230 PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 



of Plato, the practice of Aristotle, and the general propensities of the 

 human mind : I mean the opinion that all science may be obtained by 

 the use of reasoning alone ; that by analyzing and combining the 

 notions which common language brings before us, we may learn all 

 that we can know. Thus Logic came to include the whole of Science ; 

 and accordingly this Abelard expressly maintained. 5 I have already 

 explained, in some measure, the fallacy of this belief, which consists, 

 as has been well said, 6 " in mistaking the universality of the theory of 

 language for the generalization of facts." But on all accounts this 

 opinion is readily accepted ; and it led at once to the conclusion, that 

 the Theological Philosophy which we have described, is" complete as 

 well as true. 



Thus a Universal Science was established, with the authority of a 

 Religious Creed. Its universality rested on erroneous views of the re- 

 lation of words and truths ; its pretensions as a science were admitted 

 by the servile temper of men's intellects ; and its religious authority 

 was assigned it, by making all truth part of religion. And as Eeligion 

 claimed assent within her own jurisdiction under the most solemn and 

 imperative sanctions, Philosophy shared in her imperial power, and 

 dissent from their doctrines was no longer blameless or allowable. Error 

 became wicked, dissent became heresy ; to reject the received human 

 doctrines, was nearly the same as to doubt the Divine declarations. The 

 Scholastic Philoso2)hy claimed the assent of all believers. 



The external form, the details, and the text of this philosophy, were 

 taken, in a great measure, from Aristotle ; though, in the spirit, the 

 general notions, and the style of interpretation, Plato and the Platouists 

 had no inconsiderable share. Various causes contributed to the eleva- 

 tion of Aristotle to this distinction. His Logic had early been adopted 

 as an instrument of theological disputation ; and his spirit of systemati- 

 zation, of subtle distinction, and of analysis of words, as well as his 

 disposition to argumentation, afforded the most natural and grateful 

 employment to the commentating propensities. Those principles which 

 we before noted as the leading points of his physical philosophy, were 

 selected and adopted ; and these, presented in a most technical form, and 

 applied in a systematic manner, constitute a large portion of the philos- 

 ophy of which we now speak, so far as it pretends to deal with physics. 



2. Scholastic Dogmas. But before the complete ascendency of Aris- 

 totle was thus established, when something of an intellectual waking 



Detr. iv. 4' '7. " Enc. Hit. 807. 



