to attain to a kind of paradise on earth, spiritual to be sure, but still paradise, filled with ineffable consolations and the uninterrupted enjoyment of their virtues. The literature on the contemplative life does in fact hold out the promise of some substantial breakthrough after one has been banged around long enough. It suggests that one will enter into a wonderful interior freedom where God is within reach at every moment. The experiences of some mystics do in fact lead one to believe that this