PREFACE yi 



is after all of higher or more enduring importance. 

 The mind is free to take a wider range, and in 

 place of losing itself in the lesser facts of an 

 individual life, studies the intellectual move- 

 ments and gauges the progress of what was 

 certainly a remarkable epoch in philosophy, science, 

 and literature. The almost exact reproduction in 

 Spain during the thirteenth century of the Alex- 

 andrian school of thought and science and even 

 superstition ; the part played by the Arab race 

 in this curious transference, and the close relation 

 it holds to our modern intellectual life — if the 

 volume now published be found to throw light 

 on subjects so little understood, yet so worthy of 

 study, I shsll feel more than rewarded for the pains 

 and care spent in its preparation. 



In the course of researches among the libraries 

 of Scotland and Italy, of England and France, of 

 Spain and Germany, I have received much kindness 

 from the learned men who direct these institutions. 

 I therefore gladly avail myself of this opportunity to 

 express my thanks in general to all those who have 

 so kindly come to my help, and in particular to 

 Signor Comm. G. Biagi, and Signer Prof. E. 

 Bostagno of the Laurentian Library ; to Signore 

 L. Licini of the Biccardian Library ; to the Bev. 

 Padre Ehrle of the Vatican Library ; to Signor 

 Cav. Giorgi, and the Conte Passerini of the Casa- 

 natense ; to Signor Prof. Menghini of the Vittorio 

 Emanuele Library, Bome ; and to Signor Comm. 

 Cugnoni of the Chigi Library. I am also much 



