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and which is now to be read on his Tomb; it hath nothing in it delicate either for Thought or Language, and will scarcely bear a Tranflation. It is only added here for the sake of the Curious, and as an Instance of the Respect paid to the Memory of so great a Man, and one whom Envy had loaded with the greatest Defamations.

P

ETRUS in hac petra latitat, quem mundus

Homerum

Clamabat, fed jam fidera fidus habent.
Sol erat hic Gallis, fed eum jam fata tulerunt :
Ergo caret Regio Gallica Sole fuo.
Ille fciens quid quid fuit ulli fcibile, vicit
Artifices, artes absque docente docens.
Undecimæ Maij Petrum rapuere Calenda.
Privantes Logices atria Rege fuo.
Eft fatis, in tumulo Petrus hic jacit Abælardus,
Cui foli patuit fcibile quid quid erat.

G

Allorum Socrates, Plato maximus Hesperiarum
Nofter Ariftoteles, Logicis (quicumquè fuerunt)

Aut par aut melior ; ftudiorum cognitus Orbi
Princeps, ingenio varius, fubtilis & acer.
Omnia vi fuperans rationis & arte loquendi,
Abelardus erat. Sed nunc magis omnia vincit,
Cum Cluniacenfem Monacum, moremque profeffus,
Ad Chrifti veram tranfivit Philofophiam,
In qua longævæ bene complens ultima vitæ,
Philofophis quandoquè bonis se connumerandum
Spem dedit, undenas Maio renovante Calendas.

LETTERS

OF

ABELARD and HELOISE.

LETTER I.

ABELARD to PHILINTUS.

It may be proper to acquaint the Reader that the following Letter was written by Abelard to a Friend to comfort him under fome Afflictions which had befallen him, by a Recital of his own Sufferings, which had been much heavier. It contains a particular Account of his Amour with Heloise, and the unhappy Consequences of it. This Letter was written several Years after Abelard's Separation from Heloise.

T

HE last time we were together, Philintus, you gave me a melancholy Account of your Misfortunes; I was sensibly touched with the Relation, and like a true Friend bore a Share in

your Griefs. What did I not say to stop your Tears?

E

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I laid before you all the Reasons Philosophy could furnish, which I thought might any ways soften the Strokes of Fortune: But all these Endeavours have proved ufeless: Grief I perceive has wholly seized your Spirits; and your Prudence, far from assisting, feems quite to have forsaken you. But my skilful Friendship has found out an Expedient to relieve you. Attend to me a Moment, hear but the Story of my Misfortunes; and yours, Philintus, will be nothing, if you compare them with those of the loving and unhappy Abelard. Obferve, I beseech you, at what Expence I endeavour to ferve you; and think this no small Mark of my Affection; for I am going to present you with the Relation of such Particulars as it is impossible for me to recollect without piercing my Heart with the most sensible Afliction.

You know the Place where I was born, but not perhaps that I was born with those complexional Faults which Strangers charge upon our Nation, an extreme Lightness of Temper, and great Inconstancy. I frankly own it, and shall be as free to acquaint you with those good Qualities which were observed in me. I had a natural Vivacity and Aptness for all the polite Arts. My Father was a Gentleman, and a Man of good Parts; he loved the Wars, but differ'd in his Sentiments from many who follow that Profeffion. He thought it no Praise to be illiterate; but in the Camp he knew how to converse at the same time with the Muses and Bellona. He was the

same in the Management of his Family, and took equal. equal Care to form his Children to the Study of Polite Learning, as to their Military Exercises. As I was his eldeft, and confequently his favourite Son, he took more than ordinary Care of my Education. I had a natural Genius to Study, and made an extraordinary Progress in it. Smitten with the Love of Books, and the Praises which on all Sides were bestowed upon me, I aspired to no Reputation, but what proceeded from Learning. To my Brothers I left the Glory of Battels, and the Pomp of Triumphs; nay more, I yielded them up my Birthright and Patrimony. I knew Neceffity was the great Spur to Study, and was afraid I should not merit the Title of Learned, if I diftinguished myself from others by nothing but a more plentiful Fortune. Of all the Sciences, Logick was the most to my Taste. Such were the Arms I chose to profess. Furnished with the Weapons of Reasoning, I took Pleasure in going to public Difputations, to win Trophies; and wherever I heard that this Art flourished, I ranged, like another Alexander, from Province to Province, to seek new Adversaries, with whom I might try my Strength.

The Ambition I had to become formidable in Logick led me at last to Paris, the Center of Politeness, and where the Science I was so smitten with, had usually been in the greatest Perfection. I put myself under the Direction of one Champeaux a Profeffor, who had acquired the Character of the most Ikilful Philosopher of his Age, by negative Excellen

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cies only, by being the least Ignorant. He received me with great Demonstrations of Kindness, but I was not so Happy as to please him long: I was tob knowing in the Subjects he discoursed upon; L often confuted his Notions; often in our Difputations I pushed a good Argument so home, that all his Subtilty was not able to elude its Force. It was impossible he should see himself furpassed by his Scholar without Resentment. It is sometinies dangerous to have too much Merit.

Envy increased against me proportionably to my Reputation. My Enemies endeavoured to interrupt my Progress, but their Malice only provoked my Courage. And measuring my Abilities by the Jealousy I had raifed, I thought I had no farther Occаfion for Champeaux's Lectures, but rather that I was fufficiently qualified to read to others. I stood for a Place which was Vacant at Melun. My Master used all his Artifice to defeat my Hopes, but in vain; and on this Occafion, I triumphed over his Cunning, as before I had done over his Learning. My Lectures were always crouded, and my Beginnings so fortunate, that I entirely obscured the Renown of my fa mous Master. Flushed with these happy Conquests, I removed to Corbeil, to attack the Masters there, and so establish my Character of the ablest Logici

an.

The Violence of Travelling threw me into a dangerous Distemper, and not being able to recover my Strength, my Physicians, who perhaps were in a League with Champeaux, adviled me to removetomy

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