48 PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



Abbon of St. Germain (fl. 9901010), HlLDEBRAND (1013 

 1085), Lanfranc (100589), Berenger (105088), Roscelin 

 (030 89), St. Anselm (10341109),* all of whom were, 

 and remain, imposing or interesting historical figures, con- 

 tributed somewhat, in one way or another, to the spread of 

 light. True it is that the multitude remained steeped in 

 profound ignorance, but so, relatively, it does to this day. 

 But as it is the degree of intellect in conspicuous men which 

 serves as a standard to gauge the stage of advance and 

 improvement of any time, we may be sure that a certain 

 momentum was given to progress by the great men just 

 mentioned. After them, and from St. Bernard (1090 1153), 

 the twilight broadens by degrees into daylight, (i.) by the 

 concurrence of momentous events,t fatal to millions it is true, 

 but auspicious of good for the immediate future; and (II.) by 

 the rapid appearance of numerous geniuses, as we shall 

 be able to see in the following chapter. 



With this qualification to the contrast we have drawn, 

 the above sketch is the shortest account which can be given 

 of the Eastern contribution to the progress of mankind. 

 Most truly was Islam in the VAN OF CIVILISATION FOR 

 FIVE OR SIX CENTURIES, and we insist on this fact because 

 we moderns, in the legitimate pride we feel for our own 

 achievements, are prone to forget what is foreign to, and 

 remote from, us. The foregoing description will remind the 

 reader of what is due to the Arabs, and it is needless to say 

 that it leaves aside an immense amount of secondary work. 

 We clearly see that they were the connecting link between 

 the Greeks and ourselves, and that the assertion of a stand- 

 still for ages was as mistaken as it could possibly be. 



Modern scientists, no doubt, have pointed out many 

 flaws in the science of the Arabs, as they have indeed in 

 that of the Greeks ; the vast extension of the field of know- 

 ledge among us, our numerous and admirable means of 

 verification have made it easy for us to detect inaccuracies 

 of facts and occasional errors in the conclusions drawn by 



* John of Beverley (d. 722) and Bede (d. 735) might be added to those 

 names. 



f See Chapter VI. 



