'316 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters. 
-erature in the vernacular was also produced at this time, espe¬ 
cially in France, but since none of it was ever admitted into the 
schools, where Latin alone prevailed, its rivalry with the Latin 
classics is hard to trace. 
(3) The thirteenth century was in many ways an era of 
science. Contact with the East in general and the Mohamme¬ 
dans in particular, brought about by the Crusades, had quickened 
scientific interest in the West. Towards the end of the twelfth 
century the Engishman Daniel de Morlai went to Spain to learn 
science from the famous Arab teachers at Toledo. About 
this time the natural philosophy of Aristotle was introduced 
into Western Europe and became an Important stimulus to 
scientific study and investigation. The branches of the qwad- 
rivium seem to have been fairly popular at Paris for Jacques de 
Vitry preached against them as vain learning in the same ser¬ 
mon in which he denounced the classics. In the “Battle of the 
Seven Liberal Arts” Astronomy decided the day by flinging 
her lightning among the tents of the authors of Orleans. The 
scientific trend of the age may be seen in the works of Albert 
the Great, but above all in those of Eoger Bacon, in many ways 
the most remarkable man of the thirteenth century. But there 
imust have been many minor lights in science like that Peter of 
■Maricourt whom Eoger Bacon met at Paris and whom he de¬ 
scribed as a true experimental scientist. This scientific move¬ 
ment did not bear much fruit in the work of medieval 
universities, but while it was in its vigor, it helped to detract 
interest from classic literature. 
(4) The practical studies of medicine and law rose to such 
importance that they became the foundation stones of many 
large universities. Indeed, civil or canon law, or both, were 
taught at all the medieval universities whereas not even one- 
half of them had a faculty of theology. These branches exer¬ 
cised great attraction by the prospect of pecuniary gain which 
they held out to students. Hence in their eagerness to study 
law or medicine students not only neglected the ancient authors, 
but often failed to acquire the necessary elements of grammar. 
‘“The Battle of the Seven Libetal Arts' speaks of the physi- 
