12 DISCOURSES OF FATHER HYACINTHE. 



ye shall not covet ! Ye shall not say, We hide our time ; 

 and as the hrigand hides his, in the darkness of his den, 

 ye shall not snifl' in advance the savor of the blood ye 

 do not dare to shed. Ye shall not covet. 



You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, Avhat is wanted is 

 not to construct a catechism, it is to reconstruct his- 

 tovj. We do not want to he taught henceforth from 

 the cradle upward that the greatest glory is that of the 

 conqueror. [Applcmse.'] What you must tell your chil- 

 dren — I speak to you, mothers — is that the man who 

 makes two Ijlades of grass grow where one grew before, 

 has done more for mankind than the victor of twenty 

 battles ; that they should respect the independence of 

 nations as they respect the modesty of women ; that it 

 is as cowardly and criminal to insult the independence 

 of a neighboring country as to tolerate insults on the 

 independence of our own. [^Renewed ajjjylaiisc] 



Ah I if it were a war of independence, I would be 

 the first, if not to wage it, at least to preach it. If the 

 flag of France were at the frontier for defence and not 

 for attack, torn it might be by bullets, blackened with 

 smoke, red with blood, but around it we would rally, 

 one and all, and it would not waver ! Dear, glorious 

 flag I if warriors' hands were lacking, the hands of our 

 women Avould grasp the staff, and it would not waver. 

 [(rood! good!] 



I have spoken of justice ; but justice alone is not 

 cnougli, whether between mitions or between individ- 

 uals. There must Ije charity with it. AVhy is it that 

 llie law is so hard, so impossible to keep, until the 

 Spirit of grace descends into the heart? It is because 

 mere justice is an irksome thing. It limits our rights 

 by the rights of others, and restricts the sphere of our 

 activity. ]5ut let love enter the lieart and expand it 



