296 PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 



by some modern writers 18 , to have shown some 

 power of original thinking in his representations 

 of the Aristotelian Logic and Metaphysics. Aver- 

 roes (Ebn Roshd) of Cordova, was the most illus- 

 trious of the Spanish Aristotelians, and became 

 the guide of the schoolmen 19 , being placed by them 

 on a level with Aristotle himself, or above him. 

 He translated Aristotle from the first Syriac ver- 

 sion, not being able to read the Greek text. He 

 aspired to, and retained for centuries, the title of 

 the Commentator; and he deserves this title by 

 the servility with which he maintains that Aris- 

 totle 20 carried the sciences to the highest possible 

 degree, measured their whole extent, and fixed 

 their ultimate and permanent boundaries ; although 

 his works are conceived to exhibit a trace of the 

 New Platonism. Some of his writings are directed 

 against an Arabian skeptic, of the name of Al- 

 gazel, whom we have already noticed. 



When the schoolmen had adopted the supre- 

 macy of Aristotle to the extent in which Averroes 

 maintained it, their philosphy went further than 

 a system of mere commentation, and became a 

 system of dogmatism; we must, therefore, in another 

 chapter, say a few words more of the Aristotelians 

 in this point of view, before we proceed to the 

 revival of science; but we must previously con- 

 sider some other features in the character of the 

 Stationary Period. 



18 Deg. iv. 206. 19 Ib. iv. 247- Averroes died A. D. 1206. 



20 Deg. iv. 248. 



