The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-28
ABELARD AND HELOI3E.

The beautiful story of the love Of Abelard and
Helose is charmingly told in the annexed sketch.
The two lovers whose passion and misfortunes
have inseparably connected their names, sleep
together under the same tomb in Paris
Abelard was already thirty-four or thrty.fve
years old before he met her whose name is hence
forth linked inseparably with his, and who was
the cause of so much happiness and the occasion
OF 70 much misery to him.
Heloise was the reputCd niece of Fubert a
canon Of Paris. At the time AOelard first saw her
She was just eighteen. Besides possessing con
siderable personal beauty, she had prohted largely
by the instruction given 70 her by the nuns of Ar
genteuill, and was early famed for her knowledge
of the learned languages and of much of the
science of that time. Her love of letters and the
encouragement Fulbert gave her in the study of
them, threw her good deal in the way of Abe
lard, and he soon entertained strong passion
for her, which she returned with all the ardor of
youthful affection.
Abelard left no means untried to be often with
her, and finally resolved to work upon the we'll
known thriftiness Of Fulbert, by offering him his
own price If he would receive him as a bOarder
into his house. He said that the cares of a house,
hold were too distractlng for one 50 much called
upon, as hewas, to give himself up to close study
getting rid of them.
Fuleert not only received the proposal with
satisfaction, but put himself out of the way TO
press the hred hospitality upon him, thinking by
AlC arrangements 10 uuu Considerably to llY
comei and 10 procure for Heloise the daily assist
ance Of the great professor i'm her studies
Ihe plan succeeded beyond ADelard's eXpecta-
tion; he became an inmate of Fulbert's house
and was specially requested to devote all the time
he could spare from greater empoyments TO the
woman be loved.
Fulbert considered tie disparity of their ages
and the reputation of his guest, ald saw no harm
In giving man of thirty four absolute control
over girl of nine teen and so little did he enter
tain the idea Lnudprnngg hpt tuyn
lAat ne gave Abelard permission TO beat his pupil
II she should prove refractory at her lessons-l
Incense quits in accordance with the educational
theories OF that period.
For many months the pair remained In the
fullest enjoyment OF each others society The
books lay daily open, and there was a fair show
OF tutoring; but the books which Heloise stu lied
deepest were the eyes of AOelard and though he
indeed taught her with his mouth, it was rather
with the lips than with the tongue Ia her
society In her EN- braces the great teacher forgot
10 teach; and when he left her, his thoughts
were only occupied with how to get back again
Grammar, rhetoric, theology, no longer engrossed
MS mind they were 30 many impediments TO him
VINO was utterly given up, with all the abandon
OF merry spirit, 70 the irresistible force Of love-
the stronger for having been controlled so long.
In the lecture-roOm he stImmered out weari-
some "twice-tOld tale" for he lacked the energy
10 put foIth new matter to his woGd ring dlenCe
he talked of philosophy, and thought Of love.
lie mated the place, the hours, and the Occuoatiun
Heloise. e
The pupils maryeled at abe altered manner
the vacant, preOccupied look, and the falling OF
OF lheir master. some attributed the change to
the effects Of oYerwork others 10 anxiety lest his
bold doctrines might bring the storm of persecn
ton about his head. But u suspicion of tbe
truth began 10 get abroad and was soon turned
INTO knowledge. The delicious hours Of hapoi.
ness for Abclard and H.lOsc were numDeied.
The scandal, the treason against his host the
damage TO his reputation, and, above ali. the loss
OF her so dear TO him, had now 10 be encountered
Fulbeft convinced at length Of what he had not
oeemed possible, indignantly expelled Abellrd
nom his house; but Abelard considered aII bis
own woes ms nothing when Conrasted with the
shame and trouble he had brought upon Helojse.
6he thOaght her gIiefs an honor, and would have
glOrled in them, excepting where they effected
the position and charac er of her lover,
Soon after Abelard left Heloise found herself
likely to be mother, and sent to inform him of
IT, lie chose night when Fulbert was absent,
and carried of Heloise TO his sisters In Brittany
Where she gave birth TO son, whom she called
AstrOlabe.
Fulbert was furious, and thought only how he
might most signally ayenge himself on Abelard.
He was restrained from taking the deadliest re-
Yenge solely through fear Of reprisals being
made on Heloise.
Abelard, on the other hand, was covered with
grief az the thought Of the suffering be had an
talIeu on ms beloved mistress, and thinking that
there was but one way of making atonement 10
her Tor the injury he had done, he formed the
resolution TO marry her; to seek Fulbert, i'm
Plore his pardon, and ask his consent TO the mar
riage, provided he would agree to the fact re-
naming a secret
For clerk to act as he had doae, was terrible
scandal in the eyes Of the Church but Il 10 Il
were added matrimony, there was no language
strong enough TO express the horror Of those who
preached continency, but prsctised 1t not-who
had nieces, but not daughters-Who professed 10
have forgotten they were mortal men, when they
donned, In the heyday Of their youth, the sanity
robe Of the Romsh priest
For Abelard to marry was 10 blight all his
prospects OF advancement. Promotion In a
Church which regarded concublnage as yenial
and marriage as objectionable, was of course
impossible and In the little enlightened state of
peoples minds at that time, the marriage Of the
philosopher would prove 4 heavy drag upon his
reputation as a teacher.
In more modern case, where the circum-
stances were somewhat similar to those ia Abe
ard's, an Oxford tutor was consulted by his pupil
on the momentous question, whether he should
)r should not marry girl of inferior condition,
who had given the utmost possible proof Of her
Affection and confidence. The tutors reply was
Exhaustive :--"f you marry her, you are a fool;
4 you DO not marry her, you are a blackguard."
Abelard preferred 10 be the fool, and resolved,
It eny cost 10 himself, 10 marry Heloise.
fulbert appeared 10 be charmed at the idea.
Al