CHAPTER VIII.

THE EUROPEAN AGE OF REASON.

REJECTION OF AUTHORITY AND TRADITION, AND ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC TRUTH.--

DISCOVERY OF THE TRUE POSITION OF THE EARTH IN THE UNIVERSE.

Ecclesiastical Attempt to enforce the GEOCENTRIC DOCTRINE that the

Earth is the Centre of the Universe, and the most important Body

in it.

The HELIOCENTRIC DOCTRINE that the Sun is the Centre of the Solar

System, and the Earth a small Planet, comes gradually into

Prominence.

Struggle between the Ecclesiastical and Astronomical Parties.—Activity

of the Inquisition.—Burning of BRUNO.-Imprisonment of GALILEO.

INVENTION OF THE TELESCOPE.-Complete Overthrow of the Ecclesiastical

Idea.-Rise of Physical Astronomy.-NEWTON.-Rapid and resistless

Development of all Branches of Natural Philosophy.

Final Establishment of the Doctrine that the Universe is under the Do-

minion of mathematical, and, therefore, necessary Laws.

Progress of Man from Anthropocentric Ideas to the Discovery of his

true Position and Insignificance in the Universe.

Page 252

CHAPTER IX.

THE EUROPEAN AGE OF REASON—(Continued).

HISTORY OF THE EARTH.-HER SUCCESSIVE CHANGES IN THE COURSE OF TIME.

Oriental and Occidental Doctrines respecting the Earth in Time.-

Gradual Weakening of the latter by astronomical Facts, and the Rise

of Scientific Geology.

Impersonal Manner in which the Problem was eventually solved, chiefly

through Facts connected with Heat.

Proofs of limitless Duration from inorganic Facts.—Igneous and Aqueous

Rocks.

Proofs of the same from organic Facts.—Successive Creations and Ex-

tinctions of living Forms, and their contemporaneous Distribution.

Evidences of a slowly declining Temperature, and, therefore, of a long

Time.-The Process of Events by Catastrophe and by Law.-Analogy

of Individual and Race Development.-Both are determined by

unchangeable Law.

Conclusion that the Plan of the Universe indicates a Multiplicity of

Worlds in infinite Space, and a Succession of Worlds in infinite

Time

Page 294

CHAPTER X.

THE EUROPEAN AGE OF REASON-(Continued).

THE NATURE AND RELATIONS OF MAN.

Position of Man according to the Heliocentric and Geocentric Theories.

OF ANIMAL LIFE.-The transitory Nature of living Forms.-Relations

of Plants and Animals.—Animals are Aggregates of Matter expending

Force originally derived from the Sun.

THE ORGANIC SERIES.-Man a Member of it.-His Position determined

by Anatomical and Physiological Investigation of his Nervous System.-

Its triple Form: Automatic, Instinctive, Intellectual.

The same progressive Development is seen in individual Man, in the

entire animal Series, and in the Life of the Globe.-They are all under

the Control of an eternal, universal, irresistible Law.

The Aim of Nature is intellectual Development, and human Institutions

must conform thereto.

Summary of the Investigation of the Position of Man.-Production of

Inorganic and Organic Forms by the Sun.-Nature of Animals and

their Series.-Analogies and Differences between them and Man.-The

Soul.-The World
337

CHAPTER XI.

THE EUROPEAN AGE OF REASON-(Continued).

THE UNION OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

European Progress in the Acquisition of exact Knowledge.—Its Resem-

blance to that of Greece.

Discoveries respecting the Air.-Its mechanical and chemical Properties.

-Its Relation to Animals and Plants.-The Winds.-Meteorology.—

Sounds.-Acoustic Phenomena.

Discoveries respecting the Ocean.-Physical and chemical Phenomena.—

Tides and Currents.-Clouds. -Decomposition of Water.

Discoveries respecting other material Substances.—Progress of Chemistry.

Discoveries respecting Electricity, Magnetism, Light, Heat.

Mechanical Philosophy and Inventions.-Physical Instruments.-The

Result illustrated by the Cotton Manufacture-Steam-engine—Bleach-

ing-Canals-Railways.—Improvements in the Construction of Ma-

chinery.—Social Changes produced.-Its Effect on intellectual Activity.

The scientific Contributions of various Nations, and especially of

Italy
Page 366

CHAPTER XII.

CONCLUSION-THE FUTURE OF EUROPE.

Summary of the Argument presented in this Book respecting the mental

Progress of Europe.

Intellectual Development is the Object of Individual Life.—It is also the

Result of social Progress.

Nations arriving at Maturity instinctively attempt their own intellectual

Organization.-Example of the Manner in which this has been done in

China.-Its Imperfection.—What it has accomplished.

The Organization of public Intellect is the End to which European

Civilization is tending

392

THE AGE OF FAITH IN THE WEST. THE THREE
ATTACKS: NORTHERN OR MORAL; WESTERN OR
INTELLECTUAL; EASTERN OR MILITARY.

THE NORTHERN OR MORAL ATTACK ON THE ITALIAN SYSTEM, AND ITS
TEMPORARY REPULSE.

Geographical Boundaries of Italian Christianity.—Attacks upon it.
The Northern or moral Attack.-The Emperor of Germany insists on a
reformation in the Papacy.-Gerbert, the representative of these Ideas,
is made Pope. They are both poisoned by the Italians.

Commencement of the intellectual Rejection of the Italian System.-It
originates in the Arabian doctrine of the supremacy of Reason over
Authority. The question of Transubstantiation.—Kise and develop-
ment of Scholasticism.-Mutiny among the Monks.

Gregory VII. spontaneously accepts and enforces a Reform in the Church.
-Overcomes the Emperor of Germany.—Is on the point of establishing
a European Theocracy.-The Popes seize the military and monetary
Resources of Europe through the Crusades.

THE realm of an idea may often be defined by geometrical lines.

The geogra

Christianity.

If from Rome, as a centre, two lines be drawn, one of which passes eastward, and touches the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus, the other westward, and phical boundcrosses the Pyrenees, nearly all those Mediterra- aries of Latin nean countries lying to the south of these lines were living, at the time of which we speak, under the dogma, "There is but one God, and Mohammed is his prophet;" but the countries to the north had added to the VOL. II.-1