108 LIFE AJS^D WORKS OF KEPLER. 



This passage, whicli I translate as closely as possible, and I need not 

 say without well comprehending its meaning, will suffice, I think, to 

 give an idea of the chapter on politics. The last chapter of the work is 

 occupied in determining precisely the nature of the planetary concords. 

 Saturn and Jupiter constitute the bass, Mars the tenor, Venus the con- 

 tralto, and Mercury the falsetto. 



These obscure and chimerical ideas, in which the mind of Kepler 

 wearies and loses itself, seem the profitless and vain amusement of an 

 imagination released from the control of reason; we read on with sad- 

 ness, without venturing to sound the mysterious depths of that great 

 intellect led, by an inspiration without light, into the pure domain of 

 phantasy. But in the last pages of the book the genius of the inspired 

 dreamer awakens of a sudden to dictate to him those bold and august 

 expressions which have become not less immortal than the discovery 

 which they herald: 



" Eight 'months since," he says, "I had a glimpse of the first ray of 

 light; six months since I saw the dawn; a few days ago only did the 

 sun arise in its transcendent glory. . I give myself up to my enthusiasm, 

 and venture to brave my fellow-mortals by the ingenuous avowal that 

 I have stolen the golden vessels of the Egyptians in order to raise a 

 tabernacle to my God far from the confines of Egypt. If I am par- 

 doned I shall rejoice at it; if it is made a reproach to me I shall bear 

 it; the die is cast. I write my book; whether it be read by the present 

 age or by posterity imports little; it may well await a reader; has not 

 God waited six thousand years for an observer of his w^orks ? " 



Then, recurring to the precise language of science, he announces the 

 celebrated law which, binding together all the elements of our system, 

 connects the greater axes of the planetary orbits with the time of their 

 revolutions. Nothing can be more unexpected than this vivid light, 

 which seems to spring out of chaos; the astonished reader asks himself 

 how it is that these precise rules and mathematical proi)ortions appear 

 all of a sudden in a world which Kepler seems to have been traversing 

 as in a dream; how such abrupt clearness succeeds such profound ob- 

 scurity, such pure melody the uncertain harmonies wliich precede it. 

 There is nothing to-day to inform us. Kepler announces his law ; verifies 

 it, without comnninicating to us, as was his wont, the history of his 

 ideas; and then, transported with the full and entire possession of one 

 of the secrets longest and most ardently sought, he breaks forth into 

 raptures of thanksgiving, and, not content with the common language 

 of humanity, borrows the majestic symjihonies of the Psalmist: "The 

 wisdom of the Lord is infinite, so also are nis glory and His power. Ye 

 heavens, sing His praises! Sun, moon, and planets, glorify Him in your 

 ineffable language! Celestial harmonies, and all ye who comprehend 

 His marvelous works, praise Him! And thou, my soul, praise thy Cre- 

 ator! It is by Him and in Him that all exists. That which we know not 

 is comprised in Him, as w^ell as our vain science. To Him be praise, 

 honor, and glory throughout eternity!" 



And in a note not less animated, and more touching, perhaps, than 

 the text, he adds: "Glory also to my old master, Moestliu!" 



The Emperor Matthias was dead. His successor was his nephew 

 Ferdinand, of Austria, whose pious energy, intent on extirpating the 

 Protestant worship in Styria, had, twenty years before, troubled the life 

 of Kepler. His zeal had^iot relaxed, and the persecution was rekindled 

 with increasing violence: "Whither shall I betake myself?" writes 

 Kepler to a friend. "Should I seek a province already devastated, or 

 one of those which will not fail soon to be so!" He had fortunately 



