



Produced by David Widger from page images generously
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THE NEW ABELARD

A Romance

By Robert Buchanan

Author Of ‘The Shadow Of The Sword’ ‘God And The Man’ Etc.

In Three Volumes--Vol. I.

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London: Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly

1884



_DEDICATION_

TO MY DEAR FATHER

THE LATE ROBERT BUCHANAN

SOCIALIST LECTURER, REFORMER, AND POET I INSCBIBE

‘THE NEW ABELARD’




PREFATORY NOTE.

The leading character in this book is represented, dramatically, as
resembling, both in his strength and weakness, the great Abelard of
history. For this very reason he is described as failing miserably,
where a stronger man might never have foiled, in grasping the Higher
Rationalism as a law for life. He is, in fact, not meant for an ideal
hero, but for an ardent intellectual man, hopelessly biased against
veracity both by temperament and hereditary superstition.

I make this explanation in order to be beforehand with those who will
possibly hasten to explain to my readers that my philosophy of life is
at best retrograde, my modern thinker an impressionable spoony, and my
religious outlook taken in the shadow of the Churches and reading no
farther than the cloudy horizons of Ober-Ammergau.

Robert Buchanan.

London: March 12, 1884.




THE NEW ABELARD


PROEM

               Shipwreck... What succour?--

                   On the gnawing rocks

               The ship grinds to and fro with thunder-shocks,

               And thro’ her riven sides with ceaseless rush

               The foam-fleck’d waters gush:

               Above, the soot-black sky;