60 LITERATURE OF THE ARABS. 



cn his son. The Saracens were protected m the 

 enjoyment of their property and rehg-ion ; but the 

 island was restored to the jurisdiction of tlie Roman 

 pontiff, who planted the principal cities with new 

 bishops, and gratified the clergy by a liberal endow 

 ment of the churches and monasteries. 



CHAPTER III. 



LITERATURE OF THE ARABS. 



The Arabs turn their Attention to Learning — Their rapid Pro- 

 gress — Literary Ardour and Patronage of tlie Caliphs — Haroun 

 al Raschid — Almamoun — Vathek — College of Mostanser aS 

 Bagdad — Academies and Libraries founded in Persia, Syria 

 Eg>'pt, Africa, and Spain — Course of Study in the SaraceN 

 . Schools — Grammar — Rhetoric — Poetry — Tales -— Arabiai* 

 Nights' Entertainments— Story-tellers— History— Biography— 

 "Numismatics — Geography — Statistics — Metaphysics — Medi 

 cine and Medical Authors — Rhazes — Avicenna — Pharmacy- 

 Anatomy and Surgery — Botany — Chymistry — Astrology — As 

 tronomy — Optics — Mathematics — Trigonometry — Algebra- 

 Arithmetic — Architecture — The Fine Arts — Painting — Cal 

 ligraphy^Music — Agriculture — Manufactures in Steel, Por 

 celain, and Leather — Claims of the Arabs as the Restorers 

 of Letters and the Importers of useful Arts and Inventions in 

 Europe. 



It was at a period when ignorance and barbarism 

 overspread every part of the Western World, that 

 literature and philosophy found an asylum in the 

 schools of the Saracens. Unlike the Goths and 

 Huns, they became the instructers and enlighteners 

 of the countries they had conquered. Their stern 

 fanaticism yielded to the mild influence of letters ; 

 and, by a singular anomaly in the history of nations, 

 Europe became indebted to the implacable enemies 

 of her religion and her liberties for her most valu- 



