4 enter into the Imagination of any who had not felt the like Emotions and Distresses. They were originally written in Latin, and are extant in a Collection of the Works of Abelard, printed at Paris in the Year 1616. With what Elegance and Beauty of Stile they were written in that Language, will fufficiently appear to the learned Reader, even by those few Citations which are set at the Bottom of the Page in fome Places of the following History. But the Book here mentioned confifting chiefly of School Divinity, and of the Learning of those Times, and therefore being rarely to be met with but in publick Libraries, and in the Hands of fome learned Men, the Letters of Abelard and Heloise are much more known by a Translation, or rather Paraphrafe of them in French, first publish ed at the Hague in 1693, and which afterwards received feveral other more compleat Editions. This Tranflation is much applauded, but who was the Author of it is not certainly known. Monfieur Bayle Says, he had been informed it was done by a Woman; and perhaps he thought no one befides could have entered fo thoroughly into the Passion and Tenderness of fuch Writings, for which that Sex Seems to have a more natural Difpofition than the other. This may be judged by the Letters themselves, among which those of Heloise are the most tender and moving, and the Mafter seems in this Particular to have been excelled by the Scholar. In some of the later Editions in French, there has been prefixed to the Letters an Historical Account of * Abelard and Heloise; this is chiefly extracted from the the Preface of the Editor of Abelard's Works in Latin, and from the Critical Dictionary of Monfieur Bayle*, who has put together, under several Articles, all the Particulars he was able to collect concerning these two famous Perfons: And though the first Letter of Abelard to Philintus, in which he relates his own Story, may Seem to have rendered this Account in part unnecessary; yet the Reader will not be displeased to see the Thread of the Relation intire, and continued to the Death of the Persons whose Misfortunes had made their Lives so very remarkable. It is indeed impossible to be unmoved at the furprizing and multiplied Afflictions and Perfecutions which befel a Man of Abelard's fine Genius, when ave fee them so feelingly described by his own Hand. Many of these were owing to the Malice of fuch as were his Enemies on the Account of his fuperior Learning and Merit; yet the great Calamities of his Life took their Rise from his unhappy Indulgence of a criminal Paffion, and giving himself a Loose to unwarrantable Pleasures. After this he was perpetually involved in Sorrow and Distress, and in vain fought for Eafe and Quiet in a Monaftick Life. The Letters between him and his beloved Heloise were not written till long after their Marriage and Separation, and when each of them was dedicated to a Life of Religion. Accordingly we find in them furprizing Mixtures of Devotion and Tenderness, of Penitence and remaining Frailty, and a lively Picture of Human Nature in its Contrarieties of Passion and Reason, its Infirmities and its. Sufferings. Vid. Artic. Abelard, Heloise, Foulques, and Parac P ETER ABELARD was born in the Village of Palais, in Britany. He lived in the twelfth Century, in the Reigns of Lewis the Gross, and 1 Lewis the Young. His Father's Name was Beranger, a Gentleman of a confiderable and wealthy Family. He took Care to give his Children a liberal and pious Education; especially his eldest Son Peter, on whom he endeavoured to bestow all poffible Improvements, because there apA 4 peared " peared in him an extraordinary Vivacity of Wit, joined with Sweetness of Temper, and all imaginable Presages of a great Man. 1 When he had made some Advancement in Learning, he grew fo fond of his Books, that, left Affairs of the World might interrupt his Proficiency in them, he quitted his Birthright to his younger Brother, and applied himself entirely to the Studies of Philosophy and Divinity. Of all the Sciences to which he applied himself, that which pleased him most, and in which he made the greatest Progress, was Logick. He had a very fubtle Wit, and was incessantly whetting it by Disputes, out of a restless Ambition to be a Master of his Weapons. So that in a short Time he gained the Reputation of the greatest Philofopher of his Age; and has always been esteemed the Founder of what we call the Learning of the Schoolmen. He finished his Studies at Paris, where Learning was then in a very flourishing Condition. In this City he found that famous Professor of Philofophy, William des Champeaux, and foon became his favourite Scholar; but this did not last long. The Profeffor was fo hard put to it, to answer the subtle Objections of his new Scholar, that he grew uneasy with him. The School soon run into Parties. The fenior Scholars, transported with Envy against Abelard, seconded their Master's Resentment. All this ferved only to encrease the young Man's |