The origin and nature of the earliest universities are the subjects of this famous and witty set of lectures by the man whom eminent scholars have called "without exaggeration... the soul of the renascence of medieval studies in the United States." Great as the differences are between the earliest universities and those of today, the fact remains, says Professor Haskins, the "the university of the twentieth century is the lineal descendant of medieval Paris and Bologna." In demonstrating this fact, he brings to life the institutions, instruction, professors, and students of the Middle Ages.

About the Author

Charles Homer Haskins was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1870. He taught at the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Wisconsin, and Harvard University, where he also served as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences between 1908 and 1924. His books include Norman Institutions (1918), Studies in the History of Science (1924), The Renaissance of the Twelfth Century (1927), and Studies in Medieval Culture (1929). He died in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1937.

Reviews

The book displays a breadth of learning, a coherence of argument, and an economy of expression which make it a delight to read. Carrying his scholarship lightly, the author leads his audience easily and intimately into no less a topic than 'certain of the changes.. brought about in mankind by the advent of civilization,' i.e., by the rise of cities.

* Yale Review *

This book does not claim to be a finished product or a final answer to any of the fundamental issues raised; but it is a stimulating experience to share his thinking as this writer comes to grips with them in his sincere and profound way. There is throughout a simplicity and human touch about the man that captivates the reader.

* The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science *



Book Information
ISBN 9780801490156
Author Charles Homer Haskins
Format Paperback
Page Count 118
Imprint Cornell University Press
Publisher Cornell University Press
Weight(grams) 454g