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It consists, in fact, in reducing to quasi-materialisms the visions of the mind; in giving to the exercitant’s thoughts, every reality short of such an actual-material existence as would render them visible to others—as they are, indeed, visible to himself.

In this remarkable system for exciting the soul appears the utter incapacity of the mind of Ignatius to appreciate mere metaphysical activity. His soul could not apprehend the unseen, and dwell on the absent or far distant. It was necessary to his frame of mind that everything should be present, visible, tangible, real.

The soul of the founder of the Jesuits was, therefore, strikingly accordant with the revelation of his physiognomy; although, were it true, that he was—in the vulgar sense—a Jesuit, the Greek Nose and generally a more delicate caste of countenance, would more correctly have pourtrayed his inner man.

But the founder of the Jesuits was no Jesuit, and had his original Constitutions been adhered to, the Order would never have achieved the bad eminence which it so rapidly attained, so long held, so quickly lost, and so tenaciously still aspires after.