Few among the Church's writers surpass St Francis de Sales in the skilful use of comparisons drawn from nature to illustrate the operations of grace in the spiritual life. This book brings together the choicest of St Francis's spiritual comparisons drawn from plants and flowers, forming a perfect treatise on the devout life, from its first faltering steps to its fulfilment, following the principles set out by the saint in his ascetical writings. Saint Francis comes in from the garden with his hands full of spiritual comparisons from the flowers he has found in bloom - through his words our souls become as vividly conscious of the truths he expounds as our senses would be of the flower of which he speaks, were we to hold its stem in our hands and breathe in its fragrance. This is a book to bring delight to all who love plants, and which will bring profit to all who seek grace. Generously illustrated in this new edition with contemporary plant engravings. ¿