OF EDUCATION 21 



up to the high standard of its illustrious founders, 

 or the luxury and indolence of the East had taken 

 the place of the love of learning. But the methods 

 of that school had been carried by its patrons to 

 various parts of the world, and had taken root in 

 many a school in Arabia and Persia and in Europe., 

 But the long dark ages, that followed the downfall of 

 the Roman empire, blotted out of all Europe nearly 

 every trace of the intellectual light that had originated 

 in the Greek civilization. But in Asia, where Alex- 

 ander a thousand years before had collected the gold 

 to establish the great school, the science of the Greeks 

 had been kept alive, and under its influence the Arab- 

 ians and Syrians became a progressive people. Before 

 the ninth century they had excelled in learning all 

 the nations of the world at that time, and they held 

 that position for many centuries. 



Although Alexandria was partly destroyed, and 

 what Caesar had left of the great library was burned, 

 the ultimate effect of the Arabian wars of conquest 

 in the seventh century was to stimulate intellectual 

 activity, and greatly accelerate the progress of sound 

 learning. For the conquering armies, after they had 

 well-nigh destroyed the results of Greek learning and 

 culture, as they saw the ruined palaces, adorned with 

 every art, as they thought of the half million rare 

 books which they had destroyed, they became more 

 thoughtful, and repented of their wanton destruction 



