All The Old Nuns, And Some Of The Young Ones, Assisted Their Abbess In
Endeavouring To Prevail On Louisa To
Take the veil; but all that they
said made no impression on her mind, not but she had more real
Piety
than perhaps some of those who made so great a shew of it, but she was
of a different way of thinking; and tho' she knew the world had its
temptation, having experienced them in a very great degree, yet she
was-convinced within herself, that a person of virtuous principles might
be no less innocent out of a cloyster than in one. - She saw also among
this sisterhood a great deal of envy to each other, and perceived early
that the flaming zeal professed among them was in some hypocrisy, and
enthusiasm in others; so that had she had no prepossession in favour of
du Plessis, or any engagement with him, the life of a nun was what she
never should have made choice of.
She kept her sentiments on this occasion entirely to herself however,
and made no shew of any repugnance to do as they would have her; but
whenever they became strenuous in their pressures, told them, she
doubted not but such a life as they described must be very angelic, but
having already disposed of her vows, it was not in her power to withdraw
them, nor would heaven accept so violated an offering. This, they told
her, was only a suggestion of some evil spirit, and that all engagements
to an earthly object, both might and ought to be dispensed with for a
divine vocation.
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