The Republican journal., 1881-12-08


the vine clad hills, and-the smell of garlic But
Prof Harrison, whose sketches of travel abroad
have given him an extended literary reputation,
tells us of much more than that Il begins with
the reign of the Visigattes, about the year A. d.
$50, and so, chronicing the battles fought on
Spanish soil, some of them ranking among the
most important Of the world, and pctunng with
graphic pen the manners and customs of the peo-
pie, he brings the reader down to modern Spain.
Particularly interesting is the account given of
Arabian culture in the eighth century. Scientific
and artistic activity refinement Of manners, the
essentials Of polite and comprehensive educa
ton, were universal The weathiest scholars of
the day assembled in winter in rooms perfumed
with musk and amber, the floors covered with
slken and woollon carpets and sprnked with
rose water, while groups of grave Mussulmans
gathered around a cylinder Of glowing Goals in the
centre, and discussed With Oriental subtety, pas
sages and verses from the Koran Translations of
the Greek geometers. Of Euclid. Archimedes and
Apolonius for time satisfied their craving for
mathematics but by the tenth century, they had
begun 10 solve quadratjc and cubic equations, and
to investigate profoundly the laws of spherical
trgonometry. Their skill in hydraulics is attest
ed by the marvellous system Of irrigation which
they introduced into Spain, and which survives
there to day and optics and hydrostaties
were studied by them, They ware famous physi
clans. and, later on became deeply versed in the
writings Of Galen and Hippocrates Their kuowl
elge Of chemistry, obvious III the many terms
which the Europeans have borrowed from them
aIkali alcohol alembic, and the ke-and in the
apothecayy's symb5Is extended to many prepara
tons Of laercdry, arsenic metallic sulphates, and
healing herbs Their skill IN metallurgy, in enam-
elling, in delicate maujpulations Of gold, silver
| copper and porcelain. is seen in the well known
| Damascus blades, the wonderful vase OF the Al
hambra, and the Jevelnd dagger hilts Of the Kha-
| lifts, Writing paper is said to have been known
at Mecca early II the eighth century the inven-
ton Of gHnpowder which afterwards played SO
effective part III Ferdinand and lsabella's cam
! pa'sns against tie Moors, IS attributed by some to
| them The pendulum and a species Of telegraph
We're claimed to have been introduced by the
Arabs into Europe, with the silk cocoon the sugar
cane, the date palm and the cotton plant and to
! them the invention of the mariners compass is
! attributed. tordova became so celebrated for its
| preparations Of leather tanned by means of the
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vestigated aud discussed. The history Of modern
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