212 COSMOS. 



merit to the mental culture of the mass of the people. It is 

 not my object in the present work to give a characteristic 

 sketch of the far-extended and variously-developed literature 

 of the Arabs, or to distinguish the elements that spring from 

 the hidden depths of the organization of races, and the natu- 

 ral unfolding of their character, from those which are owing to 

 external inducements and accidental controlling causes. The 

 solution of this important problem belongs to another sphere ol 

 ideas, while our historical considerations are limited to a frag- 

 mentary enumeration of the various elements which have con- 

 tributed, in mathematical, astronomical, and physical science, 

 toward the diffusion of a more general contemplation of the 

 universe among the Arabs. 



Alchemy, magic, and mystic fancies, deprived by scholastic 

 phraseology of all poetic charm, corrupted here, as elsewhere, 

 in th^ Middle Ages, the true results of inquiry ; but still the 

 Arabs have enlarged the views of nature, and given origin to 

 many new elements of knowledge, by their indefatigable and 

 independent labors, while, by means of careful translations into 

 their own tongue, they have appropriated to themselves the 

 fruits of the labors of earlier cultivated generations. Atten- 

 tion has been justly drawn to the great difference existing in 

 the relations of civilization between immigrating Germanic 

 and Arabian races.* The former became cultivated after their 

 immigration ; the latter brought with them from their na- 

 tive country not only their religion, but a highly-polished lan- 

 guage, and the graceful blossoms of a poetry which has not 

 been wholly devoid of influence on the Provencals and Minne- 



smgers. 



The Arabs possessed remarkable qualifications alike for ap- 

 propriating to themselves, and again diffusing abroad, the seeds 

 of knowledge and general intercourse, from the Euphrates to 

 the Guadalquivir, and to the south of Central Africa. They 

 exhibited an unparalleled mobility of character, and a tenden- 

 cy to amalgamate with the nations whom they conquered, 

 wholly at variance with the repelling spirit of the Israelitish 

 castes, while, at the same time, they adhered to their national 

 character, and the traditional recollections of their original 

 home, notwithstanding their constant change of abode. No 

 other race presents us with more striking examples of extens- 

 ive land journeys, undertaken by private individuals, not only 

 for purposes of trade, but also with the view of coUeoting iu- 



* Heinrich Ritter, Gesch. der Chrlst'ichen Pkilosofhie. th. i;i., 1844, 

 «. 669-676. 



