But our Lord began to regale me so much by this way, that he vouchsafed me the favor to give me quiet prayer; and sometimes it came so far as to arrive at union; though I understood neither the one nor the other, nor how much they both deserve to be prized.  But I believe it would have been a great deal of happiness for me to have understood them.  True it is, that this union rested with me for so short a time, that perhaps it might arrive to be but as of an ‘Ave Maria’; yet I remained with so very great effects thereof, that with not being then so much as twenty years old, methought I found the whole world under my feet.

  Dreams, the soul herself forsaking;
  Fearful raptures; childlike mirth. 
  Silent adorations, making
  A blessed shadow of this earth!

Ib.  Chap.  V. p. 24.

I received also the blessed Sacrament with many tears; though yet, in my opinion, they were not shed with that sense and grief, for only my having offended God, which might have served to save my soul; if the error into which I was brought by them who told me that some things were not mortal sins, (which afterward I saw plainly that they were) might not somewhat bestead me. *** Methinks, that without doubt my soul might have run a hazard of not being saved, if I had died then.

Can we wonder that some poor hypochondriasts and epileptics have believed themselves possessed by, or rather to be the Devil himself, and so spoke in this imagined character, when this poor afflicted spotless innocent could be so pierced through with fanatic pre-conceptions, as to talk in this manner of her mortal sins, and their probable eternal punishment;—­and this too, under the most fervent sense of God’s love and mercy!

Ib. p. 43.

  True it is, that I am both the most weak, and the most wicked of any
  living.

What is the meaning of these words, that occur so often in the works of great saints?  Do they believe them literally?  Or is it a specific suspension of the comparing power and the memory, vouchsafed them as a gift of grace?—­a gift of telling a lie without breach of veracity—­a gift of humility indemnifying pride.

Ib.  Chap.  VIII. p. 44.

  I have not without cause been considering and reflecting upon this
  life of mine so long, for I discern well enough that nobody will have
  gust to look upon a thing so very wicked.

Again!  Can this first sentence be other than madness or a lie?  For observe, the question is not, whether Teresa was or was not positively very wicked; but whether according to her own scale of virtue she was most and very wicked comparatively.  See post Chap.  X. p. 57-8.