294 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Let us, in order to make the whole question clearer, hark back to 

 the middle ages. Contrasts are more strongly shown in their uncer- 

 tain light. The thirteenth century possessed two thoroughly complete 

 systems of science. One of them was worked out by Albertus Magnus 

 with profound learning and at great length. It was a presentation of 

 all the knowledge of the ancients enriched by the observations of the 

 author. It was full of novelties. It stimulated, interested and in- 

 structed, and was in no important respect antagonistic to the current 

 beliefs of his time. It was expounded, too, in a manner that inspired 

 respect and won friendly recognition. The system of Eoger Bacon 

 was, on the other hand, hardy and original. It was set forth with a 

 harsh arrogance that offended all the minds it was intended to con- 

 vince. It was filled with diatribes against the pope, the cardinals, the 

 Franciscans, the Dominicans, the clergy, the laity. It convicted Aris- 

 totle and the ancients of many faults. It pointed out errors in the 

 writings of the fathers of the church and in the Vulgate. It exalted 

 the morality of heathen philosophers like Seneca above the teachings 

 of Christian preachers. It was, of course, not free from errors of its 

 own. How could it be? 



Both Albertus Magnus and Bacon, like all the men of their time, 

 admitted astrology to a place among the sciences. Every one agreed 

 that the stars influenced the destinies of individual men. Bacon went 

 further and declared that the future of religious systems depended on 

 conjunctions of the planets; that Christianity would perish at a future 

 conjunction of the moon with Jupiter ! He believed in this insane 

 folly with just the same sincerity as in his wonderfully intelligent 

 and essentially correct theory of the rainbow; and he enforced it with 

 like vigor. 



The originality of Bacon's mind shocked the timid opinion of his 

 time. The harshness of his character swept the earth free of friends. 

 The errors of his astrology gave a handle to his enemies. In this 

 matter they were more nearly right than he. Is it any wonder that 

 he was disciplined and imprisoned by generals of the Franciscans, 

 whom he had attacked; that the chapters of his order fully confirmed 

 his sentences ; that the popes approved them ? 



Was his fate the result of a warfare between religion and science? 

 Let us consider the question closely. The doctrines of Bacon were 

 condemned by the church, the true doctrines along with the false. 

 Church dignitaries chose the Dominican friar, Albertus Magnus, as 

 their representative rather than the Franciscan friar, Boger Bacon. 

 We, to-day, after six centuries of struggle with ignorance, know that 

 Bacon's system, as a whole, is wonderfully original, comprehensive, 

 correct in method, fruitful in results. We entirely forget his errors; 

 we are amazed at his profound intelligence. Great as Albertus was in 

 his time, we, to-day, see that his contribution to the world's ideas is 



