ah why thefe long delays? 259 If you return And either ceafe to live or ceafe to love! ARGUMENT. ABIL BELARD and Eloifa flourished in the tweifth Century; they were two of the most diftinguifhed perfons of their age in lear ning and beauty, but for nothing more famous than for their unfortunate passion. 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 struggles of grace and nature, virtue and paffion. P. |