PROGRESS AMONG THE ARABS. 49 



the precursors of modern science ; but the bulk of their 

 original work nevertheless remains an inheritance which the 

 most captious critics find it impossible either to ignore or 

 despise. Even erroneous theories were steps towards 

 scientific truth, generating as they did a verification which 

 involved additional researches and acquisitions. Our own 

 modern science was often hasty in its conclusions too, as the 

 history of astronomy or of geology shows ; but although the 

 Plutonian and Neptunian hypotheses are untenable to-day, 

 yet Hutton and Werner will always be considered scientific 

 men, because, of their theories, part at least has proved true. 

 This applies to the Arabs, and no less to the Arabs than 

 to the Greeks and ourselves. 



