The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-01-30
ORIGIN OF MODERN SCIENCE.
Professor John Draper Before the
New York University.

Professor John Draper Before the
New York University.
Professor John Draper delivered a
free lecture at New York, last week, in
the chapel of the University His sub
ject was: 1.-THE Origin Of Modern
Science" Substantially hesaid:
There are certain ideas which have
become dominat in the intellectual
world which we call science" Modern |
science is not, as generally supposed |
built upon elements derived from Greece
and Rome. This is a tradition without
foundation. Science owes more TO
Alexandria than TO Athens. There
Euclid, Ptolemny, Apollonius, Hip
parchus and Archimedes studied. The
speaker, when boy, was impressed by
the fact that the names of stars are
Arabic. One of them, situated thirty
two degrees from the South pole of the
heavens, and which did not show north
of Egypt or Arabia, he specially noticed.
The heavens have been spread like
scroll, upon which man may record his
thoughts. Some say the Arabians were
commentators. But since they CLASH
fed the stars they must be regarded as
original discoveries and philosophers.
This false idea arose from political ami
mosities. 1t is necessary to study all
the phrases of the history of thought
to reach its real springs. Every event
and action is the result of foregone
event or action. We can only see the
nearest links of the chain of destiny.
We can not see who or what holds the
first link. The old magicians were said
to have magic crystals in which, when
they looked, would appear past events.
The Doctor imagined himself reading
history in such a crystal Twenty cen
turtles ago Rome ruled n large part of
the world. The Caesars were worshipped
as gods, though their dominion of this
planet even was far from universal
Some feeble Syrian fishermen were
then plying their trade by Ctalilee whose
labors were destined to have mighty re-
suits. -Four centuries later. the faith
they had taught had spread through the
Roman Empire. A great battle is fought
by Constantine and he becomes autocrat
of the empire. He degrades Rome into
a provincial city, builds new capital.
and legalizes a new religion. Three
centuries later, III n corner of Arabic, an
earnest man has been persuading his
neighbors to worship God. He wins
victories over souls MS well as bodies.
His Arabian army overrun the Holy
Land. They capture Asia Minor,
Egypt, SNnd all of North Africa. They
established themselves in Spain. The
Emperor and Sultan are then confront
ed. France is in danger of falling.
when Caliph at Damascus, orders his
armies TO halt. He is disobeyed. A
barefooted envoy comes from Damascus
seizes the general before his army, and
takes him to Damascus, and France is
saved. Twice has Rome ruled Europe
once by her CAESARS, once 10y her Popes.
In the twelfth century the two great
powers, Christian and Mohammedan.
were still confronted. The capture of
the Holy Sepuleher was taken as an in
suit to all Christendom. The Popes
had made that place a test OF their le-
gitimacy. But they had to let it 90.
and it remains still in the hands of the
Moslem. The prestige Of the Papacv
was shaken by the failure of the Cru
sades. The vanquished bitterly hated
the victors. Rome was now sinking in
decay. The Caesar palaces were mould
ering. Columns, temples, arches IN
ruins, added only desolation to the
scence. The chief towns of Europe had
only novels for houses. Streets were
unpaved. There were no sewers OF
aqueducts. Windows and beds were
lacking. Clothing once put on remain.
ed on the person till it rotted. Resort
to shrines was the only medicine
Meanwhile Bagdad and Cairo were full
of luxury, elegance and comfort. They
had baths, libraries and splendid dining
halls. City and country we're full O.
happiness. Their feasts were marked
by sobriety instead of the drunken was
sail of the barbarous north. Again
while Rome denied all right of privat,
Judgment among the Christians, among
the Moslems the human mind was un
fettered. School-houses stood by al
the mosques. Greek classics were care
fully studied. On one point they wer,
oircumscribed: they could not max,
pictures or paintings, as they were for
hidden to make ''graven images" Blu
a reaction ensued. 1t was impossible,
that the refinement Seville should no
sooner or later pass into France TIL
south of France soon felt the charm O
the troubadours. Tasso, Petrarch, an,
Dante led the way into civilization
The science of the Saracens brough
Luthers TO Lanuedoc four centuries be
fsre they appeared in Germany. limo
cent the Third saw the danger from
these bright Moorish innovators. II,
had Languedoc wasted with fire ans
sword. The Saracenic science ma
most disturbed the Popes was tn,
Arabic science of Arithmetic. Tn
Arabs had improved on the enumeration
received from the Hindoos. Their sts
tenn is most wonderful and simple. w,
speak Arabic when we use the wor,
"cipher. But the Arabians ais,
taught Europe its algebra. They wer
the authors of most of the curren
mathematical rules. In trigonometr
they introduced sines." They sal
&" the symbols of geometry by thinkin
for us save as the trouble" They Civ
us the rudiments of chemistry. The
give us nitric and muriatie acid, an,
other chemicals. They introduced ia
trRusmutation Of metals as a possibility