206 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.

thoughts resolutely to another subject when anyagreeable sensation was produced, so that he might betrue to his resolve to renounce pleasure, while he bore hispains with inconceivable fortitude and patience; yetthey were sufficient to interrupt his studies. As theonly duty he was capable of performing, he spent histime in visiting churches where any relics were ex-posed or some solemnity observed ; and for this end hehad a spiritual almanack, which informed him of theplaces where there were particular devotions. “ Andthis he did,” says his sister, “ with so much devotionand simplicity, that those who saw him were surprisedat it; which caused men of great virtue and ability toremark, that the grace of God shows itself in greatminds by little things, and in common ones by large.”Nor did his sufferings interrupt his works of charity,and the services he rendered to the poor. This lastduty grew into the passion of his heart. He counselledhis sister to consecrate all her time, and that of her chil-dren, to the assistance of those in want; he declared thisto be the true vocation of Christians , and that withoutan adherence to it there was no salvation. Nor did heconsider that the rich performed their duty by con-tributing only to public charities, but that each personwas held to bestow particular and unremitted attentionto individual cases. “ I love poverty,” he wrote down,“ because Christ loved it. I love property, because itaffords the means of aiding the needy. I keep faith withevery one, and wish no ill to those who do ill to me.I endeavour to be true, sincere, and faithful to all men.I have a tenderness of heart for those with whom God has most bound me; and, whether I am alone or in theview of men, 1 have the thought of God as the aim ofall my actions, who will judge them, and to whom theyare consecrated.” Such were the sentiments of Pascal;and no man ever carried them out with equal humility,patience, zeal, and fortitude. His simplicity and sin-gleness of heart were admirable; all who conversedwith him were astounded by his child-like innocence