Before quitting the subject, we may observe that Astronomy brought back, from her sojourn among the Arabs, a few terms which may still be perceived in her phraseology. Such are the zenith, and the opposite imaginary point, the nadir;—the circles of the sphere termed almacantars and azimuth circles. The alidad of an instrument is its index, which possesses an angular motion. Some of the stars still retain their Arabic names; Aldebran, Rigel, Fomalhaut; many others were known by such appellations a little while ago. Perhaps the word almanac is the most familiar vestige of the Arabian period of astronomy.
It is foreign to my purpose to note any efforts of the intellectual faculties among other nations, which may have taken place independently of the great system of progressive European culture, from which all our existing science is derived. Otherwise I might speak of the astronomy of some of the Orientals, for example, the Chinese, who are said, by Montucla (i. 465), to have discovered the first equation of the moon, and the proper motion of the fixed stars (the Precession), in the third century of our era. The Greeks had made these discoveries 500 years earlier.
BOOK IV.
HISTORY
OF
PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN THE MIDDLE AGES;
OR,
VIEW OF THE STATIONARY PERIOD
OF
INDUCTIVE SCIENCE.
In vain, in vain! the all-composing hour
Resistless falls . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
As one by one, at dread Medea’s strain,
The sickening stars fade off th’ ethereal plain;
As Argus’ eyes, by Hermes’ wand opprest,
Closed one by one to everlasting rest;
Thus at her felt approach and secret might,
Art after art goes out, and all is night.
See skulking Truth to her old cavern fled,
Mountains of casuistry heaped on her head;
Philosophy, that reached the heavens before,
Shrinks to her hidden cause, and is no more.
Physic of Metaphysic begs defence,
And Metaphysic calls for aid to Sense:
See Mystery to Mathematics fly!
In vain! they gaze, turn giddy, rave, and die.
Dunciad, B. iv.