Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/435

Rh AVERROES [], one of the most subtle Arabian philosophers, was a native of Corduba, and flourished in the twelfth century. He was instructed in the laws and the religion of the country by his father, who was high priest and chief judge (under the emperor of Morocco) of the kingdom of

Corduba, his authority extending over all Andalusia and Valencia. Averroes was professor in the university of Morocco, and after the death of his father succeeded to his places; the duties whereof he discharged with great approbation, being eminently skilled in law and divinity.

He had also studied natural philosophy, medicine, astrology, and mathematics: but understood the theory of medicine much better than the practice. The king of Morocco making him an offer of the place of judge of Morocco and Mauritania, with leave to keep those he held at Corduba, he accepted it; went over to Morocco; and having settled judges as his subdelegates, returned to Corduba.

He referred all criminal causes to his deputy, never giving his own opinion. One Abraham Ibnu Sahal, a philosopher, physician, and astrologer at Corduba, in an unlucky hour fell in love, and began to write verses, without any regard to his character as a doctor.

The Jews, his brethren in religion, Hotting. advising him not to publish them, he returned them a profane answer in verse. This obliged them to apply to the civil magistrate. They represented to Averroes, that Sahal had debauched the whole city, and especially the youth of both sexes, by his poems, and that nothing else was sung at the marriage feasts. Averroes for bad him to write any more under a penalty; but being afterwards informed that his prohibition could not stop the poetical humour of the Jew, he resolved to be assured of the truth of it; and sent to him a trusty person, who reported, at his return, that be found no- body at his house but Averroes' eldest son, writing verses and that there was neither man, woman, nor child at Corduba, who had not got by heart Abraham Ibnu Sahal's verses. Upon this Averroes dropped the prosecution, saying, "Can one single hand stop a thousand mouths?"

Observing one day at a bookseller's hop, that the Koran was sold for a ducat, while ten pistoles were readily given for the poems of this Jew Averroes; cried out, "This city will be soon destroyed; for the people neglect all religion, and set a value upon what is unlawful and criminal. And