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the pleasant people who inhabit that district are fit for all the labours of the
intellect。 They are a very mixed race； and； like most mixed races； quick…
witted； and handsome also。 There is probably much Roman blood
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among them； especially in the towns； for Languedoc； or Gallia
Narbonnensis； as it was called of old； was said to be more Roman than
Rome itself。 The Roman remains are more perfect and more interesting
so the late Dr。 Whewell used to say than any to be seen now in Italy； and
the old capital； Narbonne itself； was a plete museum of Roman
antiquities ere Francis I。 destroyed it； in order to fortify the city upon a
modern system against the invading armies of Charles V。 There must be
much Visigothic blood likewise in Languedoc： for the Visigothic Kings
held their courts there from the fifth century； until the time that they were
crushed by the invading Moors。 Spanish blood； likewise； there may be；
for much of Languedoc was held in the early Middle Age by those
descendants of Eudes of Aquitaine who established themselves as kings of
Majorca and Arragon； and Languedoc did not bee entirely French till
1349； when Philip le Bel bought Montpellier of those potentates。 The
Moors； too； may have left some traces of their race behind。 They held
the country from about A。D。 713 to 758； when they were finally expelled
by Charles Martel and Eudes。 One sees to this day their towers of
meagre stonework； perched on the grand Roman masonry of those old
amphitheatres； which they turned into fortresses。 One may see； tooso
tradition holds upon those very amphitheatres the stains of the fires with
which Charles Martel smoked them out； and one may see； too； or fancy
that one sees； in the aquiline features； the bright black eyes； the lithe and
graceful gestures； which are so mon in Languedoc； some touch of the
old Mahommedan race； which passed like a flood over that Christian land。
Whether or not the Moors left behind any traces of their blood； they
left behind； at least； traces of their learning； for the university of
Montpellier claimed to have been founded by Moors at a date of altogether
abysmal antiquity。 They looked upon the Arabian physicians of the
Middle Age； on Avicenna and Averrhoes； as modern innovators； and
derived their parentage from certain mythic doctors of Cordova； who；
when the Moors were expelled from Spain in the eighth century； fled to
Montpellier； bringing with them traditions of that primaeval science which
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had been revealed to Adam while still in Paradise； and founded
Montpellier； the mother of all the universities in Europe。 Nay； some went
farther still； and told of Bengessaus and Ferragius； the physicians of
Charlemagne； and of Marilephus； chief physician of King Chilperic； and
evenif a letter of St。 Bernard's was to be believedof a certain bishop
who went as early as the second century to consult the doctors of
Montpellier； and it would have been in vain to reply to them that in those
days； and long after them； Montpellier was not yet built。 The facts are
said to be： that as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century
Montpellier had its schools of law； medicine； and arts； which were erected
into a university by Pope Nicholas IV。 in 1289。
The university of Montpellier； likeI believemost foreign ones；
resembled more a Scotch than an English university。 The students lived；
for the most part； not in colleges； but in private lodgings； and constituted a
republic of their own； ruled by an abbe of the scholars； one of themselves；
chosen by universal suffrage。 A terror they were often to the respectable
burghers； for they had all the right to carry arms； and a plague likewise；
for； if they ran in debt； their creditors were forbidden to seize their books；
which； with their swords； were generally all the property they possessed。 If；
moreover； anyone set up a noisy or unpleasant trade near their lodgings；
the scholars could pel the town authorities to turn him out。 They
were most of them； probably； mere boys of from twelve to twenty； living
poorly； working hard； andthose at least of them who were in the
collegescruelly beaten daily； after the fashion of those times； but they
seem to have forted themselves under their troubles by a good deal of
wild life out of school； by rambling into the country on the festivals of the
saints； and now and then by acting plays； notably； that famous one which
Rabelais wrote for them in 1531： 〃The moral edy of the man who
had a dumb wife；〃 which 〃joyous PATELINAGE〃 remains unto this day in
the shape of a well… known ic song。 That edy young Rondelet
must have seen acted。 The son of a druggist； spicer； and grocerthe three
trades were then binedin Montpellier； and born in 1507； he had been
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destined for the cloister； being a sickly lad。 His uncle； one of the canons
of Maguelonne； near by； had even given him the revenues of a small
chapela job of nepotism which was mon enough in those days。 But
his heart was in science and medicine。 He set off； still a mere boy； to
Paris to study there； and returned to Montpellier； at the age of eighteen； to
study again。
The next year； 1530； while still a scholar himself； he was appointed
procurator of the scholarsa post which brought him in a small fee on
each matriculationand that year he took a fee； among others； from one of
the most remarkable men of that or of any age； Francois Rabelais himself。
And what shall I say of him？who stands alone； like Shakespeare； in
his generation； possessed of colossal learningof all science which could
be gathered in his daysof practical and statesmanlike wisdomof
knowledge of languages； ancient and modern； beyond all his peersof
eloquence； which when he speaks of pure and noble things bees heroic；
and； as it were； inspiredof scorn for meanness； hypocrisy； ignoranceof
esteem； genuine and earnest； for the Holy Scriptures； and for the more
moderate of the Reformers who were spreading the Scriptures in Europe；
and all this great light wilfully hidden； not under a bushel； but under a
dunghill。 He is somewhat like Socrates in face； and in character likewise；
in him； as in Socrates； the demigod and the satyr； the man and the ape； are
struggling for the mastery。 In Socrates； the true man conquers； and
es forth high and pure； in Rabelais； alas！ the victor is the ape； while
the man himself sinks down in cynicism； sensuality； practical jokes； foul
talk。 He returns to Paris； to live an idle； luxurious life； to diesays the
legendsaying； 〃I go to seek a great perhaps；〃 and to leave behind him
little save a school of Pantagruelistscareless young gentlemen； whose
ideal was to laugh at everything； to believe in nothing； and to gratify their
five senses like the brutes which perish。 There are those who read his
books to make them laugh； the wise man； when he reads them； will be far
more inclined to weep。 Let any young man who may see these words
remember； that in him； as in Rabelais； the ape and the man are struggling
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for the mastery。 Let him take warning by the fate of one who was to him
as a giant to a pigmy； and think of Tennyson's words …
Arise； and fly The reeling faun； the sensual feast； Strive upwards；
working out the beast； And let the ape and tiger die。
But to return。 Down among them there at Montpellier； like a
brilliant meteor； flashed this wonderful Rabelais； in the year 1530。 He had
fled； some say； for his life。 Like Erasmus； he had no mind to be a martyr；
and he had been terrified at the execution of poor Louis de Berquin； his
friend； and the friend of Erasmus likewise。 This Louis de Berquin； a man
well known in those days； was a gallant young gentleman and scholar；
holding a place in the court of Francis I。； who had translated into French
the works of Erasmus； Luther； and Melancthon； and had asserted that it
was heretical to invoke the Virgin Mary instead of the Holy Spirit； or to
call her our Hope and our Life； which titlesBerquin averredbelonged
alone to God。 Twice had the doctors of the Sorbonne； with that terrible
persecutor； Noel Beda； at their head； seized poor Berquin； and tried to
burn his books and him； twice had that angel in human form； Marguerite
d'Angouleme； sister of Francis I。； saved him from their clutches； but when
Francistaken prisoner at the battle of Pavia at last returned from his
captivity in Spain； the suppression of heresy and the burning of heretics
seemed to him and to his mother； Louise of Savoy； a thank…offering so
acceptable to God； that Louis Berquinwho would not； in spite of the
entreaties of Erasmus； purchase his life by silencewas burnt at last on the
Place de Greve； being first strangled； because he was of gentle blood。
Montpellier received its famous guest joyfully。 Rabelais was now
forty…two years old； and a distinguished savant； so they excused him his
three years' undergraduate's career； and invested him at once with the red
gown of the bachelors。 That red gownor； rather； the ragged phantom of
itis still shown at Montpellier； and must be worn by each bachelor when
he takes his degree。 Unfortunately； antiquarians assure us that the
precious garment has been renewed again and againthe students having
clipped bits of it away for relics； and clipped as earnestly from the new
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gowns as their predecessors had done from the authentic original。
Doubtless； the ing of such a man among them to lecture on the
Aphorisms of Hippocrates； and the Ars Parva of Galen； not from the Latin
translations then in use； but from original Greek texts； with ments and
corrections of his own； must have had a great influence on the minds of
the Montpellier students； and still more influence and that not altogether
a good onemust Rabelais's lighter t