GALILEO AND HIS JUDGES. 127 



However, be this as it may, in the year 1757 the 

 relaxation of the censures took place ; in 1820, on 

 the 16th August, a distinct permission was given 

 for teaching the movement of the Earth ; and again 

 on the 17th September, 1822, a re-examination of 

 the whole subject having taken place, a decree 

 appeared, sanctioned by the Pope, Leo XII., in 

 which the Inquisitors General, in conformity with 

 the decrees of 1757 and 1820, declared that the 

 printing and publishing at Eome of works treating 

 of the movement of the Earth and the immobility 

 of the Sun, according to the opinion of modern as- 

 tronomers, was henceforth permitted. Thus the 

 decree of 1616 was practically abrogated. 



Mr. Mivart, among other remarks on the proceed- 

 ings in Galileo's case, says that no amends were 

 ever made by the authorities of the Church for 

 the injustice done to the philosopher, but he does 

 not state what kind of amends or what sort of 

 apology he expected. If he means that no personal 

 reparation was made to Galileo, that is doubtless 

 true ; nor was any sacrifice ever offered to his 

 Manes. Indeed, it must be allowed that the eccle- 

 siastical authorities hindered the erection, after his 

 decease, of a monument in his honour. Nor is this 

 a matter for surprise ; it may be taken for granted 

 that the object of those who desired to erect the 

 monument was to pay an especial tribute of respect 

 to the deceased astronomer as one who had suffered 

 unjustly ; and that was precisely what the Pope 



