we said it with love, having
our hearts and souls fully alive to the advantages and the excellence
and the beauties of the Divine Office?

Have we said it with fervour, abandoning ourselves to a good emotion, to
holy affections, and to joyous transports, which the Holy Ghost usually
works in fervent souls? Have we done this work with joy, taking a
peculiar pleasure in this holy labour, recognising the great honour it
is to be a partaker in the songs of praise offered to God by the
heavenly company, whose hosts are filled with His glory?

III. How we must keep watch over ourselves in reading the Office:--

Let us examine ourselves to find out if in reading the Breviary we keep
the rules of good recitation, as laid down by the saints--Distincte,
integre, continue, reverenter, ordinate (St. Bonav., spec. discip. p.
1, c. 16).

1. _Distincte_, Do we recite distinctly, observing the ordinary pause at
the middle and at the end of each verse, not hurrying the one on the
other? Do we articulate every word, not adopting a careless or too
speedy pronunciation?

"Non in gutture vel inter dentes, seu deglutiendo et syncopando
dictiones vel verba" (Con. Basil, sess. 22).

2. _Integre_. Do we say the Office in its entirety, being scrupulously
careful not to omit the smallest part, and taking great care that a part
that we should wish or try to say by heart shall not slip out of our
recitation altogether or be mutilated?

"Integre, ut de dicendis nihil omittant" (St. Bona., spec, discip.,
p. 1).

3. Continue. Do we say our Hours without interruption? Do we love this
holy exercise? Or do we easily interrupt our prayer on any trifling
pretext, and on the first opportunity?

"Interruptiones in eo non fiant, nisi urgente necessitate" (_ibid_.).

4. _Ordinate_. Do we say our Office with order, that is, order both in
substance (not substituting one Office for another) and in manner,
according to the rubrics arranging the several hours?

"_Ordinate in substantia, tempore et modo_" (St. Bona. spec., _ibid_.).

5. Have we said our Hours piously, with all the modesty and all the
reverence which so holy an action demands? With becoming attitude, not
lying prone, not crossing our legs; without saluting or speaking to
those passing by?

"In officio curando magnopere reverentia et honestas, cum ubique sit
eadem cui tune loquimur et adstamus Deitas et majestas" (_ibid_.). (From
_Examens Particulers sur l'Office Divin_, par M. Tronson