The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-06-09
ABELARD.

fact that tie want Of books Ohcimmcnse mul.
titudc of professional copyis,s being Who'll
ly unable to supply the dcmand) rendered
them the Sole roads open for the gratiiica.
ton OF the yearnings OF the awakened intel
icct of all classcs--w.rc the great causes
which caused them to be nuncrously and
enthusiastically attended for several hun
dr"d years; which led men in ca,ly you'll,
i'll fu. manhood, ard even in old are, to
thr"ng the Acacmi: hall, and spend long
ycai> III gathering instruction l,"m the lee
lures o! III" "lcat liz hts of the age. The
zeal WAS unhounlch, ami often wrought To-
the highest ri,cI, by the teaching, Of pro.
found an'l cl"'iucnt instructors. When tho
young, vain and ambitious student, the co-
Incnt ami accomplished AbcIarl alike re-
nowmrl for his loves AMI his learning, en-
tered the lists with William dc Campeaux,
aud came "ti conJucror in the discussion Of
one oi tie great questions of philosophy,
he became the tsvor,r Of the student world.
by repeated victories he soon ovcrsllad-
owed the reputation Of his master. His
iamc went went abroad. The ambitious
an! carnc>t young Of al! nations gathered
themselves together in Paris, and hung
upon his lips lis if he were the only teacher
Of Chri>tcudum. No difficulty nor danger
by the way, neither robbcr band, nor noun
tain height, nor dangcou, gorge, nor
pcris OF the sea, deferred or kept them
back. In the countries Of the Moth, South,
East and West, i'll Rome Itself, were seen
, band, Of students taking up the pilgrims
stall for the long, rugged and weary way
to this Drlhlclam, where the bread of Wis
dom was broken to the children. When
the opinions OF the master brought on him
prosecutions without number, his Disciples,
! ever faithful, followed him from place to
! place, giving up the uxuries and comforts
OF the city for the hardships Of the rude
| lie of the prov;nc s. On his return TO
Paris, his retreat there was again throngcd
, with ardent, ANXIOUS hearers, and multi
tules followed linn finally to the solitary
retirement Of raraclcte, where they pro-
vi,l:d for his necessities, and by their libe-
ra'y, built for him the convent which he
bestowed upon his long loved, long lost
llc!uSe. Not less WAS the admiration, and
even alteration, for Grossetesc, of oxford,
Irnerius in bologna, Alhurtus Magnus in
Paris, and u host oi others. Wll:n we read,
in, Il e art, 4,
thirty thousand in Bologna, and many
thousand i'll Paris, we must, with the more
accurate invest. i.,ators, make some allow.
ancc for the eXagycration Of the historians
Of the times. Bu, all agree in numbering
the students by myriads, the instructors by
thousands. 1t can casly DC imagined that
among youths Of i'll characters, classes. and
nations collected in such masses in those
rude times, there were often serious dstur-
Dances, which threatened he very existence
OF the Universities, and the prosperity Of
the cities in whicl, they were situated.-
But, notwithstanding these incidental evils,
the possession Of one Of these great schools
was very highly priced 10y the different
cities and nations. The protection of for
cign student formed an important article Of.
all the treaties between tllcgrcat Kingdoms.
The cities offered largesscs 10 attract dis
linguished Professors, and passed rigourous .
cnactmcnts to retain them in their service.
Bologna conferred high military distinctions .
upon her Professors, consulted them in al
affairs imrorancc-and by special acts, :.
provided even for the pleasures Of the stu
dents. Priests were allowed to hold their !.
bcncticcs without the condition Of resi-
dcnce, in order that they might enjoy the
instructions Of Universities. Numerous d,
foundations for The support Of INDECENT
Students were endowed by pious bencfac-'
tors i'll all the more famous schools Nor +
were these studes Of SO many years mere
idle specuations by which men removed
themselves from the sphere Of active life.
University promotion was the great road i
to honor. Successful students were eleva-
ted to the highest posts in Church and
State. Among the pupils Of the Abelard
alone were numbered more than twenty
Cardinals, and fifty Bishops anG Archtish,
ops. These dignitaries wrote Master after
their names, rs precious title OF honorr
and dignity, indicating that they had once
given instruction to their fellows. Through,
the activity Of Jealous men who had reapedi
the advantages of the Universities, their,
blessings were felt by all classes OF society.
The young ecclesiastics who had received
their promotions, founded schools in the
provinces, in which free instructions was,
given to all who presented themselves as,
pupils. And in this age, when the god.
dess OF science is so etfectualIy Transformed
i into q railnl, aam ! Il ;e rlaaaa,,l L.. xaal O