38 GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 



which seem to be contrary to it, and rather to say 

 that we do not understand them, than say that a 

 thing which is demonstrated is false. But for his own 

 part, until it had been shown to him, he would not 

 believe there could be any such demonstration, for it 

 was one thing to prove that if the hypothesis were 

 true all things would appear as they actually do, and 

 another thing to prove that such is actually the fact ; 

 and in case of doubt one ought not to leave the inter- 

 pretation of Scripture as given by the Fathers. Then 

 comes what is really an extraordinary argument, as 

 we modern thinkers would view it. The text, " The 

 sun arises and sets, and returns to his own place," was 

 written by Solomon, who was not only inspired by 

 God, but was also the wisest and most learned of 

 mankind in human sciences, and in the knowledge of 

 created things, and it was not likely he could be 

 wrong. Nor was it sufficient to say that Solomon 

 speaks according to appearances ; for though in some 

 cases erroneous impressions, arising from appearances, 

 can be corrected by observation and experience, it is 

 quite otherwise as regards the motion of the Earth. 



It is certainly remarkable that it does not appear 

 to strike Bellarmine that the Fathers and commen- 

 tators, not having this question before them, naturally 

 interpreted Scripture according to the ideas generally 

 entertained in their day. While to suppose that, 

 because Solomon wrote certain inspired works, and, 

 moreover, was a great naturalist- -the greatest of his 

 day he was, therefore, infallible in his personal 



