[231c] St. Bonaventura (a.d. 1221-1274). Born at Bagnarea, near Orvieto, in Tuscany, became a Franciscan monk and afterwards a Professor of Theology at Paris, where he gained the title of the “Seraphic Doctor.” Made a Cardinal by Pope Gregory X, who sent him as his Legate to the Council at Lyons, where he died. In 1482 he was canonized. His writings appeared at Rome in 1588-96.
[231d] St. Thomas Aquinas (a.d. 1225-1274). The Angelic Doctor was born at the castle of Rocca-Secca near Aquino, between Rome and Naples. Entered the Dominican Order in 1243. Went to Paris in 1252 and attained great distinction as a theologian. His Summa Theologiæ was followed by his Summa contra Gentiles. His works were first collected in 17 volumes in 1570. Aquinas was canonized in 1323.
[232a] Dante (a.d. 1265-1321). The Divina Commedia has been translated into English by many scholars. The best known version is the poetical renderings of H. F. Cary (1772-1844) and W. W. Longfellow (1807-1882) and the prose translations (the “Inferno” only) of John Carlyle (1801-79) and A. J. Butler in whose three volumes of the “Purgatory,” “Paradise” and “Inferno” the original Italian may be studied side by side with the translation.
[232b] Raymund of Sabunde, a physician of Toulouse of the fifteenth century. He published his Theologia naturalis at Strassburg in 1496. “I found the concerts of the author to be excellent, the contexture of his works well followed, and his project full of pietie” writes Montaigne in telling us of his father’s request that he should translate Sabunde’s Theologia naturalis. Florio’s Translation. Book II, Ch. XII.
[232c] Nicholas of Cusa (a.d. 1401-1464) was born at Kues on the Moselle. His De Concordantia Catholica was a treatise in favour of the Councils of the Church and against the authority of the Pope. He was made a Cardinal by Pope Nicholas V.
[232d] Edward Reuss (1804-1891), a professor of Theology, who was born at Strassburg. Published his History of the New Testament in 1842 and his History of the Old Testament in 1881. The Bible, a new translation with Introduction and Commentaries, appeared in 19 volumes between 1874 and 1881.
[233a] Pascal, Blaise (1623-1662). Born at Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne. His Letters to a Provincial, written in 1656-7, made his fame by their attack on the Jesuists. His Pensées appeared after his death, in 1669, and they have reappeared in many forms, “edited” by many schools of thought. The edition edited by Ernest Havet (1813-1889) was published in 1852.
[233b] Malebranche, Nicolas (1638-1715). Born in Paris. The works of Descartes drew him to philosophy. The famous dictum, “Malebranche saw all things in God,” had reference to his treatise, De la Recherche de la Vérité, first published in 1674.
[233c] Baader, Franz (1765-1841). A speculative philosopher and theologian, born at Munich, who endeavoured to reconcile the tenets of the Church of Rome with philosophy. Of his many works his Vorlesungen über Spekulative Dogmatik is here selected. It appeared between 1828 and 1838 in five parts.
[233d] Molitor, Franz Joseph (1779-1860). A philosophical writer, born near Frankfurt. His Philosophie der Geschichte, oder über Tradition was published in 4 volumes between 1827 and 1853.