354 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



many of the great houses of Eome. His lectures began by stating all 

 the arguments in favor of Ptolemy's system and then went on to de- 

 molish them one by one, leaving nothing standing. The lectures were 

 admired by many great folk, and Galileo gained a great personal suc- 

 cess for the time. His very success made his well-wishers uneasy and 

 unquiet. 



Before Galileo's visit, Fra Paolo Sarpi, professor of philosophy in 

 Venice, distinguished as a champion of free thought and as a friend of 

 Galileo had written : " I hear that Galileo is going to Eome, where he 

 is invited by several Cardinals to explain his new discoveries in the 

 heavens. I fear much that, in such a case, he may develop the reasons 

 that lead him to prefer the doctrine of Copernicus, which will be far 

 from pleasing to the Jesuits and other monks. They have changed 

 what was only a question of physics and astronomy into a theological 

 question, and I foresee, with great vexation, that Galileo, in order to 

 live in peace, and not labeled as heretic and excommunicate, will be 

 constrained to abjure his real sentiments on this matter. A day will 

 come, of that I am almost sure, when enlightened men will deplore the 

 misfortune of Galileo and the injustice done to so great a man. But, 

 pending that day, he must suffer, and he must not complain otherwise 

 than secretly." 



The Tuscan ambassador at Eome was anxious to be rid of Galileo, 

 and in many letters reports that it were well he returned home. He 

 hints that Galileo's course may even bring dangers to Tuscany; he 

 can not ' approve that we should expose ourselves to such annoyances 

 and dangers without very good reason.' He insinuates that Cardinal 

 Carlo de Medici may be compromised (March 4, 1616). "Galileo 

 seems disposed to emulate the monks in obstinacy, and to contend with 

 personages who can not be attacked without ruining yourself ; we shall 

 soon hear at Florence that he has madly tumbled into some abyss or 

 other." " The moment is badly chosen to promulgate a philosophical 

 idea." The Grand Duke, from friendliness to Galileo and in fear of 

 untoward complications, gave instructions for his recall, which were 

 conveyed in a dispatch from the ducal secretary: "You have had 

 enough of monkish persecutions. . . . His Highness fears that your 

 longer tarrying at Eome might involve you in difficulties, and would 

 therefore be glad, as you have so far come honorably out of the affair, 

 if you would not tease the sleeping dog any more, and would return 

 here as soon as possible. For there are rumors flying about which we 

 do not like, and the monks are all powerful." Galileo set out for 

 Florence on the fourth of April, 1616. 



Let us stop for a moment to inquire what the course of affairs 

 would have been if Galileo, whose personal affairs were honorably con- 

 cluded on February 6, had thereupon returned to Florence. He had 



