PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES. 93

PART II

THE PROGRESS OP PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE

FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE TIME OF NEWTON.

The decline and dissolution of the Roman empire formsan epoch not more remarkable in the civil and social,than in the intellectual history of mankind. We haveobserved how entire and universal was the neglect intowhich all philosophical pursuits and physical enquirieshad fallen, during the later portion of those ages whichare assigned to ancient history. Here, then, one grandand well defined period marks a corresponding divisionin the narrative we are attempting to trace; and, as faras Europe is concerned, a long and unhappy interval ofgeneral darkness and ignorance succeeded, into whichthe light of improvement only began to shoot a fewtremulous and uncertain rays about the tenth century.Meanwhile, in the East, the great events of this periodwere accompanied by at least a partial cultivation ofscience: this, perhaps, might he classed as following inthe train of the ancient philosophy; but, nevertheless, weshall prefer considering it under this division, since ithad a much closer connection with the modern revivalof science.

We shall find, in this period, the following convenientdivisions : — The first will comprise the state of scienceduring the middle ages, and its first revival extendingto the end of the fifteenth century. The second willinclude its progress during the next age, as far as tocomprehend some of the first grand advances beyondthe science of the ancients made by original modernresearch—the age of Copernicus and Tycho. The thirdwill embrace the great discoveries of Kepler and Ga-lileo . The fourth will be occupied by the delivery of