A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Heloise
She had scarcely reached her eighteenth year, when, by her beauty, learning, and elegance, she attracted the notice of Peter Abelard, a young but celebrated doctor of theology; who took advantage of the parsimony of her uncle, to introduce himself into the house as a lodger, and to grant, as a favour to him, lessons in philosophy, which he wished to give his niece, as a means of enjoying her society, and ingratiating himself into her favour.
Fulbert, vain of Heloise's talents, and anxious for her improvement, complied but too readily with his scheme, and her innocence fell a victim to the admiration and love her young preceptor inspired. On discovering the truth, her uncle, almost distracted, forbade their interviews; but they contrived to meet, till it became improper for her to remain where she then was, and Abelard took her off, by stealth, to his sister's, in Britanny, where she had a son. Determined to save her reputation as much as was now in his power, her lover then went to her uncle, and after the first storm of his passion was over, proposed to marry her; but wished, for a while, it might be kept secret. At length the old man acceded; hut when Heloise heard his determination, she objected forcibly to it, on the score of Abelard's interest as a theologian. His celebrity, and his hopes of rising in the church, she affirmed would be ruined by this match. He saw, that, regardless of her own interest, she considered only his; and his affection could less than ever submit to a sacrifice far less delicate than generous. The injunction of secrecy was repeated, and they were married; but, anxious to wipe out the blot from his family, her uncle quickly spread abroad the report. Heloise as pertinaciously contradicted it; which so irritated Fulbert, who considered her husband only as to blame, that by an act of vengeance, he separated them; but, at the same time, forfeited his own benefices, and became an object of general detestation.
Abelard, in consequence, determined to leave the world, for a convent; but it was necessary for his peace that Heloise should do the same, which she scrupled not to do, making her profession, in her 22d year, as a nun of Argenteuil, a few days before he took upon him the order of St. Denis, where the licentious manners of the monks awakened his censure, and, in consequence, their hatred and persecution. He fled from them to other retreats; but the same unhappy destiny continually pursued him.
Heloise also, who had been chosen prioress of Argenteuil, on the dissolution of that monastery for the disorders of the nuns, applied to Abelard for advice, who obtained the assignment of the Paraclete, in Champagne, a house he had built, to her, where she founded a nunnery, and, by her exemplary conduct obtained general respect and admiration. They, at first, as dear friends who needed each other's counsel, sometimes met; but, after a while, found, that instead of consoling, these visits made them more unhappy, and discontinued them; when an epistle from Abelard to a friend, in which he recapitulated the misfortunes of his life, fell into the hands of Heloise, and caused those beautiful and impassioned letters, which have been preserved to posterity. In those written by her she complains, that even when she affected to devote her heart to God, it was fixed upon an earthly being, whom she could not yet tear from it. She appears to ease her heart by revealing its weakness; but Abelard, at length, put an end to the dangerous indulgence, and, after new troubles and persecutions, died 1142, in the 63d year of his age. Heloise survived him twenty years, employing her time in study and the duties of her vocation. She was skilled in all the learned languages, in philosophy, mathematics, and the study of the holy scriptures. Her letters are written in Latin; and she appears, both in person and mind, to have been the most accomplished woman of her time.