(as we know from one of those exquisite letters which Pope has imitated), in a fit of romantic attachment, refused to be any thing more (or less) than his mistress,—and would not listen to a project which, according to the customs of the age, would have put an end to the principal occupation of his life. A secret marriage was then agreed upon, to satisfy the uncle, with whom she continued to reside; while the lover pursued his ordinary occu pations-seeing her very seldom. At length some worthy nuns began to gossip, and to complain of the reverend canon's complaisance. He assured them of the marriage, which the lovers denied; and this produced a quarrel with Hubert, and a second elopment of his niece. Our author judiciously suggests, that the extreme unwillingness of Abelard to terminate all their difficulties by a public marriage, and his suffering Eloisa to sacrifice herself for his advantage, may show that (as not unfrequently happens in such attachments) there was more love on her side than on his. The catastrophe followed in all probability soon after the second elopment; and five persons were engaged in it, beside Hubert, and a treacherous servant of Abelard's. Of these, only one and the servant were taken; they suffered by the lex talionis, and had their eyes put out besides; and Hubert's goods were confiscated to the Church.

Abelard, resolving now to retire from the world, made his unfortunate mistress do the same; though she seens not to have finally made up her mind for two years. She took the veil in 1122, at Argenteuil, after the usual noviciate of a year; and he soon after professed at St Denis. Being of a turbulent, austere, and even quarrelsome disposition, he could not remain long in this fraternity, but retired to a wild forest, near Nagent-sur-Seine, where he founded the Paraclete, sometime between 1128 and 1130. Although, at first, he had only a log-house for a chapel, and a few miserable huts for habitations, his great fame attracted

The closeness of the imitation in many places approaches to translation.-Wharton has cited part of the original of the celebrated passage alluded to in the text; but he has stopt short where the resemblance becomes strongest. Etsi uxoris nomen sanctius et validius videtur, dulcius mihi semper extitit Amicæ vocabulum, aut si non indigneris, Concubinæ vel Scorti. Deum testem invoco, si me Augustus, universo præsidens mundo, matrimonii honore dignaretur, totumque mihi orbein confirmaret in perpetuo præsidendum, charius mihi et dignius mihi videtur tua dici Meretrix quam illius Imperatrix.' Many of the amplifications of Pope upon the various parts of the original are to be found in the Count Bussy Rabutin's publication of the Letters, and in the Histoire d'Heloise et d' Abeilard, Hague, 1693 -if we may judge from the citations in Bayle.

scholars, who flocked around him, and led the life of hermits, to receive his instructions. In this situation, he was chosen Abbot of St Gildas de Ruyr, whither he immediately repaired. Meantime Eloisa's convert was dissolved, by the appropriation of its lands to another house; and Abelard invited her to become Abbess of the Paraclete, where she established herself with some other refugees, among whom were two nieces of his. At St. Gildas, to which he returned as soon as he had put Eloisa in possession of the Paraclete, he, as usual, quarrelled with his n.onks:-- his misfortunes, indeed, seem to have soured his temper, naturally irritable. Peter of Cluni afforded him a retreat; and he d'ed in that monastery, of a cutaneous disease, in April 1142, at the age of sixty-three. Eloisa survived him twenty years, and died at the same age. Their only child, who, from his extraordinary beauty, was named Astrolabe, took orders, obtained a canonry through the interest of the good Abbot of Ciun, and survived his father; but has left no further traces of himself in history. Some of Eloisa's letters speak of her anxiety for his advancement in the Church, with her characteristic earnestness and warmth of affection.

The remains of Abelard were transported to the Paraclete by Eloisa's desire, and she was herself buried in the same coffin. The bodies were afterwards separated, but in 1779 they were again united; and, in opening the coffins, it was then observed that Abelard's bones were reduced to dust, except the skull, which was of an extraordinary thickness; that Eloisa's were much better preserved; that her skull was also peculiarly thick, and the teeth of a beautiful whiteness. These remains were, during the Revolution, carried to Paris, and were, till lately, in the Museum of Ancient Monuments; but the piety of the restored government has consigned them to a more consecrated place in the cemetery of Pere Lachaise. The following account of the Paraclete, when visited by our author, may interest the curious reader; but we give it as an example of better regulations than are usually to be found in such establishments; and we may add, that the narrative confirms an opinion entertained by many, that such cloysters might, under proper management, be productive of excellent effects, even in our times, provided voluntary residence could be reconciled with the infirmities of the human temper. The reader will perceive, that some particulars are quite at variance with the account of a similar excursion given in the Annual Register for 1768,- for instance, the statement in the latter, that none of the inhabitants seemed to know any thing about the founders, or their adventures.

En entrant dans le parloir ou salle de compagnie de l'abbesse, lcs yeux sont frappés par plusieurs portraits gravés d'Abeillard et

d'Heloise; elle les a sur sa tabatiere et dans toutes les pièces de son appartement, même au chevet de son lit. J'entrai dans plusieurs cellules des religieuses, où les mêmes portraits dominent parmi les crucifix et les reliques. Le Paraclet est, je crois, dans le monde, l'unique convent ou les plaisirs et les malheurs de deux amans soient un sujet continuel de reflexions et de discours.

Le monaster est chef d'ordre, soumis à la regle de St Benoit, qui ne prescrit aucune austerité, et qui fùt d'ailleurs adoucie par les modifications qu'y apportât Abeillard. Les religieuses sont proprement et commodement logées, les murs bien blanchis, les parquets et les meubles d'un travail assez grossier, mais cirés avec le même soin que la plus belle marqueterie. Les lits m'ont paru bons; on les garnit l'été des rideaux de toile de coton blanche; et l'hiver, de serge bleue. Les religieuses sont bien nourries, portent des chemises de toile quand elles les preferent à celles de laine, se couchent à huit ou neuf heures, se levent à quatre heures du matin en été, et à six heures en hiver, et ont en tout cinque ou six heures d'offices, à differentes époques de la journée. Le vêtement des religieuses, semblable dit-on à celui que portoit Heloise, est assez agreable; et quoiqu'elles aient la tête rasée, leur genre de coiffure ne deplait pas.

Lorsqu'une fille se presente pour être reçue au Paraclet, elle commence selon l'usage par un noviciat; après lequel on l'exhorte à bien consulter sa vocation; et afin de lui donner une idée infiniment juste du monde qu'elle veut quitter, on lui en fait, autant qu'on le peut dans ce lieu, eprouver tous les agremens. D'abord on la laisse promener, autant qu'il lui plait, dans une garenne voisine du convent. L'abbesse la mene diner chez le curé d'Avant, village à une lieue du Paraclet, et qui leur fait la meilleure chere qu'il peut. C'est de ce curé lui-même que je tiens ces details qu'il me les raconta en riant. Quand la novice a ainsi passé le terme de son noviciat, si sa vocation se soutient, on l'admet à faire profession, et à prononcer les vœux. Ces victimes volontaires ne m'ont paru ni tristes ni farouches.'

Our author adds, that the tradition of the place is not very favourable to the amenity of Eloisa's temper and manners in her retreat, however exalted a notion it may give of the charms of her conversation-charms to which all accounts bear witness; and, indeed, the remains of her correspondence themselves impress us with an extraordinary sense of her merits. The best judges, as is here remarked, have given to her style the preference over that of her friend and master, for purity and natural grace. Her temper, like his, was in all likelihood affected by their calamities.

The letters of Peter of Cluni are curious specimens of monkish correspondence. They are translated from the Latin, and begin, "Peter, humble Abbot of Cluni, wishes the eternal life which God has promised those who love him, to the venerable Abbess Eloisa, his very dear sister in Jesus Christ." He ex

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presses the greatest admiration of her, and the most entire devotion to her service; but his holy gallantry is of a very different complexion from Abelard's,-for it is the graces of the spirit alone that he has in contemplation. He appears to have made a visit to the Paraclete, and to have returned impressed with a wonderful reverence for her sanctity and talents. We know not, however, if the minute particulars respecting Abelard, which he details in one of the letters, are wholly due to pious enthusiasm. The good abbot probably felt, that he could not more acceptably serve his venerable sister than by dwelling on a subject so dear to the woman as well as the nun.

La Providence qui dispose de tout avec sagesse, en nous refusant cette faveur (viz. qu'Heloise fût de l'ordre de Cluni), nous en a accordé une semblable, en nous envoyant un autre vous-même; c'est assez designer le Maître, † ce grand sectateur de la philosophie de Jesus-Christ. J'ai incessamment son nom à la bouche, et toujours je le prononce avec un nouveau respect. La divine Providence l'avoit conduit à Cluni dans les derniers années de sa vie; c'est le plus precieux present qu'elle pouvoit nous faire. Il me faudroit un long discours pour vous rendre l'impression qu'a faite sur tous nos frères sa conduite aussi humble qu'edifiante: Non, je ne crois pas avoir un son semblable en humilité, tant pour les vêtemens que pour le maintien; je l'obligeois à tenir le premier rang parmi notre nombreuse communauté, et il paroissoit le dernier de tous par la pauvreté de son habit. Dans les processions comme il marchoit devant moi, suivant la coutume, j'admirois comment un homme d'une si grande reputation pouvoit s'abaisser de la sorte et se mépriser lui-même. Il observoit dans la nourriture et dans tous les besoins du corps la même simplicité que dans ses habits, et condamnoit par ses discours et par son exemple, non-seulement le superflu, mais tout-ce qui n'est pas absolument necessaire. Il lisoit souvent, prioit beaucoup, gardoit un silence perpetuel, si ce n'est quand il étoit forcé de parler, ou dans les conferences, ou dans les sermons qu'il faisoit à la communauté. Il offroit frequemment le sacrifice, et même presque tous les jours, depuis que par mes lettres et par mes sollicitations il avoit été reconcilié avec le Saint-Siége. Que dirai-je davantage? Son esprit, son cœur, toutes ses facultés etoient occupées de la meditation, ou de l'éxposition et de l'enseignement des verités de la religion ou de la philosophie.

*It is remarkable, that her person is by no means spoken of in raptures by him who should have prized it most highly. "Cum per faciem non esset infima, per abundantiam litterarum erat suprema,' says Abelard himself.

It was thus that Abelard was always named by the singular veneration of the age in which he lived, notwithstanding the broils in which his temper involved him.

He then describes his having been removed when he fell ill, for a change of air, to the neighbourhood of Chalons. His malady increased; but he continued the same holy life; and, at last, yielded up his breath in the midst of pious men, and in the performance of devout offices. Avec quelle pieté' (adds the good Abbot), avec quels sentimens de religion il fit d'abord sa confession de foi, puis celle de ses péchés! Avec quelle sainte avidité il reçut le saint viatique! Avec quelle foi il a recommandé à notre Seigneur son ame et son corps! Il y a eu autant de temoins de ces picux sentimens, qu'il y a de religieux dans le monastère de Saint Marcel. Ainsi (he concludes) termina sa carriere ce fameux Docteur, qui du haut de sa chaire a fait retentir sa voix jusqu'aux extremités de la terre.' We trust it may not be deemed a crime in the courts of romance, if we add, that this distinguished sage and gallant, in point of fact, died of the itch or mange. Plus solito scabie et quibusdam corporis infirmitatibus gravabatur,' says the account in his works. It is remarkable, that no notice is taken of Astrolabe by Bayle ;-Moreri makes mention of him.

The next of these pieces is a dissertation apparently by the editor himself, upon that questio vexata the Man in the Iron Mask. All the evidence upon this subject is collected, and the different opinions are stated and discussed. Among these, one is truly astonished to find, that one so absurd as the conjecture of its being the Duke of Monmouth could have found a single supporter among men of any pretensions to historical knowledge; for none but the class of literary men, of course, ever took part in this controversy. The prisoner was detained in custody from 1661 till the time of his death in 1703; while Monmouth was going about in the English court and army till 1685, when he was publickly executed in London; and, supposing the difficulty of the date to be got over, what possible reason could the French Court have for confining him in order to secure the tranquillity of England and strengthen the title of King William and Queen Anne, with both of whom France was at war,-with the latter, indeed, at the moment of the prisoner's death?Common sense rejects some of the other explanations as plainly as the most ordinary historical knowledge does the supposition of Monmouth. Thus, who can listen to the notion of a certain Duc de Beaufort second son of the Duc de Vendome, a bastard of Henry IV. by the celebrated Gabrielle? Still more ridiculous is the fancy broached by Mr Dutens in his Correspondance Interceptée, that it was a minister of the Duke of Mantua, who had shown great skill in negotiations against the French interests, and whom, on that account, the French ambassador carried off,