d
collected a library of great magnitude (A.D. 961-976).

The revival of learning in Europe is chiefly attributed to the
writings of Arabian doctors and philosophers, and to the schools which
they founded in several parts of Spain and Italy. These seats of
learning were frequented even in the twelfth century of our era by
students from various parts of Europe, who disseminated the knowledge
thus acquired when they returned to their own countries. At that time
many Arabic works were translated into Latin, which thus facilitated
the progress of science. In the three last chapters of the second book
of the 'History of the Muhammadan Dynasties in Spain,' translated by
Pascual de Gayangos, the state of science and literature is detailed
in the words of Makkari, the original Arab author of that work, and in
it many once celebrated authors are mentioned, of whom not only their
productions, but even their very names, have since perished. The
distinguished writers whose works have come down to us will be more
particularly alluded to in the next chapter. Europe is also indebted
to the Arabs for the elements of many useful sciences, particularly
that of chemistry. Paper was first made in Europe by them, and their
carpets and manufactures in steel and leather were long unrivalled,
while in the Arabian schools of Cordova mathematics, astronomy,
philosophy, botany and medicine were taught with great success.

As Europe gradually emerged from darkness and ignorance, the Moors in
Spain became so weak and powerless that in A.D. 1526 Charles I of
Spain, and V. of Germany, ordered them to adopt the Spanish language.
In A.D. 1566 an edict of Philip II. forbade them to speak or write in
Arabic, and directed them to renounce all their traditional habits,
customs and ceremonies. Philip III. completed the work which his
father had left unfinished. In A.D. 1609 all the Moriscoes were
ordered to depart from the peninsula within three days, with a penalty
of death if they failed to obey the order, and from that time their
existence as a nation finally ceased in Europe, and Spain thus lost a
million of industrious inhabitants skilled in the useful arts. After
their expulsion Arabic literature more or less disappeared. Much of it
was destroyed, and a Spanish cardinal, it is said, once boasted that
he had destroyed with his own hands one hundred thousand Arabic
manuscripts! It is highly probable that the remnants of Andalusian
libraries were broug