Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/481

 tongue shut  his  ears  by  mortifying  the  curiosity  of hearing  news."  It  is  also  necessary  to  avoid  the  conversation of  any  religious  who  speaks  frequently.  It  is, moreover,  well  to  fix  some  time  each  day  during  which you  will  observe  silence,  remaining  alone  in  your  cell  or in  some  solitary  place  in  order  to  avoid  the  occasions  of speaking.

Whenever you  have  to  speak,  be  careful,  in  conformity with the  advice  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Make  a  balance  for thy  words,  to  examine  what  you  ought  to  say. Make a balance  for  your  words  that  you  may  weigh  them  before you give  expression  to  them. Hence St.  Bernard  says that "before  your  words  come  to  the  tongue,  let  them pass  twice  under  the  file  of  examination,"  that  you may suppress  what  you  should  not  utter. The same was said  by  St.  Francis  de  Sales  in  other  words,  namely, that to  speak  without  sin  every  one  should  keep  a  lock on his  lips,  that  in  opening  his  mouth  to  speak  he  might reflect well  on  what  he  wishes  to  say.

Before speaking  you  should  consider —

1. Whether  what  you  intend  to  say  can  injure  charity, modesty, or  exact  observance.

2. Examine  the  motive  that  impels  you  to  speak;  for it sometimes  happens  that  what  a  person  says  is  good, but her  intention  is  bad;  she  speaks  either  to  appear spiritual, or  to  acquire  a  character  for  talent.

3. Examine  to  whom  you  speak,  whether  to  your Superiors, to  companions,  or  to  inferiors:  whether  in the  presence  of  seculars,  or  of  the  postulants,  who  may perhaps be  scandalized  at  what  you  say.

4. Examine  the  time  at  which  you  speak,  whether  at the  time  of  silence  or  of  repose.

5. The  place  in  which  you  speak,  whether  in  the  choir,