386 INTRODUCTORY LECTURES. 



means of destroying their credit, in so much that there is no 

 appearance of their having had any after his time. 



What we know of Greek or Roman physic after the time 

 of Galen, was entirely upon his model. There were three or 

 four physicians of some note, and whose writings still remain. 

 In these we find some particulars of practice added, but the 

 general scheme of theory and plan of practice were exactly the 

 same as those of Galen. It happened, indeed, unluckily for 

 physic, that Galen lived at a period when literature and science 

 were beginning to decline; -and when, at such a period, any 

 system happens to acquire considerable credit, it has the effect 

 of checking the further progress of science. The ingenious are 

 often too modest to attack established characters, though they 

 may perceive their blemishes, while the great horde of physi- 

 cians are always servile imitators, who can neither perceive nor 

 correct the faults of their system, and are always ready to growl 

 at, and even to worry the ingenious person that could attempt 

 it. Thus was the system of Galen secured in the possession of 

 the schools of physic, till soon after the irruption of the Goths 

 and Vandals destroyed every vestige of literature in the western 

 parts of Europe, and drove all that remained of it to seek a 

 feeble protection at Constantinople. Here we know that liter- 

 ature subsisted for a long time, but in such a sickly and lan- 

 guishing state as to be incapable of any improvement. Ac- 

 cordingly physic received none ; the system of Galen and that 

 even in a mean state and condition continued to be there the 

 only physic known. For some time the only science that sub- 

 sisted in the whole of Europe, or the western parts of Asia, 

 was the little that was to be found in the territories of Constan- 

 tinople; but, in the ninth century, it had some revival in 

 another quarter, of which we must take notice. 



In the seventh century, a new religion and a new empire had 

 arisen in Arabia. This empire arose amongst a rude illiterate 

 people ; and it arose from superstition, which is always fatal to 

 literature. Accordingly, as it first extended itself, it destroyed, 

 wherever it came, all the remains of art and science. But at 

 length, becoming a great empire, it happily acquired some 

 monarchs disposed to the arts of peace and the cultivation of 

 learning. For this, however, the Saracens had no funds of 





