The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-10-04
influence of the Arabs on European Civ.
ilIzation

at is probable that at no time during
the middle ages was Europe entirely with
ont schools. In the first centuries of the
Chrisiian era under the Roman Empire
rec public schools had been maintained in
the cities and towns. Provision was made
by the state for the payment OF the teach
ers: certain privileges and immunitles were
slso attached to their positions, and they
formed an honored and influential class OF
citizens. The chief object of the teaching
in these schools was to form the orator, and
the schools of Gaul were especially famous
for their success. .,
sin the fifth century these schools fell
into rapid decay before the Frankish con-
quest and the increasing Contamination
Of the people; for the Christians. not un:
naturally, considering the time, looked
with disfavor upon pagan schools and
the study of pagan authors. AS
these schools passed away, their place was
taken by cathedral and monasticsch I'M
der the direction of the clergy. In these
the course of study was based upon that OF
the older public schools, but everything
was given theological aim, and the object
sIwavs gent in view was the education Of
priests.
"These schools were greatly increased
and strengthened by Charlemagne, who en-
deayored to build up a permanent educa..
tiopal system throughout his empire, and
thew continued to exist and to flourish I'M
der his immediate successors.
"By the middle of the tenth century, per
haps even earlier, there had arisen in the
minds of some q desire Tor WIDER KNOW
rome. and, led by this desire, they had Wis
tied the Arabian schools in Spain ana
southern Italy, and from that time on an
incr, asing number sought in those schools
the advantages for study which were not to
he toupd elsewhere. Many of those thus
educated, on their return to Christendom,
established schools of their own, in which
they taught to others the learning they had
ACQUIRED. Such one was Gerbert, h
established a school at Rheims IN the tent
century, and astonished his contemporaries
by setting up steam organ and by other
wonderful contrivances. Certainly his
mathematical and astronomical knowledge,
whether learned among the Arabs or not,
was remarkable. He was appointed pope
by the Emperor Ohio III. in the year 999,
aud took the name of Sylvester II. His
learning seemed so marvellous to the men
OF that day that he was popularity supposed
to be q wizard, and 1t was finally reported
that the devil carried him of In terrible
storm.
"Under the influence Of opposite feelings,
It is very easy, on the one hand, greatly to
underestimate the influence of the Arabs
on European civilization, and, on the other,
to overestimate it as greatly. 1t is very
likely impossible to point out that infiu-
epce exactly, but we shall not be far wrong
IN stating the two most important features
OF It. ,s .,o
puardians, during the darkest ages, of
much which the ancient world had gained.
This was particularly true of the scientific
work of the Greeks, for which the Arabs
seem to have had natural taste. The dis
coyeries which the Greeks had made,
the Arabs received from Europe, in the
east, at time when the eastern mind was
wholly occupied with abstruse theological
speculations, and when the western mind
was sunk in Ignorance. These results OF
Europe, in the west, and. when the Euro
pean mind became capable of advance once
more. they returned to it the results which
the past had gained.
"This may be well illustrated III the case
of Aristotle. However authoritative the
name of Aristotle may have been during
the eleventh and twelfth centuries, 1t was
only his logic which had been known. His
scientific works are first brought to the
knowledge of The west, at the beginning OF
the thirteenth century, through Latin trans
latiops made from Arabic versions OF those
works. Nor was it always the case that the
Arabic translation was the only step be-
tween the Greek original and the Latin
version, Renan has given us a good state
ment of the number of links which some.
times connect the knowledge of the west
with the knowledge of the Greeks. in re-
Winding us, when we are disposed to find
fault with the crudities ofthe Arabian phi
losopher Averroes, that the editors OF his
works furnish us only latin translation oil
a Hebrew translation of the commentary
which he made upon an Arabic translation
oil : Syriao TRANSLATION OF the Greek text
"In the second place, with their great
universities and libraries, the Arabiens
stood ready to ford to Europe that means
of instruction which 1t might not have
found elsewhere.
"To these two points must be added the
fact that in some branches Of tearing. espe-
cially in the sciences, Arabian studies made
considerable additions Of their own TO the
stock OF previous knowledge. But these,
though very valuable in the several lines OF
investigation to which they relate, were OF
little importance to the general civilization
when compared with the other services
mentioned. n-T"Medinval Civilization" by
George Benton Adams.
Mr.. ]. J. Girard's mare has been found,
and by calling at the HERALD Office he can