Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 75.djvu/351

Rh The Revival of Learning.—But the human mind, ever restive to discover the relation between causes and effects in the production of natural phenomena, would not permanently brook this restraint. The minds of the more energetic and independent thinkers revolted against the reign of authority, and, under the leadership of such minds, there began a reform that is known to us all under the title of the revival of learning, a reform of wide extent and of great importance to the human race. I wish to take a few minutes to point out that the essence of this reform consisted in a change in the method of the pursuit of knowledge.

This so-called revival of learning affords a striking illustration of how a change in mental interests may have great consequences for those who engage in it. Let us first picture to ourselves the fruits of the mental life of the middle ages, and then contrast this with the results of the changed method of ascertaining truth introduced at the time of the revival of learning.

It is an old, oft-repeated story, how with the overthrow of ancient civilization the torch of learning was nearly extinguished. Not only was there a complete political revolution; there was also a complete change in the mental interests of mankind. The situation was complex, and it is true that there were many influences at work, but the extinction of all scientific activity which occurred at this time was due to a complete arrest of inquiry into the phenomena of nature. The physicist no longer experimented, the naturalist no longer sought for relation and causes in living beings.

One circumstance that played a considerable part in the cessation of scientific investigation at this time was the rise of the christian church and the dominance of the priesthood in intellectual as well as in spiritual life. The world-shunning spirit, so scrupulously cultivated by the early christians, promoted a spirit that was hostile to observation. The behest to shun the world was acted upon too literally. The eyes were closed to nature and the mind was directed towards spiritual matters, which truly seemed of higher importance. Presently the observation of nature came to be looked upon as proceeding from a prying and impious curiosity—as an attempt to search out the concealments of the Almighty.

Books were scarce, schools of philosophy were reduced, and any general dissemination of learning ceased. The priests who had access to the books assumed the direction of intellectual life. But they were largely employed with the analysis of the supernatural, and without the wholesome checks of observation and experiment, mystical explanations were invented for natural phenomena, while metaphysical speculation became the dominant form of mental activity.

Authority declared the Source of Knowledge.—In this atmosphere free inquiry could not live, controversies over trivial points were en