The increase in difficulties also increased pressure on Don Bosco to the point where he concludes ironically. “I have received your letter. We've got to have patience in everything. We will fix up everything. Instead of finding fault with what we are building in Rome, I would like to have certain gentlemen think about giving us money.” 608 Alii Alias Dicant" (let others say what they want!) about what we're doing in Rome. I'm paying no attention to anything they say, because we are sure about what we are doing” 609 “I do what I can; but you and Father Savio should do your level best to look for money... Take Courage! Rome is not without money!" 610 "We should have a pinch of ‘Spanish Sun (a brand of snuff) to wake up the person in charge of compiling the Briefs (quite long) for our decorations”.611

2.4 Big-hearted and practical

Don Bosco combines a remarkable breadth of thinking and planning with practicality in carrying this out and finding the means. In this regard we could actually gather an entire anthology of statements revealing Don Bosco's availability, his enterprising and daring spirit. Writing to Bishop Gilardi, Bishop of Mondovì, Don Bosco says: "I have read the program and the project about the Ecclesiastical Library. The undertaking is a difficult one and a gigantic one. If collaborators can be found and the program is made known, as it should be, I am in, at full strength, all the way (Totis Viribus)”.612 Writing to Professor Vallauri and asking publicity in his newspaper L’Unità Cattolica for the church of St. John the Evangelist, Don Bosco adds: “The undertaking is a gigantic one but it is absolutely necessary, and therefore I will put my hands to the task “.613 “This is what the Lord wants from us at this time! Houses, and colleges for students coming from lower circumstances, shelters where we could welcome savages or semi- avages, if we had them...”. “You are a musician and I am by profession a poet; so both of us will do our very best to make sure that whatever goes on in the Indies and Australia does not upset what goes on in Argentina”.614

“I find it extremely difficult to express the feelings that your letter and the subscription of the generous people of Cassine have aroused in me. I have consecrated my entire life to doing good to youth, for I am convinced that the happiness of a nation depends on the sound education of youth. I feel almost as if I am being dragged wherever I can be to do anything, even in a small way, on behalf of youth, the chosen portion of civil society. But I certainly did not deserve to have such noble encouragement”.615 “Whatever turns out to be beneficial to youth at risk or what helps to win souls over to God, that spurns me on to the point of recklessness. Therefore your project of starting something which might be beneficial to poor boys, to boys at risk, keeping boys away from the danger of crowding the prisons, making honest citizens and good Christians out of them, this is the goal that we have set before us”.616 In this climate and in the manner he used to present his objective, Don Bosco aimed at expanding the proprtion and consistency of his works, as they began and in their development. This proved helpful for publicity and for animating his co-helpers and benefactors. “During this month we have already opened five houses and they are already pretty crowded; four more houses will be opened next August,

to Fr Dalmazzo, 29 July 1882, E IV 157.

608 Letter to Fr Dalmazzo, 27 Aug. 1882, E IV 165.

609 Letter to Fr Dalmazzo, 26 Nov. 1882, E IV 215.

610 Letter to Fr Dalmazzo, 19 Mar. 1883, E IV 215.

611 Letter to Fr Dalmazzo, 19 Jun 1882, E IV 144. Sun was a much prized brand of tobacco.

612 Letter Mar. 1869, E II 15.

613 Letter 10 Dec. 1870, E II 135; cf letter to Countess Uguccioni from Florence, 2 Dec. 1871, E II 189, and 28 Mar. 1872,

E II 203; toDon Rua and Don Lazzero 25 April 1876, E III 50; to Don Cagliero 27 April 1876, E III 52; to Don Rua

April-May 1876, E III 53-55.

614 Letter to Don Caglier, June and July 1876, E III 68 and 72; cf. also letter 16 Nov. 1876, E III 114.

615 Letter to Doc. Peverotti di Cassine (Alessandria), 6 Sept. 1876, E III 93.

616 Letter toCarlo Vespignani, 11 April 1877, E III 166.