90 GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 



on the subject of the movement of the Earth. Of 

 this concession he availed himself, and lived for his 

 few remaining years in Florence, occupying himself 

 with scientific pursuits. In this same year he 

 published at Ley den a work entitled, "Dialoghi 

 delle Nuove Scienze " ; this, in fact, was his last 

 work of importance, and he died on the 8th 

 January, 1642, in his seventy-eighth year. 



It is not easy to form an accurate estimate of 

 the character of Galileo, so far, at least, as affected 

 by the proceedings just related. By some he has 

 been called a "Martyr of Science"; but a martyr, 

 unless the word be used in a loose and inaccurate 

 sense, ought, above all things, to have the courage 

 of his convictions, and as we have seen, that was 

 hardly the case with Galileo. I will here again 

 quote Dr. Whewell's work on the " History of the 

 Inductive Sciences," and this time in agreement 

 with his words : " I do not see with what propriety 

 Galileo can be looked upon as a martyr of science. 

 Undoubtedly he was very desirous of promoting what 

 he conceived to be the cause of philosophical truth ; 

 but it would seem that, while he was restless and 

 eager in urging his opinions, he was always ready 

 to make such submissions as the spiritual tribunals 

 required. . . . But in this case (i.e. the case of his 

 refusing to abjure) he would have been a martyr 

 to a cause of which the merit was of a miDgled 

 character ; for his own special and favourite share 

 in the reasonings by which the Copernican system 



