The Culture of the Middle Ages 459 opposite view, a conclusion in harmony with Augustine or Aristotle, as the case might be, and a reply to the opposing arguments by means of ingenious distinction or reconcili- ation, afforded exceptional facilities for the harmonious combination of orthodoxy and intellectuality. 1 The Dominicans showed the Latin churchman how to be ingenious, startling, brilliant, even destructive, without suspicion of heresy. [St.] Bernard would have been shocked at the idea of inventing or even of fairly stating objections to the Catholic Faith. By the time of Aquinas it was felt that the better the imaginary opponent's case could be stated, the more credit there was in refuting it. The scholar's intel- lectual enjoyment of thirty ingenious arguments against the Immortality of the Soul was not diminished by the thirty-six equally ingenious arguments with which the attack would immediately be met. In scholastic disputation restless intel- lectual activity found an innocent outlet; love of controversy and speculation, the real ardour for truth and knowledge which distinguished the age of Berengar 2 and the age of Abelard, had for the most part degenerated. . . . Hitherto Philosophy had been either an avowed foe to Theology or a dangerous and suspected ally. By the genius of the great Dominicans all that was Christian, or not un- christian, in Aristotle was woven into the very substance and texture of what was henceforth more and more to grow into the accredited Theology of the Catholic Church. The contents of whole treatises of the pagan Philosopher in- cluding even his great treatise on Ethics are embodied in the Summa Theologiae of Aquinas, still the great classic of the Seminaries. To that marvellous structure strangely compounded of solid thought, massive reasoning, baseless subtlety, childish credulity, lightest fancy Aristotle has contributed assuredly not less than St. Augustine. 1 An example of the scholastic method of arraying arguments and reaching conclusions will be found in Translations and Reprints, Vol. Ill, No. 6. 2 A philosopher of the eleventh century.
