A decorative border featuring intricate floral patterns and scroll motifs frames the top of the page, characteristic of 17th or 18th-century French typography.

TO THE READER

The Treatise of the Way of Perfection Written by Saint Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) around 1566, this work was originally composed as a guide for her nuns, focusing on prayer and monastic virtue. written by Saint Teresa appeared so useful and so edifying to several pious individuals that they desired it to be translated into our language The "our language" refers to French, the language of this edition., so that, being printed separately, it could more easily be in the hands of everyone. For even though the doctrine of this great Saint is truly heavenly, and all her writings deserve to be equally revered: nevertheless, there are found in the others, in some places, things so extraordinarily sublime that they seem less suited to the understanding and ordinary piety of the Faithful.

But what is particular about this book, The Way of Perfection, is that it appears that the...

ã ij This mark, known as a "signature," was used by early modern printers to help bookbinders assemble the folded sheets of paper in the correct order.