Readings in the History of Education Part 16

(6) Other Books {Grammar (Major and Minor), Priscian.

{On Causes, Costa Ben Luca.

{On the Differences of Spirit and Soul { (another translation of On Causes).[71]

An interesting part of the Statute of 1254 relates to the length of time to be given to the various books, or groups of books, prescribed. The entire Old Logic is to be read in about six months (October 1-March 25); the New Logic and Priscian's Grammar in the same length of time; the Physics, the Metaphysics and On Animals, together, in somewhat more than eight months (October 1-June 25); the four books of the Ethics, alone, in six weeks; On Life and Death is to be completed in one week, and several of the other treatises in the same group are to be read in periods varying from two to five weeks. Knowledge of these facts renders the list as a whole considerably less imposing than it might otherwise appear.

2. Books required at Paris in 1366. In this and all the following examples the books are by Aristotle unless otherwise specified.

For the A.B.: (1) Grammar: Doctrinale, Alexander da Villa Dei.

(2) Logic: The Old and the New Logic, as above.

(3) Natural Philosophy: On the Soul.

For the License to teach everywhere: (1) Natural Philosophy: Physics; On the Heavens and the Earth; On Generation and Corruption; Parva Naturalia (see p. 143); On Mechanics.

(2) Mathematics: "Some books"; probably the treatises required at Leipzig in 1410. (See p. 140).

(3) Politics.

(4) Rhetoric.

For the A.M.: (1) Ethics.

(2) Meteorics (3 Bks.).[72]

3. Books required at Oxford, 1267: For the A.B. (Determination):

(1) Logic: The Old and the New Logic (see p. 140), and On the Six Principles.

(2) Either Grammar (selections from Donatus and Priscian), or Natural Philosophy (Physics, On the Soul, and On Generation and Corruption).[73]

For the A.B. in (?) 1408.

(1) Logic: The Old and the New Logic in "cursory," or extraordinary, lectures, given by Bachelors; Introduction, Porphyry: On the Six Principles, Gilbert de la Porree; Sophistical Refutations.

(2) Grammar; Barbarismus, Donatus.

(3) Mathematics: Arithmetic; Computus ecclesiasticus (Method of finding Easter); On the Sphere, Sacrobosco.[74]

4. Books required at Leipzig for the Degree of A.B. in 1410.[75]

(1) Grammar; Priscian (the last two books). [2 months.]

{Tractatus (Summulae), Petrus Hispa.n.u.s. [2-1/2-3 months.]

(2) Logic {The "Old" Logic (see Paris, 1254). [3-4 months.]

{The "New" " except Topics. [6-1/2-7 months.]

(3) Nat'l Philosophy {Physics. [6-9 months.]

{On the Soul. [7 weeks-2 months.]

(4) Mathematics; On the Material Sphere (Sacrobosco). [5-6 weeks.]

5. Books required at Leipzig for the Degree of A.M. in 1410.

(1) Logic {Logic of Heytisbury.

{Topics, Aristotle. [3-4 months.]

(2) Moral and {Ethics. [6-9 " ]

Practical {Politics. [4-9 " ]

Philosophy {Economics. [3 weeks.]

{On the Heavens and the Earth. [3-1/2-4 { months.]

{On Generation and Destruction. [7 { weeks-2 months.]

(3) Natural Philosophy {Meteorics. [3-1/2-4 months.]

{Parva Naturalia (i.e., the books on { Sense and Sensible Things, Sleep and { Waking, Memory and Recollection, { Longevity and Shortlivedness). [2-1/2-3 { months.]

(4) Metaphysics: Metaphysics. [5-9 months.]

{Astronomy: Theory of the Planets { (Gerard of Cremona). [5-6 weeks.]

{Geometry: Euclid. [5-9 months.]

{Arithmetic: Common Arithmetic (Sacrobosco).

(5) Mathematics { [3 weeks-1 month.]

{Music: Music (John de Muris). [3 { weeks-1 month.]

{Optics: Common Perspective (John { of Pisa). [3-3-1/2 months.][76]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 70: Statutes of 1431.]

[Footnote 71: _Chart. Univ. Paris._, I, No. 246.]

[Footnote 72: Rashdall, I, p. 436.]

[Footnote 73: _Munimenta Acad. Oxon.,_ I, pp. 35-36.]

[Footnote 74: _Munimenta Acad. Oxon._, I, pp. 242-243.]

[Footnote 75: The figures in brackets indicate the time to be given to each book, or group of books. The data are from Zarncke, _Statutenbucher der Univ. Leipzig._, 311-312.]

[Footnote 76: For the requirements in 1519 see p. 134.]

VI

ACADEMIC LETTERS

1. LETTERS RELATING TO PARIS

(a) _A Twelfth-Century Critic_

The pessimist who laments the decay of education, and who feels that its golden age was the time in which he received his own training, or earlier, is a perennial figure in the history of education. The following letter has a surprisingly modern ring. Denifle (p. 747) thinks that Stephen was unable to reconcile himself to the new movement at Paris because of his monastic training. Stephen's view, however, "was not wholly wrong." Compare the letter of Peter de la Celle to John of Salisbury, page 144.

"Stephen [Bishop] of Tournai, in his letters directed to the Pope, laments the ruin of the study of sacred literature, of Canon Law and the Arts, and, blaming the professors, implores the hand of Apostolic correction." (1192-1203.)

To the Pope. Beseeching his pardon, we would speak to our sovereign Pontiff, whose kindness stimulates our boldness, whose knowledge supports our ignorance, whose patience a.s.sures indulgence. The authority of our forefathers first impels us, then the disease which is insinuating itself, and which will in the end be irremediable if its evil influence be not checked at the beginning. Nor do we say this, Father, as though we wish to be either censors of morals, or judges of the doctors, or debaters of doctrines. This burden requires stronger shoulders and this fight calls for the vigorous arms of spiritual athletes.

We wish only to point out this distress to your sacred Fatherhood, on whom G.o.d has conferred the power of checking error and the knowledge of how to correct it.

The study of sacred letters among us has descended into the very factory of confusion; the teachers are more watchful for glory than for doctrine, and they write up new and modern summaries and commentaries upon theological foundations, with which they soothe, retain, and deceive their pupils; as though there were not plenty of works of the holy fathers who, we read, put forth their sacred writings inspired by that same spirit which we believe inspired the apostles and prophets when they composed theirs.... Public debates are carried on in violation of the sacred const.i.tutions concerning the incomprehensibility of the Deity; a wordy, carnal strife on the incarnation of the Word goes on irreverently. Even the indivisible Trinity is divided at the street corners and quarrelled over, so that there are already as many errors as there are teachers, as many scandals as lecture rooms, as many blasphemies as public squares.

Furthermore, if recourse is had to the courts which are established by Common Law, either those set up by us, or by the regular judges which we are bound to recognize, there is presented by venal men the tangled forest of the Decretals, under the pretext, as it were, of the sacred memory of Pope Alexander, and the more ancient sacred Canons are thrown away, rejected, and spewed out.

This confusion being made in the very centre of the wholesome regulations made by the Councils of the holy fathers, they impose upon their councils no method and on their business no restraint, those letters having prevailing weight, which, it may be, lawyers have forged and engrossed for pay in their own offices or chambers. A new volume, got together from these sources, is both read regularly in the schools and is exposed for sale in the market with the approval of the crowd of notaries, who rejoice that both their labor is lessened and their pay increased in engrossing these suspicious works.