Opening of the book
THE WORKS OF HENRY HALLAM.
INTRODUCTION
TO THE
LITERATURE OF EUROPE
IN THE FIFTEENTH, SIXTEENTH,
AND
SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.
BY
HENRY HALLAM, F.R.A.S.,
CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF MORAL AND
POLITICAL SCIENCES
IN THE FRENCH INSTITUTE
VOLUME I.
WARD, LOCK & CO.,
LONDON: WARWICK HOUSE, SALISBURY SQUARE, E.C.
NEW YORK: BOND STREET.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ON THE GENERAL STATE OF LITERATURE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
TO THE END OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
Page
Retrospect of Learning in Middle Ages Necessary
1
Loss of learning in Fall of Roman Empire
1
Boethius—his Consolation of Philosophy
1
Rapid Decline of Learning in Sixth Century
2
A Portion remains in the Church
2
Prejudices of the Clergy against Profane Learning
2
Their Uselessness in preserving it
3
First Appearances of reviving Learning in Ireland and England
3
Few Schools before the Age of Charlemagne
3
Beneficial Effects of those Established by him
4
The Tenth Century more progressive than usually supposed
4
Want of Genius in the Dark Ages
5
Prevalence of bad Taste
5
Deficiency of poetical Talent
5
Imperfect State of Language may account for this
6
Improvement at beginning of Twelfth Century
6
Leading Circumstances in Progress of Learning
6
Origin of the University of Paris
6
Modes of treating the Science of Theology
6
Scholastic Philosophy—its Origin
7
Roscelin
7
Progress of Scholasticism; Increase of University of Paris
8
Universities founded
8
Oxford
8
Collegiate Foundations not derived from the Saracens
9
Scholastic Philosophy promoted by Mendicant Friars
9
Character of this Philosophy
10
It prevails least in Italy
10
Literature in Modern Languages
10
Origin of the French, Spanish, and Italian Languages
10
Corruption of colloquial Latin in the Lower Empire
11
Continuance of Latin in Seventh Century
12
It is changed to a new Language in Eighth and Ninth
12
Early Specimens of French
13
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