In this disposition, I lived with my family in the greatest tranquillity until one of my friends, had a great desire to go on a mission to SIAM. He lived twenty leagues from my house. As he was ready to make a vow to this purpose, he found himself stopped, and an impulse to come to speak to me. He came immediately, and as he had some reluctance to declare his mind to me, he went to read prayers in my chapel, heping GOD would be satisfied with his making the vow, but as he was performing divine service in my hearing, he was stopped again. Whereupon he left the chapel to come to speak to me. He then told me his intention.

THOUGH I had no thought of saying any thing positive to him on that head, I felt an impression in my soul to relate to him my case, and the idea I had had of a long time past for GENEVA. I told him a dream I had had, which appeared to me supernatural, and had reference hereto: And when I had done, I felt a strong impulse to say to him, You must go to SIAM. You must "serve me in this affair. It is for that end

"GOD has sent you hither; I desire you to give "me your advice." After three days, having considered the matter, and consulted GoD in it, he told me that he believed I was to go thither ; but to be the better assured of it, it would be needful to see the Bishop of GENEVA; that if he approved of my design, it would be a sign that it was from GOD; if not, I must drop it. I fell in with his sentiment. He then offered to go to ANNECY*, to speak to the Bishop, and to bring

me

* ANNECY, a city situate on a lake of the same name, 20 miles south of GENEVA. In this city was the residence of the Bishop of GENEVA.

me a faithful account of what they should agree on together. As he was advanced in years, we were deliberating what way he could take so long a journey, when there came two travellers, who told us the Bishop was at Paris. This I looked on as an extraordinary providence. He advised me to write to Father La Combe, and recommend -the affair to his prayers, as he was in that country. He then spoke to the bishop at Paris; and I, having occasion to go thither, spoke to him also.

I TOLD him, "that my design was to go "into the country, to employ there my sub"stance, to erect an establishment for all such

as should be willing truly to serve GOD, and to "give themselves unto him without reserve; and "that many of the servants of God had encou"raged me thereto." The bishop approved of the design. He said, "there were new Catholicks going to establish themselves at GEX*, and that it was a providential thing. I answered him, "that I had no vocation for GEX, but for GE"NEVA." He said, "I might go from hence *to that city."

I THOUGHT this was a way which divine Providence had opened, for my taking this journey with the less difficulty. And as I yet knew nothing positive of what God would require at my hand, I was not willing to oppose any thing. "Who knows, said I, but the will of God is on16 ly that I should contribute to this establish"ment ?"

* GEX, a town of FRANCE, 7 miles north-west of GENEVA.

I WENT to see the prioress of the new catho licks at Paris. She seemed much rejoiced, and assured me she would gladly join me. As she is a great servant of GOD, this confirmed me: For when I could reflect a little, which was but seldom, I thought GOD would make choice of her for her virtue, and me for my worldly substance; for when I inadvertantly looked at myself, I could not think GoD would make use of me: But when I saw the things in GOD, then I perceived the more I was nothing, the fitter I was for his designs. As I saw nothing in myself extraordinary, as I looked on myself in the lowest stage of perfection, and imagined that an extraordinary degree of inspiration was necessary for extraordinary designs, this made me hesitate, and fear deception. I did not yet sufficiently comprehend, that to follow, step by step, the guidance of divine Providence was the greatest and purest light. It was not that I was in fear of any thing, as to my perfection and salvation which I had referred to God; but I was afraid of not doing his will by being too ardent and hasty in doing it. I went to consult Father CLAUDE MARTIN. he gave me no decisive answer, demanding time for praying about it; saying he would write to me what should appear to him to be the will of GoD concerning me.

At that time

I found it hard to get to speak to M. BERTOT, both on account of his being difficult of access, and of my knowing how he condemned things extraordinary, or out of the common road, beside his never having given me the least help in regard to my inward leadings: Yet, being my director, I submitted, against my own views or judgment, to what he said, laying down all my

own

own experiences when duty required me to believe and obey. I thought however, that in an affair of this importance, I ought to address myself to him, and prefer his sense of the matter to that of every one beside, persuaded he would infallibly tell me the will of God. I went to him then, and he told me that my design was of GOD, and that he had had a sense given him of GOD for some time past, that he required something of me. I therefore returned home to set every thing in order. I loved my children much, having great satisfaction in being with them, but resigned all to GOD to follow his will.

[Divers other circumstances she recites, and providential signs concurring to confirm her herein, of which those here given, and those which follow may be sufficient, as it might be tedious to the reader to go through every minute particular.

At my return from Paris, I left myself in the AT hands of Gon, resolved not to take any step, either to make the thing succeed or to hinder it, either to advance or retard it, but singly to move as he should be pleased to direct me. I had mysterious dreams, which portended nothing but crosses, persecutions and afflictions. My heart submitted to whatever it should please GOD to ordain. I had one which was very significant.

BEING employed in some necessary work, I saw near me a little animal which appeared to be dead. This animal I took to be the envy of some persons, which seemed to have been dead for some time. I took it up, and as I saw it strove hard to bite me, and that it magnified to the view of the eye, I cast it away; but found thereupon

that

that it filled my fingers with sharp-pointed pric-. kles like needles. I came to one of my acquaintance to get him to take them out; but he pushed them deeper in, and left me so, till a charitable priest, of great merit, (whose countenance is still present with me, though I have not yet seen him, but believe I shall before I die) took this animal up with a pair of pincers. As soon as he held it fast, those sharp prickles fell off, of themselves. Then I found that I easily entered into a place, which before had seemed inaccessible. And tho' the mire was up to my girdle, in my way to a deserted church, I went over it, without getting any dirt. It will be easy to see in the sequel what this signified.

DOUBTLESS you will wonder that I, who make so little account of things extraordinary, relate dreams. I do it for two reasons; first, out of fidelity, having promised to omit nothing of what should come into my mind; secondly, because it is the method GOD makes use of to communicate himself to faithful souls, to give them foretokens of things to come, which concern them. Thus mysterious dreams are found in many places of the holy scriptures. They have singular properties, as

1st, To leave a certainty that they are mysterious, and will have their effect in their season;

2d, To be hardly ever effaced out of the memory, though one forgets all others;

3d, To redouble the certainty of their truth every time one thinks of them; and