GALILEO'S INVENTION OF THE TELESCOPE. 173 



of the 25th of August, 1609, elected him a Life Lecturer 

 of the Studio of Padua, at the same time granting him a 

 provision of one thousand florins per annum.' Galileo, 

 writing to Padre Orazio Grrassi, a Jesuit, respecting the 

 invention of the telescope, said : ' What share of credit 

 may be due to me in the invention of this instrument, and 

 whether I can reasonably claim it as my offspring, I 

 expressed some time ago in my " Avviso Sidereo," which I 

 wrote in Venice. I happened to be there when the news 

 reached that a Dutchman had presented Count Maurice 

 with a glass by means of which things far away appeared 

 just as clearly as if they were quite close at hand nor 

 was any detail whatever added. Upon hearing this, I 

 returned to Padua, where I was at that time living, and 

 pondered over this problem ; and the first night after my 

 return I found it out. The following day I made the 

 instrument. After that I immediately set to work to 

 construct a more perfect one, which, when it was com- 

 pleted six days afterwards, I took to Venice ; and there so 

 .great a marvel attracted the attention of almost all the 

 principal gentlemen of that Eepublic. Finally, by the 

 advice of one of my dearest patrons, I presented it to the 

 Prince in full college. The gratitude with which it was 

 received and the esteem in which it was held are proved 

 by the ducal letters, which I have yet by me, since they 

 contain the expression of his Serene Highness's generosity 

 in confirming me for life in my lectureship in the Studio 

 of Padua, with double the payment of that which I had 

 previously received, which, in its turn, was more than 

 three times what any of my predecessors had enjoyed. 

 These facts, Sign or Sarsi, did not take place in a forest or 

 desert, they occurred in Venice ; and if you had been there, 

 you would not have simply put me down as a foster-parent 

 of the invention. But perhaps some one may tell me that 



