MONUMENT TO HIS MEMORY.

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the philosopher in a sitting posture, in the attitude of calm and profound meditation, and having affixed to it an inscription in Latin, briefly indicating his pre-eminent ability, and the admiration and love of him by whom the memorial was reared.

THE torpor which, for a long period, had characterized the human mind began to give way before several awakening influences, about the beginning of the thirteenth century. It was about this time that the modern languages, such as the Italian, German, and Spanish, received a positive formation. The Latin, which had long held absolute sway as the medium of all learned and philosophic thought, was now losing something of its sacredness in the estimation of men, and the probability became greater that such knowledge as then existed might find its way into other channels, and reach hitherto excluded circles of society. Several of the sovereign pontiffs of Rome, too, such as Innocent III. and Boniface VIII. applied themselves to the culture, or, at all events, to the encouragement of science and literature. Schools or academies were put on a wider foundation, and being now intended to embrace all the sciences in the circle of their teaching, and to have masters for each, were dignified in consequence

THE MONASTIC ORDERS.

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with the name of "Universities." To these universities special privileges and honours were attached, while societies of graduates were formed. In this way the means of instruction, in so far as lectures and other modes of oral communication were concerned, were considerably increased, although it must be confessed that, owing to the scarcity of books, and the consequent dependence on memory alone as the depository of knowledge, comparatively slow and hesitating progress was made. The beginning of this century, too, was distinguished by the formation of new monastic establishments, which, whatever their inherent defects, and however they might afterwards tend to a false and unnatural state of society, were the means, in the first instance, of concentrating attention upon literary and intellectual pursuits. The Dominicans and Franciscans had no small share in the movement, and the beginning of the thirteenth century witnessed the rise of both. To these Pope Innocent III., after some hesitation, added his imprimatur. Multitudes joined them at home, and byand-by there went forth from their ranks to the various European colonies and dependencies, many who carried with them no small amount of both devotional

and intellectual energy. St. Francis, indeed, could himself make no pretensions to learning, but he had a sympathy with it, and the devotees of his order were strictly charged to "travel wherever their presence could do good, to converse with persons of

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INFLUENCE OF THE FRIARS IN ENGLAND.

all ranks, to instruct the young, and to exhort the multitude. The Dominicans again, as is well known, from the circumstance that they made public instruction one of their principal aims, received the name of preaching friars. In these, as well as in many other ways, they exercised a humanizing influence upon the men of their day. Their influence, along with their presence, extended to England. In 1221, the Dominicans, or Black Friars landed in our country, and two or three years afterwards the Franciscans, or Grey Friars, followed; and both, from their sympathy with learning and general intellectual culture, established themselves at Oxford. While the Dominicans speedily obtained such reputation, that the historian of Oxford informs us that "in a short time many of them became eminent in the walks of theology and philosophy," the Franciscans also made remarkable progress, drawing around them, particularly at Oxford, numbers of the wealthy, while they secured the favour at the same time of the masses.

The scholastic philosophy, however, was still everywhere in the ascendant, and its barren speculations stood in the way of anything like real progress or practical good. The names of Robert Grosteste, Bishop of Lincoln, Thomas Aquinas, the "Angelic Doctor," as he was called, in consequence of his large acquaintance with theology, Alexander Hales, St. Bonaventure, Albertus Magnus, and some others,

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appear as conspicuous lights about the commencement or middle of this century. But, although all of them were learned and celebrated men, they had by no means escaped from the trammels of the prevalent philosophy, and the Stagyrite was pre-eminent in their regards. Such is a brief review of the state of matters about the time when the subject of our present sketch came upon the stage.

There have been different opinions as to the degree of merit which belongs to him, as one of the “pathfinders” for humanity, but all have agreed that he was entitled to be ranked among that honourable company, and that, in many respects, he was a great and remarkable man.

Roger Bacon was of ancient and honourable descent. He was born in Ilchester, Somersetshire, in the year 1214. The precise time of the year is not known. Oxford was the earliest scene of his studies, and his progress there was so rapid and striking as to draw upon him the attention, and secure the patronage of some of the most learned men of his time. Among these were Dr. Edmund Riche, Archbishop of Canterbury; Richard Fishacre, a learned lecturer on the sciences at Oxford and Paris; William Shirwood, Chancellor of Lincoln, distinguished for his eminence in mathematical studies; but principally, Robert Grosteste, already referred to, Bishop of Lincoln, a man of the highest character and of profound erudition. It is certain that to this