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Article among their ranks were many learned eccl... ← Page 4 of 12 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Among Their Ranks Were Many Learned Eccl...
moned to Roane , to answer for his conduct and opinions , the charge of magic being brought against him , as was the estahlished rule at that time when anything scientific passed the understanding of the spiritual gentry . Eventually Porta was released , but his society was
suppressed . Numerous absurdities may be traced in his works , owing to the imperfect light which fell to his lot ; he was , nevertheless , a philosopher , and a man of practice as well as theory . To him we owe the camera obscura , and a variety of optical , chemical , and other valuable experiments instituted by him have in later ages produced fruitful results .
And here we may pause to notice the wonderful results which were produced , directly and indirectly , by theinstitutions of chivalry . That society ultimately benefited by them there can be no doubt . The rise of independent corporate bodies even , may in some degree be traced to this source . The great feudal chiefs ,
anxious in many instances to join in the glories and spiritual benefits of the crusades , in order to raise supplies of men and money , sold their seignorial rights to their vassals , and many towns and cities , whieh hacL been previously under the protection of some mighty lord , were compelled to combine for mutual defence . Hence
arose free cities , charters , and franchises ^ institutions to which England and Europe owe whatever they possess of national liberty . The influence of a religious feeling immediately before and daring the period of the crusades , upon the progress of architectural science is admirably displayed by Michaud , in the following remarks : —
In the tenth century , architecture consisted in the construction of towers , ramparts , and fortresses . In the habitations of the great everything was sacrificed to the necessity of providing defences against an enemy ; nothing could be afforded to comfort or magnificence . The dwellings of the people , even in cities , scarcely protected them from the injuries of weather or the intemperance of the seasons . The only architectural monuments were those which devotion raised to ancestors . Before
magnificent palaces for princes , or convenient houses for the rich were thought of , edifices consecrated to religion were constructed . It is scarcely possible to enumerate the churches and monasteries built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries . According to the opinion of the time , the most certain mode of expiating sins , was to build a church or a monastery . Thus architectural monuments arose at the voice of repentance , and religious inspirations revived , in some sort , the prodigies which fabulous antiquity attributed to the lyre of Amphion .
" In every city , in every town , the inhabitants made it their pride to ornament their cathedral , and the altars at which they invoked the saint whom the parish had chosen for its patron . It may be said that there "was something like patriotism in this pious # eal ; for the basilica , or paternal church , was then the most noble and the most sensible image of the country .
" At the commencement of the crusades , there existed a religious confraternity composed of men practised in the labours of building ; they travelled about the world , offering their services to the faithful to build or repair churches . Another confraternity was formed with the useful design of constructing bridges for pilgrims and travellers . A chapel or an
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Among Their Ranks Were Many Learned Eccl...
moned to Roane , to answer for his conduct and opinions , the charge of magic being brought against him , as was the estahlished rule at that time when anything scientific passed the understanding of the spiritual gentry . Eventually Porta was released , but his society was
suppressed . Numerous absurdities may be traced in his works , owing to the imperfect light which fell to his lot ; he was , nevertheless , a philosopher , and a man of practice as well as theory . To him we owe the camera obscura , and a variety of optical , chemical , and other valuable experiments instituted by him have in later ages produced fruitful results .
And here we may pause to notice the wonderful results which were produced , directly and indirectly , by theinstitutions of chivalry . That society ultimately benefited by them there can be no doubt . The rise of independent corporate bodies even , may in some degree be traced to this source . The great feudal chiefs ,
anxious in many instances to join in the glories and spiritual benefits of the crusades , in order to raise supplies of men and money , sold their seignorial rights to their vassals , and many towns and cities , whieh hacL been previously under the protection of some mighty lord , were compelled to combine for mutual defence . Hence
arose free cities , charters , and franchises ^ institutions to which England and Europe owe whatever they possess of national liberty . The influence of a religious feeling immediately before and daring the period of the crusades , upon the progress of architectural science is admirably displayed by Michaud , in the following remarks : —
In the tenth century , architecture consisted in the construction of towers , ramparts , and fortresses . In the habitations of the great everything was sacrificed to the necessity of providing defences against an enemy ; nothing could be afforded to comfort or magnificence . The dwellings of the people , even in cities , scarcely protected them from the injuries of weather or the intemperance of the seasons . The only architectural monuments were those which devotion raised to ancestors . Before
magnificent palaces for princes , or convenient houses for the rich were thought of , edifices consecrated to religion were constructed . It is scarcely possible to enumerate the churches and monasteries built in the eleventh and twelfth centuries . According to the opinion of the time , the most certain mode of expiating sins , was to build a church or a monastery . Thus architectural monuments arose at the voice of repentance , and religious inspirations revived , in some sort , the prodigies which fabulous antiquity attributed to the lyre of Amphion .
" In every city , in every town , the inhabitants made it their pride to ornament their cathedral , and the altars at which they invoked the saint whom the parish had chosen for its patron . It may be said that there "was something like patriotism in this pious # eal ; for the basilica , or paternal church , was then the most noble and the most sensible image of the country .
" At the commencement of the crusades , there existed a religious confraternity composed of men practised in the labours of building ; they travelled about the world , offering their services to the faithful to build or repair churches . Another confraternity was formed with the useful design of constructing bridges for pilgrims and travellers . A chapel or an