GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 37 



sional mistake, was one of the clearest, ablest, and (may 

 one not add?) fairest of writers; but on a subject such 

 as this, some of his reasoning strikes us as very curious. 

 The substance of it is as follows : After admitting 

 that so long as the Copernican doctrine is stated 

 hypothetically, " ex suppositions" there is no objection 

 whatever to it, he goes on to say that to state it 

 positively and as a reality is contrary to the principle 

 laid down by the Council (i.e. of Trent), that 

 Scripture should not be interpreted contrary to the 

 common consent of the Fathers ; and, he added, not 

 only that, but the universal opinions of modern 

 commentators. In answer to the objection that it is 

 not a matter of faith, he says : " if it is not so exparte 

 objecti, it is so exparte dicentis" meaning apparently 

 that a man who impugned the truth of the Scriptural 

 narrative in any respect would be heretical. Then 

 follows the paragraph which has given occasion to 

 quote the letter, and it is to this effect :* When there 

 shall be a real demonstration that the Sun stands in 

 the centre of the universe, and that the Earth revolves 

 round it, it will then be necessary to proceed with great 

 consideration in explaining those passages of Scripture 



* " Dico, eke quando ci fosse vera dimostratione che il Sole stia 

 nel centro del mondo, e la terra nel 3 cielo, e che il Sole non circonda 

 la terra, ma la terra circonda il Sole, allora bisogneria andar con molta 

 consideratione in esplicare le Scritture che paiono contrarie, e piii 

 sotto dire che non P intendianio, che dira che sia falso quello che 

 si dimostra. Ma io non creder6 che ci sia tale dimostratione fin 

 che non mi sia mostrata, etc." Extract from Cardinal Bellarmine's 

 Letter to F. Foscarini. 



