ness, she briefly replied, My work is done, it is time now to sabbathize."* As the Abbess drew near her end, her assurance became more firm, and her prospects more bright and consolatory; till at last her setting sun shone with a stedfast, glorious, and peaceful light+-her fervent faith gilding, with mild beams of heavenly lustre, the darkening prospects around; and reflecting a rich and glorious effulgence, even from the rude and shapeless skirts of those black clouds whose huge and gathering accumulations, ushered in, with solemn and yet gorgeous majesty, the benignant closing of her long and bright, and well-spent day. On the twenty-seventh of July, she was seized with a violent shivering fit, which lasted for two hours; then, lifting up her eyes to heaven, and clasping her hands, * See note §, page 271. + Clem. tom. iv. p. Poul. tom. i. p. 148. Du Fossé, p. 208. VOL. II. 90 to 94. Bes. p. 456 to 457. Rac. Hist. Ab. p. 247 to 252. T she said, "This is death! God's holy will be done! God be praised! for ever and ever!"-Which she often repeated.* . From this hour to the last of her life she spoke but little, being reduced almost to the last stage of human weakness. It was only observed that she prayed, and that continually. During the last days, she often repeated these words from Isaiah: " Domine, miserere nostri; te enim expectavi mus: esto brachium in mane, et salus nostra in tempore tribulationis."'+ The M. Angelique of St. John, her niece, and daughter of M. d'Andilli, said to her, "Alas, my mother! this time of tribulation is already come." The Abbess, turning towards her, said, "It is good for us, my daughter."‡ On the 4th of August, the same lady, hearing her pray continually, said to her, My dear mother, you forget us; you pray for yourself only." The M. Ange * See note †, page 273. + Ibid. + Ibid. lique then clasped her hands, and, exerting all her remaining strength, said, with an accent of the deepest emotion, "My God, have mercy upon them all! My God, I say upon all! Yes, upon EVERY ONE!" She then added, "Particeps ego sum omnium timentium te, et custodientium mandata tua. Qui timent te, videbunt me et lætabuntur, quia in verba tua supersperavi. In te, Domine, speravi, non confundar in æternum." She said this last with difficulty, and then fell into a doze, from which awaking, she said, several times, adieu! adieu, my children! I am going!* The next day, the 5th of August, the physicians, seeing she was at the point of death, advised the last sacraments to be administered without delay; at, which proposition the Abbess immediately revived, and occupied herself in repeating verses from the Psalms, whilst her room was preparing. She received the viaticum with * See note †, page 273. a fervor of soul, which animated her whole countenance with a beaming joy and peace, that seemed already a foretaste of heaven.* Then, seeing the community dissolving in tears, she said, "My dear children, adieu, adieu! Let us go to God!" She then thanked the priest who attended her; and addressed words of exhortation and consolation to the whole company, gave her benediction to her community, and calling them one by one to her, said a few words to each.† After this, she fell into a peaceful slumber, during which her spirit departed to God her Saviour.‡ The Reverend Mother Marie Jaqueline Angelique Arnauld, died in the year 1661, on Sunday, the 6th of August; a day on which the church alike commemorates the resurrection and transfiguration of our Lord. Besogne draws her character in the following terms: "She united a profound hu * See note †, page 273. † Ibid. ‡ Ibid. ge mility to a sublime genius. Her capacious and comprehensive understanding, and rare sagacity, superseded the necessity of cultivated talents. She combined a noble nerosity, and lofty magnanimity, with an astonishing simplicity and an undeviating integrity. Endued with grandeur and strength of soul above her sex; with an impregnable firmness in the midst of the most pressing dangers, and the most harassing contradictions; she was eminently gifted with a fervour of faith worthy of the apostolic times; with an ardent zeal for the good of her neighbour; a parental tenderness for her nuns; a sovereign contempt for all sublunary goods; and a magnificent liberality towards the poor. The rich assemblage of all these virtues, joined to an almost supernatural and intuitive superiority of wisdom, formed the character of this incomparable woman, and truly admirable Christian heroine."* * Bes. i. pp. 457, 458. |