28 THE NEW METHOD 



at that time the spirit of the " new education". In 

 the course of time these men began to organize for 

 educational purposes, France, Italy, and Germany 

 taking the lead. Academies of art and science sprang 

 up, only to be closed by the ecclesiastical power. Men 

 who wished to pursue science must do it in solitude 

 and silence, if they would escape the cruelties of that 

 ignorant and intolerant age. But the time came when 

 the light of science could no longer be smothered, 

 for it had been kindled in too many places, and the 

 darkness of the middle ages must disappear. From 

 Spain an influence had gone forth over Europe that 

 the fires of the inquisition could not destroy. The 

 astronomy of Pythagoras had been revived in Arabia 

 and was silently taking deep root in Europe. In the 

 interest of commerce, sailors and merchants were se- 

 cretly consulting astronomers as to the size and shape 

 of the earth, and a better passage to India. Intel- 

 lectual activity was increasing in every part of Europe. 

 The spirit of individualism and adventure had been 

 awakened by the three great voyages. 



People were eager to hear the news of the day, the 

 wonders of science, the stories of the new world, 

 of the mountains of gold in Peru, and of silver in 

 Mexico. 



The two impulses, the intellectual and the moral 

 combined, which finally brought the dark ages to an 

 end, did not spring up at once. Both were germinat- 



