Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/484

 448 Readings in European History Abelard falls out with his master at Paris. Abelard turns to theology. Paris, where this art was wont to be most cultivated, to William of Champeaux, my preceptor, who at that time was quite justly famous in his profession. I remained with him for a time and was at first favorably received ; later he came to dislike me heartily, when I attempted to oppose certain of his opinions. I began frequently to argue against him, and sometimes appeared to get the better of him in debate. Moreover those among my fellow-students who stood high- est were especially indignant with me, since I was reckoned of slight consequence owing to my youth and the brief period I had been studying. Here my calamities had their beginning and they still continue. [In spite of his youthfulness Abelard ventured to begin teaching for himself near Paris, and attracted many stu- dents. But he speedily broke down in health and went back to Brittany for several years. Later he returned to Paris, and forced poor William of Champeaux to change the formulation of his doctrine in a single point. The master being thus discredited, the students now flocked to listen to the new teacher. Before long, however, Abelard decided to turn to theology. He accordingly went to Laon, to study under Master Anselm, then famous in that subject] I accordingly betook myself to this old man, but found that he owed his name rather to mere tradition than to any special ability. If one applied to him, uncertain as to some ques- tion, one left him still more uncertain. He was marvelous in the eyes of those who merely listened, but contemptible to those who asked questions. He enjoyed an astonishing facility in words but was despicable in his understanding and fatuous in his reasoning. . . . When I discovered that he was like a tree full of leaves but without fruit, I did not spend many days lying idle in his shade. I went more and more infrequently to his lectures. Some of the most promi- nent among his students took this ill, since I seemed to despise their great master. [One day Abelard's fellow-students, who regarded him as very ill prepared for the study of theology, asked him jokingly what he thought of the reading of the Scriptures.