PROGRESS AMONG THE ARABS. 47 



Whereas they were accused of witchcraft in Europe 



and PERSECUTED accordingly. 



This comparison between Islam and Christendom presents 

 as striking a contrast as any that can be offered in the whole 

 of the historical period. It is, however, only bare justice 

 to state, that although it is absolutely true in the main, yet 

 Christendom during the mediaeval epoch was not wholly 

 wrapped in intellectual night. For Christianity, as a creed, 

 besides restraining violence to a considerable extent for 

 hundreds of years, was slowly elevating the European com- 

 munity, and preparing it for that evolution of new morals* 

 and new idealsf which must of necessity conduce to en- 

 lightenment. The Church, as an organised body, by pro- 

 tecting, as it did, the weak from the strong ; the Clergy, as 

 a teaching association, by keeping up the tradition of ancient 

 culture and a taste for letters in a certain measure even in 

 the Vlth and Vllth centuries, did an immense amount of 

 good work in the same direction. Furthermore, streaks of 

 light, harbingers of the dawn, were casting a more or less 

 visible glow all through the period, except perhaps two 

 centuries, and were bringing in a lasting and hopeful twilight. 

 Remarkable minds, from the midst of general barbarism and 

 want of knowledge, shed a sort of lustre over each century 

 after the seventh. In the lay world we find a CHARLEMAGNE 

 (742 814), and an ALFRED (849 901), who promote pro- 

 gress, and whose efforts are seconded by Paul Diaconus 

 (d. 796), Theodulf of Spain, Clement of Ireland, Peter of 

 Pisa, and still more by ALCUIN (d. 804), ANGILBERT (d. 814), 

 EGINHARD (d. 844), ERIGENAJ (d. 875), with a certain 

 degree of success. In the Church, also, notable intellects 

 appeared. Gregory I. (590604), Gregory II. (71631), 

 Gregory III. (73146), Leo III. (795816), Hincmar (806 

 882),GERBERT (9501003), Richer of St. Remi (fl. 9601000), 



* Philippe Augustus was compelled to take back his wife Ingeburge 

 (1213) whom he had repudiated. 



t In 1226 there were 200 hospitals and 2,000 leper-houses in France 



alone. 



J The only man who knew Greek in the whole West. Alter him, for 

 five centuries, that language was totally unknown. 



