38 CONNECTION OF BATH WITH THE 



of religious, who were eminently distinguished for 

 their learning. Amongst them was Adelard, a name 

 which deserves most especial notice. 



We know that while learning and science were 

 nearly extinct in Europe, they flourished under the 

 Caliphs. Adelard having acquired what could be 

 learned at home, visited Spain, Egypt, and Arabia. 

 He made himself master of the language of Arabia, 

 and learned what the Arabian professors could teach 

 him. He brought from those countries treatises in 

 natural philosophy; he is in fact the main link by 

 which Western science is connected with that of the 

 East. But he brought home a more precious volume 

 than any of the writings of the Arabian philosophers. 

 This is no less than the Elements of Euclid, not in 

 its original form indeed, but in an Arabic transla- 

 tion, from which Adelard made a Latin version that 

 continued to be used all over Europe till, some cen- 

 turies after, the Greek original was discovered. This 

 was a service such as few are able to render for 

 science ; and who shall attempt to calculate how 

 much is on this account due from all who love 

 science, and venerate those who advance it, to this 

 Athelardus Bathoniensis, who must a thousand times 

 have crossed the very ground on which, in these 

 later days, we have raised this temple to science. 

 But, besides having made himself master of Arabian 



