Fulbert’s fame rests chiefly on his success as a living teacher. This is indicated by hissurname.^1509 He was not an original thinker, but knew how to inspire his pupils with enthusiasm.^1510
His personality was greater than his learning. He wisely combined spiritual edification with
intellectual instruction, and aimed at the eternal welfare of his students. He used to walk with them
at eventide in the garden and to engage in familiar conversations on the celestial country; sometimes
he was overcome by his feelings, and adjured them with tears, never to depart from the path of
truth and to strive with all might after that heavenly home.^1511
His ablest pupil was Berengar of Tours, the vigorous opponent of transubstantiation, and
it has sometimes been conjectured that he derived his views from him.^1512 But Fulbert adhered to
the traditional orthodoxy, and expressed himself against innovations, in letters to his metropolitan,
Leutberich, archbishop of Sens. He regarded the real presence as an object of faith and adoration
rather than of curious speculation, but thought that it is not more difficult to believe in a
transformation of substance by Divine power than in the creation of substance.^1513 He was a zealous
worshipper of the saints, especially of the Virgin Mary, and one of the first who celebrated the
festival of her Nativity.
The works of Fulbert consist of one hundred and thirty-nine (or 138) Letters, including
some letters of his correspondents;^1514 nine Sermons;^1515 twenty-seven Hymns and Poems,,^1516 and
a few minor compositions, including probably a life of St. Autbert.^1517 His letters have considerable
interest and importance for the history of his age. The longest and most important letter treats of
three doctrines which he regarded as essential and fundamental, namely, the trinity, baptism, and
the eucharist.^1518
From the school of Gerbert at Rheims proceeded the school of Fulbert at Chartres, and from
this again the school of Berengar at Tours—all equally distinguished for popularity and efficiency.
(^1509) "Venerabilis ille Socrates" he is called by Adelmann.
(^1510) Reuter (I. 89) characterizes him very well: "Ein ungewöhnliches pädagogisches Talent ist sicher demjenigen eigen
gewesen, welchen die bewundernden Schüler den Socrates der Franken nannten. Die Persönlichkeit war ungleich grösser als
die wissenschaftliche Leistung, das individuell Anfassende bedeutsamer als die materielle Unterweisung. Nicht fähig originelle
Gedanken zu entwickeln und mitzutheilen, hat Fulbert als Bildner der Eigenthümlichkeit begabter Schüler seine Virtuosität in
der anreqenden Kraft seines Umgangs gezeigt. Dieser Lehrer wurde der Vater gar verschieden gestimmter wissenschaftlicher
Söhne."
(^1511) Adelmann, one of his pupils, in a letter to Berengar, his fellow-student, reminded him of these memorable conversations,
and warned him against error. See p. 554, and Neander, III. 502.
(^1512) By Bishop Cosin (in his Hist. Transsubstantiationis), as quoted by Robertson, If. 607.
(^1513) Ep. V. (Migne, col. 201): "Jam nunc ad illud Dominici corporis et sanguinis transeamus venerabile sacramentum,
quod quidem tantum formidabile est ad loquendum: quantum non terrenum, sed coeleste est mysterium; non humanae aestimationi
comparabile, sed admirable non disputandum, sed metuendum. De quo silere potius aestimaveram quam temeraria disputatione
indigne aliquid definire; quia coelestis altitudo mysterii plane non valet officio linguae corruptibilis exponi. Est enim mysterium
fide non specie aestimandum, non visu corporeo, sed spiritu intuendum." Then toward,; the close of the same letter (col. 204)
he says: "Si Deum omnia posse credis, et hoc consequitur ut credas; nec humanis disputationibus discernere curiosus insistes,
si creaturas quas de nihilo potuit creare, has ipsas multo magis valeat in excellentioris naturae dignitatem convertere, et in sui
corporis substantiam transfundere." The last phrase is nearly equivalent to transubstantiation.
(^1514) Epistolae, Migne, l.c. col. 189-278. Giesebrecht, Damberger, and Werner have analyzed and made much use of them.
(^1515) Sermones ad populum. Ibid. col. 317-340.
(^1516) Hymni et carmina ecclesiastica. Ibid. col. 339-352. See above, 96, p. 433.
(^1517) Vita S. Autberti, Cameracensis episcopi. Ibid. col. 355-368.
(^1518) Ep. V. (formerly Ep. 1, in Migne, col. 196 sqq.) De tribus quae sunt necessaria ad profectum Christianae religionis,
from the year 1007, addressed to his metropolitan superior. See the extract on the eucharist above, p. 784, note 3.