But why exhaust life's rapid bowl, And suck the dregs with sorrow foul, When long ere this my mouth has drained Whatever zest the cup contained? Why should we mount upon the wave, And ocean's yawning horrows brave, When we may swallow from the flask Whate'er the wants of mortals ask? Contentment's realms no fears invade, No cares annoy, no sorrows shade, There placed secure, in peace we rest, Nor aught demand to make us blest. While pleasure's gay fantastic bower, The splendid pageant of an hour, Like yonder meteor in the skies, Flits with a breath no more to rise. As through life's various walks we're led, May prudence hover o'er our head! May she our words, our actions guide, Our faults correct, our secrets hide! May she, where'er our footsteps stray, Direct our paths, and clear the way! Till, every scene of tumult past, She bring us to repose at last, Teach us to love that peaceful shore, And roam through folly's wilds no more! MOORISH LITERATURE SCIENCE AND HISTORY AMONG THE MOORS "_The religion sacred to philosophers is to study that which is, for the most sublime worship one can render to God is the recognition and knowledge of his works._" —AVERROES. MOORISH LITERATURE SCIENCE AND HISTORY (INTRODUCTION) The name "Moor" is used loosely to describe all those peoples who sprang from the mingling of the Berber, or Hamitic, stock of North Africa, with the Arabs or Semitic stock who swept over the region in the Mohammedan conquest. The chief achievement of this mixed or Moorish race was the establishment of their brilliant kingdom and independent caliphate in Spain. Under the most powerful of these Spanish caliphs, Ahderrahman III. (A.D. 912-961), their capital Cordova had six hundred mosques, including its still celebrated chief mosque, the most beautiful building of that age in Europe. The Moorish kingdom of Spain had then seventeen universities and over seventy large libraries. It was the most cultured land of Europe, the goal of scholars from less peaceful and less learned Christendom. The Moorish kingdom in the course of the twelfth century broke up into many tiny States. These soon fought among themselves and plunged each other into a common ruin. African Moors, of far more ignorant and fanatic type, came to aid their Spanish brethren; and under the pressure of these barbarians, culture rapidly declined. The universities were broken up. The great scholar Averroes, who had been the pride of his nation, was accused of heresy. His teachings were found not sufficiently subservient to the Koran; and finally, in 1195, he was driven into exile. This event, or Averroes' death soon afterward, may be reckoned as marking the downfall of the Moorish leadership in science and philosophy.