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LETTERS. 211
Do you know the psalm, No. 201: “Create in me, O
God, a heart, which holy is and good and pure?” It is
my favorite morning-psalm; and the splendid invocation,
No. 131: “Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth,”—I know no
words which flow more naturally from heart and lips in
solitary and agitated moments. Besides, I think that
psalms ought to be an outpouring of the heart, either
imploring or praising; but not long self- meditations,
which so many of our psalms really are. For such, prose
is more suitable. Psalms are prayer’s efflorescence ; and
prayer is the soul’s flight upwards to bloom in heaven.
Prayer is the conductor by which we put ourselves in con-
nection with eternal life’s current of light, which thereby
being drawn to us, elevates and animates (electrifies) us.
Therefore prayer is of such great importance, and so
strongly commended in our Christian religion, and without
it — namely, prayer in the spirit of Christianity — no
thorough improvement is possible. It is a true and beau-
tiful saying of one of the fathers of the Church: “ Prayer
will either make us abandon sin, or sin will make us
abandon prayer.” ...
Arsta, 12th Jannary, 1841.
For a long time I have been writing to you in my
thoughts, my dearest Frances. When I was last in town,
we had never an opportunity of saying all that we had to
say to each other. Sometimes one is not in the vein, and
then there is no help for it. Iwas also, I know not why,
morally shut up. The soul and the mind have their winter
as well as their spring; and it is sad that increasing age
often spreads a benumbing snow-covering over the mind.
In youth we are often on the point of melting from mere
feeling ; in old age we are often in danger of congealing to
ice; and the last danger is greater than the first. We
find a remedy against it in the gospel, in the sun, and in
good, noble-minded people. Warmed by such spirits of
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