1 70 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



We seem to see in him a Pascal of the thirteenth 

 century ; and this all the more that Michael Scot 

 resembled that great genius not only in the mystical 

 and superstitious side of his nature but in his devo- 

 tion to mathematical science. How piquant is the 

 contrast between this mighty and gifted child of the 

 mist and the northern hills and those sunny southern 

 lands of grape and fig, of white cliff, marble column 

 and laughing summer sea, where most of his life was 

 spent. No wonder that those among whom Michael 

 Scot lived found him somewhat of a mystery at all 

 times, and, especially in these later days of his 

 burdened spirit, took him for a Mage, weaving his 

 dark sayings into regular prophecies. The Latin 

 races have never been famous for their power to com- 

 prehend the northern character. How much less 

 was it likely they should in the case of one who 

 seems to have presented every feature of that racial 

 type in its extremest form ? In our own day this 

 incapacity takes the way of accusing as madness all 

 that it cannot fathom of Celtic or Teutonic ways. 

 In the times of Scot the same impatience found a 

 more modest expression. He was incomprehensible, 

 therefore he must be inspired ; gifted with the pro- 

 phet's divine and incommunicable fire. 



We may take it for granted that much of Michael 

 Scot's dissatisfaction and depression upon his dis- 

 appointment in seeking ecclesiastical preferment 

 arose from the feeling that he had made a great 

 sacrifice in vain. The best years of his life, and the 

 most strenuous labours of his mind, had been given 

 to his version of Averroes not without the hope that 

 he was here laying the foundation of a great literary 

 and philosophic fame. Moved by a prudence, which 



