NICOLAUS COPERNICUS 15 



correspond with reality; on thecontrary , the fixed stars receded 

 to a distance which, in comparison with the already great 

 distance of the sun, must appear as immeasurably great. 

 Mankind had suddenly approached the conception of the 

 infinity of the universe. 



A new picture of the world had come into being, and for 

 the first time, it was supported by figures based upon experi- 

 ence. This picture given by Copernicus has remained; it has 

 only been defined, as always in science, by further gradual 

 development, and thus been linked with more profound 

 ideas. Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, Huygens, Newton, are the 

 names with which this further development, which lasted 

 almost for two centuries, is associated. 



Copernicus began his work early and finished it about 

 1530 in all essentials, but long kept it back, not for fear of 

 admitting to knowledge, no matter how objectionable and 

 inacceptable it might appear to contemporaries, but for fear 

 of the noisy interference of incomprehending persons.^ 



He was in doubt 'whether I shall make my work known or 

 whether I shall follow the example of the Pythagoreans and 

 only impart its contents by word of mouth to my friends.' 

 It thus came about that only on the day of his death was he 

 able to take in his hands his first printed pages. He thus 

 neither experienced the indifference with which this purely 

 scientific work was at first received, nor the persecution 

 which later on became its lot from the ecclesiastical powers. 



The first powerful effect of Copernicus' work upon an 

 allied mind, and perhaps its most profound effect of all, 

 appeared about forty years after its publication in the case 

 of Giordano Bruno, the Dominican of Nola, who, like 



^ The first and somewhat cautiously worded preface to the first 

 printed edition of Copernicus' work was not written by him and did not 

 have his approval, but was added by the publisher with an obvious eye to 

 the danger ahead, but it did not prevent the work being later forbidden. 

 In other respects there are several notable departures from the original 

 manuscripts (which still exist) in this first printed edition. 



