Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-30

ABELARD.

Skotcho8 by Lomaftinos
ABELARD. 8
| Peter Abelard was the son Of knight Of Britta-
ny, named Beranger, whose family had long pos
sessed in the neighborhood of Nantes, the castle
and village of Palais. BerSnger exercised, like all
the gentlemen Of his day, the noble trade Of war
His son was brought up 10 arms but the piety Of
his race attestcd by the religious habit which Be
ranger, his wife and daughters, assumed in their
old age, associated with the military education Of
the youthful Abelard the study Of letters phioso-
ply, and theology. The leading and only intel
lectual profession OF that period, the church. at
tracted TO her ranks all the youngmen who felt
within themselves the seeds of poetry or elo-
quence, the love OF fame, and the ambition Of
mental supremacy Abelard was more happily en-
dowed than any other Individual Of his time He
disdained the rude life of mere warrior and re-
signed to his brothers his rights of primogenture
over the domains and vassals of the house. He
quilted the paternal mansion, and went from school
to school, fom master TO master, gathering all
those buried treasures Of Greek and Roman ltera-
ture which France and Italy had begun to disinter
from manuscripts, to restore to light and to wor-
ship as the profane mysteries Of human genius
His warm heart and fervid imagination were not
satisfied with the dead lang uages he wrote
and spoke in Greek and Latin, but he sang in
French.
The verses for which he composed the music
himself that the passion by which they were in
spired should convey its full effect to the soul by
two senses at a time, became the manual Of all po-
cts. They spread with the rapidity Of an echo
which multiplies its own sound they formed the
conversation of men of letters, the delight of wo
men, the secret language oflovers the interpreters
OF undeclared sentiments, the popular songs Of CT
ties, castles cottages they carried the name Of the
young musician and familiar poet throughout the
provinces Of France. He enjoyed a personal fame
during the spring Of life in the secret souls Of all
who loved, dreamed, sighed or sang. A melodi-
GUS voice, which gave animation to language and
music--a youth precocious in celebrty--a Grecian
regularity Of features, tall and graceful figure,
noble bearing, natural modesty, in which the
bashfulness Of early years bushcd for the maturity
of talent--all these qualities combined in Abe
lard attraction with renown. He was ever present
| to the eyes, ears, the hearts of the women who
had seen him, or had even heard his name pro-
nounced 1t was thus that Heloise recalled his i'm
age to her heart long after the ruin of her allu-
| sions and her love.
HELOISE
There dwelt in Paris rich and powerful canon
of the Cathedral Fulbert who resided in the learned
quarter Of the city. He had niece living with
him (some say she was his daughter) whom he
loved with paternal affection. This niece, aged
| eighteen, aud consequently twenty years younger
| than Abelard, was already much noticed in Paris
| for her beauty and early genius. Her uncle, the
canen, had treated her with all those blind indul-
genccs which, while they adorn chosen nature
with every gift Of intelligence and education, he
saw not, in the weakness of age, would prepare a
more signal victory for seduction, love, and mis-
fortune. Her name was Heloise. The medalions
| and the statue which perpetuate her, according to
contemporary traditions, and the casts taken after
death In her scpulchre, represent young female
tall in stature, and exquisitely formed An
oval head, slightly depressed towards the temples
by the conflict Of thought high and smooth fore
head, where intelligence revealed without impede
ment, like ray of light unchecked by an obstruct-
ing angle, on the smooth surface of marble slab
eyes deeply set within their arch and the balls of
which reflected the azure tint Of heaven small
nose slightly raised towards the nostrils such as
sculpture models from nature in the statues Of
men immortalized by the feelings of the heart; a
mouth where breathed, between brilliant teeth the
smiles of genius and the tenderness of sympathy a
short chin slightly dimplcd in the middle, asfly the
finger Of reflection often placed upon the lips, a
long flexible neck, which carried the head as the
lotus bears the flower, while undulating, with the
motion of the wave falling shoulders, gracefully
moulded, and blending into the same line with the
arms slender fingers, flowing curls, delicate ana
tomical articulations, the feet Of goddess upon
her pedestal--such is the statue, by which we may
judge of the woman! Let the life, the complex
ion, the look, the attitude, the youth the languor
the paleness, the blush, the thought, the feeling,
the accent the SMILE the tears be restored to the
skeleton of this other Inez de Castro and we shall
again look on Helosc Her features, according to
the historians of the time and Abelard himself
less striking to the eye from beauty than from
expression--that graceful physiognomy of the
heart which draws, invites, and compels recipro-
cation Of the love IL oAers-supreme beauty, far
superior TO the charms which command admiration
only.
THEIR NuprIArs--Abelard, after lamentabe
hesitation, could neither determine to accept this
suicide of Heloisc, nor openly to declare his pas
sion before the world. lie still continued to re-
side under the roof Of Fulbert Dastardly at the
same time towards affection and virtue, he foated
between two weaknesses, and evinced neither the
courage Of love nor that Of glory. In this In
stance, as in all others, the heart Of the woman
was manly, the heart Of the man feminine. But
his infatuation, meanwhile, nourished itself upon
these agonies. Fnbert justly irritated by silence
which resembed contempt and which rendered
his hospitality suspicious, closed his doors against
the offender This separation tore the heart of
Heloise, and Inundated that of Abelard. Nei
Their the master nor the scholar could renounce
life In which the looks, the conversation
the studies, the songs, the thoughts of both, had
blended two into n single soul. They contrived
secret meetings, a mysterious intercourse with
which Fulbert was deeply enraged. Abelard car
ried Heloise away, and conducted her with all re-
spect to Nantes TO his paternal mansion, where he
confded her as his wife 70 the affection Of bis own
sister Returning Immediately TO Paris, he threw
himself at the feet Of Fubert, implored his forgive
ness, and obtained by contrition the hand Of his
niece. Heloise, pardoned, and restored at once to
her uncle and her lover became secretly the spouse
Of Abelard. After night passed in prayer, says
he, In one of the churches in Paris, on the fol.
lowing morning we received the nuptial blessings
in presence Of the uncle Of Heoisc and several
mutual friends. We then retired, without observa-
ton or noise that this union, known only to Cod
and few intimates, should bring neither shame
nor prejudice TO my renown.
rN-JOHN p. HALL, agent for the Ameri-
No 4 N, ho.