DURING THE MIDDLE AGE. 97 



the eight century made Bagdad the feat of the 

 .Babylonian empire, whether from thoroughly 

 undei (landing the Alcoran, or from the affec- 

 tion he bore to the fciences, became famous for 

 learning, and for his (kill in aftronomy efpeci- 

 ally, to which he had always given a preference. 

 After him the encouragement given to fciencc 

 daily incrcafcd. Harun or Aaron Rafchid, who 

 \vas cotcmporary with Charles the Great, lived 

 in liabits of intimacy with feveral philofophcrs, 

 mul took great delight in their convcrfations. 

 But, of all the princes of Arabia, his fon Abdal- 

 la Almamun was by far the mod diflinguiilicd. 

 This Prince held the reins of government from 

 the year 815 to 831, not icfs celebrated for his 

 clemency than for the ardour with which he cn- 

 rouraged letters. At groat pains and cxpcnce 

 he collected books in all languages, and had 

 them accurately tranflated, and carefully pre- 

 fcrvcd. Negotiating a peace with Michael the 

 III. among other conditions, he ilipulatcd for 

 permiifion to collect and export in Greece what- 

 ever books he wanted. From this period we 

 find the fciences protected every where in the 

 Eaft, and in Africa. The Arabs highly ho- 

 noured thole who cultivated learning, and in- 

 ftituted academics for the propagation of know- 

 ledge. But they fecmed to fet the highcft va- 

 lue on aftronomy and alchcmiftry, which \vcrc 

 Jit this time abfolutcly infeparabjc. Indeed, it 

 G was 



