Science and Literature in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance

ITH this new and last volume, the subject of which is not less replete with interest than that of the three preceding volumes, we bring to a close our work upon the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

In the beginning of the Middle Ages, at the commencement of the fifth century, the Barbarians made an inroad upon the old world; their renewed invasions crushed out, in the course of a few years, the Greek and Roman civilisation; and everywhere darkness succeeded to light. The religion of Jesus Christ was alone capable of resisting this barbarian invasion, and science and literature, together with the arts, disappeared from the face of the earth, taking refuge in the churches and the monasteries. It was there that they were preserved as a sacred deposit, and it was thence that they emerged when Christianity had renovated pagan society. But centuries and centuries elapsed before the sum of human knowledge was equal to what it had been at the fall of the Roman empire. A new society, moreover, was needed for the new efforts of human intelligence as it resumed its rights. Schools and universities were founded under the auspices of the clergy and of the religious corporations, and thus science and literature were enabled to emerge from their tomb. Europe, amidst the tumultuous conflicts of the policy which made and unmade kingdoms, witnessed a general revival of scholastic zeal; poets, orators,

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novelists, and writers increased in numbers and grew in favour; savants, philosophers, chemists and alchemists, mathematicians and astronomers, travellers and naturalists, were awakened, so to speak, by the life-giving breath of the Middle Ages; and great scientific discoveries and admirable works on every imaginable subject showed that the genius of modern society was not a whit inferior to that of antiquity. Printing was invented, and with that brilliant discovery, the Middle Ages, which had accomplished their work of social renovation, made way for the Renaissance, which scattered abroad in profusion the prolific and brilliant creations of Art, Science, and Literature.

Such is the grand and imposing picture which we have attempted to bring before our readers in a concise form, limiting ourselves to narrative and description, and not plunging into the imaginary regions of theory and historical discussion. The impartial and truth-loving historian confines himself to narrative, and though his personal opinions must, as a matter of course, show themselves in his narrative of facts, whether given in detail or abridged, he should not seek to force them upon his readers by systematic violence and by efforts of philosophical demonstration. The history of the Middle Ages has, more than any other period, given rise to these excesses of conflicting opinions. According to some, everything relating to the Middle Ages is bad and blameworthy; according to others, everything is admirable and good. We are not concerned to pronounce between these two extreme opinions; we have written our narrative in all sincerity and truth, and our readers can judge for themselves. Moreover, the greater part of our work was done for us. With respect to this volume, as to the preceding ones, we have simply analyzed several chapters of our first book, "The Middle Ages and the Renaissance," completing, and in some cases amending, the collective work of our former collaborateurs, and adding at the same time to this work, which is now deservedly appreciated, the chapters which were wanting, and the absence of which showed that it was imperfect.

It is none the less a high honour for us to have had the planning of this work, which is unfortunately left incomplete, and to have superintended the execution of a literary enterprise which obtained the most honourable encouragement, and almost unanimous praise. Our dear friend Ferdinand Seré, who died while engaged upon it, had struck the right vein with regard to the illustration of this magnificent book, in which were to be reproduced so many

unpublished records of the art of drawing.

But we had fallen upon evil

times, and after expending much courage and perseverance, we had to stop before we had completed our programme, and terminate a work upon which we had spent so many years of labour. Thus "The Middle Ages and the Renaissance" had only five volumes instead of six.

I have written an absolutely new work, availing myself, however, of the original work, which remains as it was before. The four volumes of which the new work now consists are, at the same time, less extensive and more complete than the five volumes of the first one. Very few of the wood engravings which illustrate these four volumes, and none of the lithochromes, appeared in the first work.

With regard to the text, in compiling which I have made free use of the works of my former collaborateurs (so few of whom, alas! are alive to receive. my thanks), I have not scrupled to avail myself of the excellent works which have appeared since the publication of the first "Middle Ages," and which have enabled me to recast altogether certain parts of this book. Thus, to speak only of the present volume, I have revised the chapters on Philosophy and Universities, after the valuable treatises on philosophy and history by M. Ch. Jourdain; the chapter on Romances, after the latest researches of M. Paulin Paris and the works of MM. Gaston Paris and Léon Gautier; and the chapter on Popular Songs, after the report of M. Ampère to the Committee of the Learned Societies. If I have succeeded in bringing into my work some of the fresh information which I have derived in abundance from my contemporaries, the credit lies with them. But it must not be forgotten that each of my chapters forms a sort of monograph, and that this monograph has often been made the subject of one, or even of several special treatises.

I could only make a succinct, and often incomplete, summary in compiling this book, which comprises so many different subjects; but I have at all events conformed as nearly as possible to the instructions of the late M. FirminDidot, who urged me to "leave to others the display of profound and minute erudition; content yourself with being an ingenious, intelligent, and, if possible, an agreeable interpreter; try to make yourself read and understood by everybody. The greatest successes are achieved less by savants than by vulgarisers.'