That punishment, the public punishment of disgrace, should in a just measure attend his share of the offense, is, we know, not one of the barriers which society gives to virtue.  In this world, the penalty is less equal than could be wished; but without presuming to look forward to a juster appointment hereafter, we may fairly consider a man of sense, like Henry Crawford, to be providing for himself no small portion of vexation and regret—­vexation that must rise sometimes to self-reproach, and regret to wretchedness—­in having so requited hospitality, so injured family peace, so forfeited his best, most estimable, and endeared acquaintance, and so lost the woman whom he had rationally as well as passionately loved.

AVERROES

(1126-1198)

Averroes (Abu ’l Walid Muhammad, ibn Achmad, ibn Muhammad, IBN RUSHD; or more in English, Abu ’l Walid Muhammed, the son of Achmet, the son of Muhammed, the son of Rushd) was born in 1126 at Cordova, Spain.  His father and grandfather, the latter a celebrated jurist and canonist, had been judges in that city.  He first studied theology and canon law, and later medicine and philosophy; thus, like Faust, covering the whole field of mediaeal science.  His life was cast in the most brilliant period of Western Muslim culture, in the splendor of that rationalism which preceded the great darkness of religious fanaticism.  As a young man, he was introduced by Ibn Tufail (Abubacer), author of the famous ’Hayy al-Yukdhan,’ a philosophical ‘Robinson Crusoe,’ to the enlightened Khalif Abu Ya’kub Yusuf (1163-84), as a fit expounder of the then popular philosophy of Aristotle.  This position he filled with so much success as to become a favorite with the Prince, and finally his private physician.  He likewise filled the important office of judge, first at Seville, later at Cordova.

He enjoyed even greater consideration under the next Khalif, Ya’kub al-Mansur, until the year 1195, when the jealousy of his rivals and the fanaticism of the Berbers led to his being accused of championing philosophy to the detriment of religion.  Though Averroes always professed great respect for religion, and especially for Islam, as a valuable popular substitute for science and philosophy, the charge could hardly be rebutted (as will be shown later), and the Amir of the Faithful could scarcely afford openly to favor a heretic.  Averroes was accordingly deprived of his honors, and banished to Lacena, a Jewish settlement near Cordova—­a fact which gives coloring to the belief that he was of Jewish descent.  To satisfy his fanatical subjects for the moment, the Khalif published severe edicts not only against Averroes, but against all learned men and all learning as hostile to religion.  For a time the poor philosopher could not appear in public without being mobbed; but after two years, a less fanatical party having come into power, the Prince revoked his edicts, and Averroes was restored to favor.  This event he did not long survive.  He died on 10th December 1198, in Marocco.  Here too he was buried; but his body was afterward transported to Cordova, and laid in the tomb of his fathers.  He left several sons, more than one of whom came to occupy important positions.