ii2 GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 



should be urged that the two cases are not parallel, 

 I prefer to confine my argument to ecclesiastical 

 tribunals only. I maintain, then, that always 

 assuming the truth of the Catholic standpoint, which, 

 with Mr. Mivart, I am justified in doing the Church 

 has an obvious right to interfere with and to regulate 

 the study of physical science and the promulgation 

 of scientific theories. It would be more consistent 

 and more intelligible to deny the right of the Church 

 to proscribe any theories whatever, or to forbid the 

 reading of any books, however profane, than to admit 

 it in all other matters, but deny it in the one case 

 of physical science. 



I yield to no one in feeling a deep interest in 

 science generally, and especially astronomy, the 

 Queen of Sciences, as it is sometimes called ; many 

 sciences, and astronomy in particular, well deserve 

 to be studied for their own sake, and for the intellec- 

 tual profit and pleasure they convey to the mind, 

 putting aside all questions of practical utility. And 

 yet if we are to measure all the advantages derivable 

 from the study of natural science against the mighty 

 and momentous issues which Eeligion brings before 

 us, it seems to me that in so doing we are measuring 

 some finite quantity with that which transcends all 

 our powers of comparison because it is not only vast 

 but simply infinite. If you do not believe Eeligion, 

 or at least revealed Eeligion, to be true, then I under- 

 stand your worshipping science, or like the Positivists 

 worshipping Humanity, or any idol you choose to con- 



