182(5.] Galileo, and the Copernican StfUem. Gil 



he had found Clavius and two other Jesuits, very good astronomerg, employed 

 in confirming his discoveries by new observations, and in ridiculing a certain 

 Francesco Sizi, who had o[)|)osed them. And it is also seen from the documents 

 which Giovanni Targioni Tozzetti {Aggnimlimciiti, ^c. tom. ii. p. i. p. 18., &c.) 

 has produced, that Cardinal Bellarmine, who took a part in the first prohibition 

 of the Copernican system, had himself wished to observe the phenomena which 

 Galileo had discoveretl in the heavens, and that he had asked the 0|)inion of 

 some mathematical Jesuits on the subject, and from them had reecived a con- 

 firmation of the truth. But it was in the Academy dc' Lincei, then recently 

 instituted by Prince Federigo Cesi, and of which he became a member in April 

 1011, that most frequently, and with the greatest applause, Galileo spoke in 

 public of his discoveries {Aliic Mem. de/l' Accademia del Cimcnlo, tom. ii. pt. 1. 

 p. 13, 20) which were then the subject of the writings and the discussions of all 

 learned men, particularly in Italy and Germany. This first journey was, then, 

 productive of nothing but admiration and honour to Galileo. On his returning 

 into Tuscany, he began to reflect upon the Copernican system, and to com- 

 municate his ideas to others; and as generall} happens with whatever has the 

 appearance of novelty, he met with great approbation and numerous followers : 

 but perhaps with opposition still greater, and with enemies much more numer- 

 ous ; either because they did not well understand the basis of such a system, or 

 that the old professors of those sciences felt ashamed to confess that they had 

 been up to that time in error, or because many entertained an o()inion that the 

 system of Copernicus could not be reconciled with the sacred Scriptures, which 

 apparently suppose the motion of the sun and the innnobility of the earth. 

 This last reason was the one that was urged most loudly against Galileo, since 

 it was the only one which could be adduced without entering into astronomical 

 questions, in which the genius of Galileo was too much to be feared. A rumour 

 then began to circulate unfavourable to this reviver of the Copernican system, 

 and at length things went so far that it was made a subject of declamation from 

 the pulpit, and a zealous friar flattered himself with having discovered in the 

 book of the Acts of the Apostles (cap. i. ii.), a prediction and contemptuous 

 notice of the opinion of Galileo, in the words, Viri Galilai, quid statis axpicientes 

 hi ccelum ? The report of these proceedings extended at last to Rome, and 

 Galileo was informed that to some minds his opinions gave serious offence. 

 After this, either as he himself states {Fabroni, vol. i. p. 35.) of his own ''ree 

 choice, or because he was summoned there to answer for his sentiments, as 

 Antonio Quercnghi mentions in one of his letters, dated January 1, 1616, 

 " la sua venuta a Roma non e, come si credeva, aftatto voluniaria, ina che si vuole 

 far'gli render conto, come salvi il movimento circolar della terra, e la dottrina in 

 tutto contraria della S. Scrittura," he repaired to Rome about the end of the 

 year 16 1 5. He there began to disseminate, sometimes in one house, sometimes 

 in another, the system he had embraced ; and in reply to the difficulties which 

 were frequently objected to him, he came off victorious amid the applause and 

 admiration of his auditors. In a letter dated January 20, 1616, Querenghi 

 writes, " Del Galileo havrebbe gran gusto V. S. Illustrissima, se I'udisse discorrere, 

 come fa spesso in mezzo di XV. e XX. che gli danno assalti crudeli, quando 

 in una casa et quando in un'altra. Ma egli sta fortificato in maniera, che si 

 ride di tutti, et se bene non persuade la novita della sua opinione, convince 

 nondimeno di vanita la maggior parte degli argomenti, coi quali gli oppug- 

 natori cercano di atteirirlo." But he knew not how to show the mode- 

 ration and forbearance so much more necessary for great men, as the rest 

 of their fellow-creatures are apprehensive of being surpassed and oppressed 

 by them. On the 4th of March 1616, the ambassador, Pietro Guicciardini, 

 writes thus to the Grand Duke Ferdinand {Faironi, Vol. i. p. 53), " Galileo 

 has relied more upon his own opinion than upon that of his friends, and both 

 the Cardinal del Monte and myself, with what little influence I had, and more 

 particularly the cardinals of the holy office had persuaded him to remain quiet, 

 and not to take any step in this business; but if he wished to hold this opinion, 

 lo do so ouictly without making such great endeavours to persuade others and 



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