PREFACE.

THE translation of St. Teresa's wondrous "Life" has met with such general approbation, that I am induced to present to the public a translation of the "Way of Perfection," and the "Conceptions of Divine Love," both written by the same glorious Saint.

Those who have read her "Life," will remember the account she gives us of the foundation of the Monastery of St. Joseph's, at Avila.1 It is wonderful to contemplate the innumerable trials, labours, and difficulties of all kinds which the Saint had to endure in founding this new House. But it is still more wonderful to consider the admirable fortitude, and undaunted courage, and heroic perseverance, joined with a most unbounded confidence in the divine assistance, by which she conquered every obstacle that men and the devil raised up against her. On one occasion, when all her hopes seemed to be lost, she went to our Lord and said to Him, "This house is not mine; it is to be established for you, and since there is no one to conduct the case, do you undertake it."

Having spoken these words, the Saint tells us, "That she felt as great repose, and as free from care as if she had the whole world to plead for her; and immediately she considered the business as completed."2

The new monastery was established on the Feast of St. Bartholomew, in the year 1572. The day on which the Saint entered the new house must indeed have been a day of great joy and consolation to her. All her troubles were now at an end. The raging tempest had passed away, and she saw herself in a peaceful harbour, for which she had so long sighed. She and her beloved nuns lived together, as if they had but one heart and one soul. They were entirely disengaged from earthly things. Their whole study was to advance in the Way of Perfection. Solitude was their delight; and to hold converse with their heavenly Spouse, was their only recreation. When the nuns were one day at prayer, in the choir, St. Teresa saw our Blessed Lady in great glory, and she seemed to be protecting them all under a very white robe, which she had on. By this vision the Saint understood what a high degree of glory our Lord would bestow on the Religious of the new house.

When the Holy Mother left the monastery of the Incarnation, she took with her four Religious, who were willing to embrace the "reform" our Saint wished to introduce. Others were afterwards admitted. She chose Anna de Sancto Joanne to be prioress, simply because it was her own sincere desire to obey, rather than command. But the Provincial and the Bishop of Avila, knowing well how fit she was to govern, soon after commanded her to undertake the office herself

It is unnecessary for me to mention here with what heavenly prudence, judgment, and sweetness she fulfilled all the duties of prioress. The reformation of the Order dates from the year 1563, when the "Constitutions" were drawn up by the Saint, and approved by Pope Pius IV., in 1565.3 To understand more clearly the nature of the "reform "introduced by the Saint with so much labour and difficulty, it is necessary to mention that, in the year 1205 (some say 1209), Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem, who had been a Religious of Mount Carmel, gave to the Carmelites, who then lived on that holy mountain, a rule taken from another which had been given to the same Order, by John, Patriarch of Jerusalem. This rule was confirmed by Pope Innocent IV., in the year 1248, and was called the "Primitive Rule." For many years it was observed in all its strictness. But gradually, as the fervour of the Order declined, many relaxations and abuses crept in: it also seemed so austere, that several persons considered it impossible to be observed. The Order was accordingly induced to request Pope Eugenius IV. to mitigate some of the rules, which petition his Holiness complied with.4 Great evils, however, arose from this relaxation, especially in the monasteries of the women. St. Teresa was determined to apply a remedy; and we have already seen how gloriously she executed her project. Let her speak of the result in her own words: - "Methinks that all the troubles which have been endured for the monastery have been well bestowed. For though the rule is somewhat rigorous, because flesh meat is never eaten, except in case of necessity, and we fast eight months in the year; yet the Sisters consider it not to be severe enough, and therefore they observe additional mortifications, which seem to be necessary in order to keep the rules with greater perfection. I hope in our Lord, that what has been begun, will prosper and increase, as His Majesty has promised me." (Chapter xxxvi p. 347.) 5

The Saint tells us, in the Book of her Foundations, 6 that she lived five years in the Monastery of St. Joseph, and that those years seemed to be the happiest of her whole life, because they afforded her that repose and tranquillity the loss of which her soul so often felt. She also mentions how several young ladies entered the house, and became religious, our Lord having delivered them from the pomps and vanities of the world, and endowed them with many virtues. Their number did not exceed thirteen. St. Teresa assures us what delight she experienced in conversing with such pure and holy souls, whose only desire was to serve and praise our Lord.7

They, too, knew well what encouragement their Holy Mother gave them, to serve with fidelity and perseverance the beloved Spouse of their heart, and what a glorious example she was of every virtue that can adorn the religious life. Sweet and pleasant was her rule, and sweeter far the heavenly lessons of wisdom which she delivered to them. Never did she inculcate any duty which she herself did not practise first. Though superioress, she often chose the greatest humiliations: the smallest fault she confessed in chapter with surprising humility; and it was her delight to steal unknown into the choir, and fold up the cloaks of the sisters, to sweep the most filthy places in the yard, to wait at table, to serve in the kitchen, to spin, or to assist any of the Sisters in their work. The "Acts and Bull of her Canonization" testify the many virtues which shone so pre-eminently in her soul. Indeed, when we consider on what familiar terms (so to speak), she was with our Lord, and how lovingly He caressed her, and spoke to her, and consoled her, and assisted her in all her troubles, and this, too, in a way so different from that which He employed towards other Saints, we must come to the conclusion that the soul of Teresa was "all fair, without spot or stain."

These remarks bring me to the direct subject of the preface. As the nuns had such a high idea of the sanctity of their Holy Mother, they besought her to give them some instructions on prayer; and with this request she lovingly complied, having previously asked permission from her confessor, F. Domingo Bañez. These instructions are comprised in the "Way of Perfection."8 This beautiful book the Saint composed in 1563. Yepez mentions, that she sent the manuscript to Don Teutonio de Verganza, Archbishop of Evora, who ordered it to be printed at Evora, while the Saint was still living. The precious manuscript is preserved to the present day in the Royal library of the Escurial.

To speak of the merits of this work seems superfluous. It abounds in noble and sublime thoughts, heroic sentiments of love, praise, and gratitude to God, and is full of the most practical lessons of humility, obedience, poverty, and self-denial;9 &c. Her explanation of the Lord's Prayer is very admirable. The three first chapters are particularly interesting and valuable, as she there mentions the motives by which she was especially induced to compose the work. The style is everywhere simple and pure, yet always rich in illustrations. The interior life of the Saint is drawn to the very letter, in words which really seem to have been inspired. All the hidden secrets of "mental prayer," are communicated to us, in which the soul buries herself, and is consumed with burning transports of love; and though we are unable to understand all that the Saint says on this sublime subject, yet we cannot but rise up from the perusal of her words, better men than we were before, more determined to aim at perfection, and to implore the divine assistance and that of our glorious Saint for so important an object.

I have given in Appendix No. 1 a translation of the Saint's "Admonitions" to her nuns. They are full of sound sense, and contain maxims well worth remembering.

In Appendix No. 2 are given certain "Relations " of the Saint, which contain some things not mentioned in her life.

In Appendix No. 3 is a list of all the works of St. Teresa, with some remarks on each of them, which I hope will be acceptable to the reader.

Appendix No. 4 contains some interesting details connected with the personal appearance of the Saint, as described by Ribera, and also some particulars regarding her authentic likenesses.

These additions will not, I trust, be considered as matter introduced, merely to swell the size of the book. No; far from it. My only object is, to give the reader all the particulars I can respecting so admirable a Saint, inasmuch as everything connected with her is...