upon them the Imputation of Conceit and Affectation. Fulbert answer'd, that this was very true of Women of common Capacities; but he hop'd when he had difcourfed with his Niece, and found what Progress she had made already, and what a Capacity fhe had for Learning, he would be of another Opinion. Abelard affured him, he was ready to do all he could for her Improvement, and if she was not like other Women, who hate to learn any thing beyond their Needle, he would fpare for no pains to make Heloife anfwer the Hopes which her Uncle had conceived of her. The Canon was transported with the Civility of the young Doctor; he returned him Thanks, and protested he could not do him a more acceptable Service than to affist his Niece in her Endeavours to learn; he therefore entreated him once more, to fet apart fome of his Time, which he did not em. ploy in publick, for this purpofe And (as if he had known his defign'd Intrigue, and was wil ling to promote it) he committed her entirely to his Care, and begg'd of him to treat her with the Authority of a Mafter, not only to chide her, but even to correct her whenever she was guilty of any Neglect or Difobedience to his Commands. Fulbert, in this, fhew'd a Simplicity without Example; but the Affection which he had for his Niece was fo blind, and Abelard had fo well eftablished his Reputation for Wisdom, that the Uncle never fcrupled in the leaft to trust them together, B 2 and and thought he had all the Security in the World for their Virtue. Abelard, you may be fure, made ufe of the Freedom which was given him. He faw his beautiful Creature every Hour, he fet her Leffons every Day, and was extreamly pleafed to see what Proficiency fhe made. Heloife, for her part, was fo taken with her Mafter, that he liked nothing fo well as what fhe learn'd from him; and the Mafter was charmed with that Quickness of Apprehenfion, with which his Scholar learn'd the moft difficult Leffons. But he did not intend to ftop here. He knew fo well how to infinuate into the Affections of this young Perfon, he gave her fuch plain Intimations of what was in his Heart, and fpoke fo agreeably of the Paffion, which he had conceived for her, that he had the Satisfaction of feeing himself well understood. It is no diffi cult matter to make a Girl of Eighteen in Love. And Abelard, having fo much Wit and agreeable Humour, muft needs make a much greater Pro grefs in her Affections, than fhe did in the Leffons which he taught her. So that in a short time she fell fo much in love with him, that fhe could deny him nothing. Fulbert had a Country House at Corbeil, to which the Lovers often resorted, under Pretence of applying themselves more clofely to their Studies: There they converfed freely, and gave themselves up entirely to the Pleafures of a mutual Paffion. They took advantage of that Privacy which Study and and Contemplation require, without fubjecting themselves to the Cenfure of those who obferv'd it. In this Retirement, Abelard owns that more Time was employed in foft Careffes than in Lectures of Philofophy. Sometimes he pretended to ufe the Severity of a Mafter; and the better to deceive fuch as might be Spies upon them, he exclaim'd against Heloife, and reproached her for her Negligence. But how different were his Menaces from those which are infpir'd by Anger! Never did two Lovers give a greater Loose to their Delights than did these two for five or fix Months; they lived in all the Endearments which could enter into the Heart of young Beginners. This is Abelard's own Account of the matter. He compares himself to fuch as have been long kept in a ftarving Condition, and at laft are brought to a Feat. A grave and ftudious Man exceeds a Debauché in his Enjoyments of a Woman whom he loves, and of whom he is paffionately beloved. Abelard being thus enchanted with the Careffes of his Mistress, neglected all his ferious and important Affairs. His Performances in publick were wretched. His Scholars perceived it, and foon guefs'd the Reafon. His Head was turn'd to nothing but amorous Verfes. His School was his Averfion, and he fpent as little Time in it as he could. As for his Lectures, they were commonly the old ones ferved up again: The Night was wholly loft from his Studies; and his Leifure was employ'd B 3 employ'd in writing Songs, which were dispers'd and fung in divers Provinces of France many Years after. In fhort, our Lovers, who were in their own Opinion the happiest Pair in the World, kept fo little guard that their Amours were every where talk'd of, and all the World faw plainly that the Sciences were not always the Subject of their Converfation. Only honeft Fulbert, under whose Note all this was done, was the laft Man that heard any thing of it: He wanted Eyes to fee that which was visible to all the World; and if any Body went about to tell him of it, he was prepoffeft with fo good an Opinion of his Niece and her Master, that he would believe nothing against them. But at laft fo many Discoveries were daily made to him, that he could not help believing fomething; he therefore refolved to feparate them, and by that means prevent the ill Confequences of their too great Familiarity: however he thought it beft to convict them himself, before he proceeded further; and therefore watched them fo closely that he had one Day an Opportunity of receiving ocular Satisfaction that the Reports he had heard were true. In fhort, he furpriz'd them together. And though he was naturally Cholerick, yet he appear'd fo moderate on this occafion as to leave them under difmal Apprehenfions of fomething wore to come after, The Result was, that they must be parted, Who Who can exprefs the Torment our Lovers felt upon this Separation! however it ferved only to unite their Hearts more firmly; they were but the more eager to fee one another. Difficulties encreas'd their Defires, and put them upon any Attempts without regarding what might be the Consequence. Abelard, finding it impoffible to live without his dear Heloife, endeavour'd to fettle a Correfpondence with her by her Maid Agaten, who was a handsome brown Girl, well-fhap`d, and likely enough to have pleas'd a Man who was not otherwise engaged. But what a Surprize was it to our Doctor, to find this Girl refufe his Money, and in recompence of the Services fhe was to do him with her Mistress, demanded no less a Reward than his Heart, and making him at once a plain Declaration of Love! Abelard, who could love none but Heloise, turn'd from her abruptly, without answering a Word. But a rejected Woman is a dangerous Creature. Agaton knew well how to revenge the Affront put upon her, and fail'd not to acquaint Fulbert with Abelard's Offers to her, without faying a word how she had been disobliged. Fulbert thought it was time to look about him. He thanked the Maid for her Care, and enter'd into Measures with her, how to keep Abelard from vifiting his Niece. The Doctor was now more perplex'd than ever; he had no way left but to apply himself to Heloife's Singing-Mafter: And the Gold which the Maid B 4 refused, |