GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 97 



the study of astronomy remained until the discovery 

 of that great law of gravitation, which binds together 

 and regulates the physical universe. Men of mature 

 years had not then learnt the lesson now taught to 

 youths at college, that in natural science we must 

 discard d priori arguments, and trust to the experi- 

 mental method for guidance. It has been said con- 

 temptuously that the Cardinals who condemned 

 Galileo and the Copernican system were not only 

 ignorant of the science of the present day (which 

 was inevitable), but even of that of their own day. 

 If that means merely that they were deficient in that 

 far-reaching intelligence which enables some gifted 

 men to foresee the future effect of recent discoveries 

 and hypotheses scarcely emerged from a state of 

 embryo, we may readily grant it. 



We may allow also that some of the recent dis- 

 coveries of Galileo, as, for instance, that of the phases 

 of Venus, were not at first fully appreciated, nor their 

 bearing on the controversy perfectly understood, 

 excepting by professed astronomers. It required care- 

 ful observation to perceive that this planet's phases 

 were only to be explained on the theory of her 

 revolving round the Sun. 



On the other hand, if these ecclesiastics were wise 

 enough to see the futility of Galileo's argument drawn 

 from the tides, it is certainly not for us to blame 

 them ; the tides have nothing to do with the 

 questions then at issue. 



And it is only fair to remember that supposing 



