liked, what matter! Let no one come to me who does not want to hear the truth.
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
That a reprimand may be fruitful it
must cost in the giving; and it must be
given without a shade of passion in the
heart.
One must not let kindness degenerate into weakness. When we have blamed justly we ought to leave it so, and not yield to feelings of distress at having given pain. To run after the aggrieved one in order to console her, is to do more harm than good. To leave her to herself is to force her to expect nothing from creatures, to have recourse to the good God, to see her failings and to humble herself. Otherwise she would grow accustomed to being consoled after a deserved rebuke and would behave as does a spoilt child, who stamps and cries, well knowing that this will make its mother return to wipe away the tears.
COUNSELS AND REMINISCENCES
