ARGUMENT. ABELARD and Eloifa flourished in the twelfth Century; they were two of the moft diftinguished perfons of their age in learning and beauty, but for nothing more famous than for their unfortunate paffion. After a long courfe of calamities, they retired each to a feveral Convent, and confecrated the remainder of their days to religion, It was many years after this feparation, that a letter of Abelard's to a Friend, which contained the hiftory of his misfortune, fell into the hands of Eloifa. This awakening all her tenderness, occafioned thofe celebrated letters (out of which the following is partly extracted) which give fo lively a picture of the ftruggles of grace and nature, virtue and paffion, ELOISA то A B EL AR D. I N thefe deep folitudes and awful cells, Where heavenly penfive contemplation dwells, And ever-mufing melancholy reigns; What means this tumult in a Vestal's veins? Dear fatal name! reft ever unreveal'd, Nor pass these lips in holy filence feal'd: Relentless walls! whofe darkfome round contains Repentant fighs, and voluntary pains Ye rugged rocks! which holy knees have worn; N 4 5 10 15 20 All All is not Heaven's while Abelard has part, 25 Soon as thy letters trembling I unclose, That well-known name awakens all my woes. Oh name for ever fad! for ever dear! 30 Still breath'd in fighs, still usher'd with a tear. o'erflow, Led through a fad variety of woe: Now warm in love, now withering in my bloom, There ftern Religion quench'd th' unwilling flame, There dy'd the best of paffions, Love and Fame. Yet write, oh write me all, that I may join Griefs to thy griefs, and echo fighs to thine. Nor foes nor fortune take this power away; And is my Abelard less kind than they? 35 40 Tears ftill are mine, and those I need not spare, 45 Love but demands what else were shed in prayer; No happier task these faded eyes pursue; Then share thy pain, Ah, more than share it, allow that sad relief; give me all thy grief. Heaven first taught letters for some wretch's aid, Some banish'd lover, or fome captive maid; 50 They live, they speak, they breathe what love infpires, Warm from the foul, and faithful to its fires, The The virgin's wish without her fears impart, Thou know'st how guiltless first I met thy flame, When Love approach'd me under Friendship's name; My fancy form'd thee of angelic kind, Some emanation of th' All-beauteous Mind. Those smiling eyes, attempering every ray, Shone sweetly lambent with celestial day. 55 Guiltless I gaz'd; heaven liften'd while you fung; 65 How oft, when prefs'd to marriage, have I said, 70 75 Fame, wealth, and honour! what are you to Love? 80 Should Should at my feet the world's great master fall, Himself, his throne, his world, I'd fcorn them all : No, make me mistress to the man I love. If there be yet another name more free, 85 90 Ev'n thought meets thought, ere from the lips it part, Alas, how chang'd! what fudden horrors rife ! 100 105 Canft thou forget that fad, that folemn day, The shrines all trembled, and the lamps grew pale: Yet |