MEMOIR OF GALILEO. 95 



that I will never in future say or assert anything, verbally, or in writing, 

 which may give rise to a similar suspicion against me. 



" I, Galileo Galilei, have abjured as above with my own hand." 



Rising from his knees, Galileo, it is said, stamped with 

 his foot upon the ground, and whispered to a friend, " It 

 does move, though." 



Immediately on the ceremony being concluded, Galileo 

 was conducted to the prisons of the Inquisition. The ab- 

 juration and sentence were publicly read in the principal 

 universities. After four days' confinement, the interest of 

 the Duke of Tuscany procured his liberty to reside under 

 surveillance in the house of the Tuscan ambassador, from 

 whence he was shortly removed to the palace of the arch- 

 bishop Piccolomoni, at Sienna. Here he resided six months, 

 and was kindly treated ; he was then permitted to return to 

 his own home, near Florence ; still, however, under restraint. 

 Shortly after returning home, Galileo suffered great afflic- 

 tion from the loss of his favorite daughter. From 1634 to 

 163S, he remained a prisoner in his own house, during nearly 

 the whole of which time he suffered greatly from ill-health 

 every application for a remission of his sentence being re- 

 jected. 



In 1638, he obtained leave to visit Florence, for the bene- 

 fit of his health ; but under such strict terms, that he dared 

 neither visit his friends nor admit them to his house, and 

 required even a special order to be allowed to attend mass. 

 From 1633 to 1638, Galileo, wHo applied himself as closely 

 to study as his health would permit, composed his " Dia- 

 logues on Local Motion." So fearful were his enemies that 

 the true spirit of the philosopher might again break out, 

 that a license was not granted for its publication, and it had 

 to be printed in Holland. 



About 1636, Galileo discovered the moon's diurnal and 

 longitudinal libration. This was his last telescopic dis- 

 covery. He had for years been afflicted with disease in the 



