Often the reproached her with her little fenfe, tho' fhe did every thing with dexterity, neatness, and in a becoming manner. When there was most company her mistress exclaimed against her the moft, at which fhe felt a fecret joy; and even at fuch times was the more forward to present herself before her mistress, the more to mortify herself.

It seemed to me, faid fhe, "That all I endured was nothing in regard to the defire I had to fuffer, after the example of my Saviour, who prefented himself continually to me for a model for on every occafion he inwardly instructed me, as a master does his scholar; and I was fo attentive to his voice, and fo ready to execute his directions, that I little regarded whatever was faid or done to me, keeping myself as it were shut up within myself with my divine love, whose prefence at this time I never loft; I even rejoiced to fuffer any thing for his love, beseeching him to give me the patience, which he had practifed through the whole time of his life. When my trouble was the greatest, I retired with speed to my Saviour, who was my hiding-place and refuge, and then I would have defied all hell to hurt me, fo much ftrength and courage I received; and all I fuffered feemed to me no more than a ftraw by a great fire."

She faw well that, without a fpecial affiftance, fhe could never have fubfifted among fo many croffefs. But the was as peaceable and calm as if fhe had every fatisfaction in the world, receiving with joy, meeknefs and humility, all the bad treatment fhe met with; and thinking fo meanly of herfelf, that the looked upon it all as only too good for her. She acknowledged it all to be the pure favour of God to her, as often fhe declared to me with tears in her eyes. It melted her into love and thanksgivings to her great benefactor.

[To be continued.]

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