GALILEO GALILEI. 7 



the opinions of Copernicus, and by that theory 

 have succeeded in fully explaining many phenom- 

 ena which on the contrary hypothesis are al- 

 gether inexplicable. I have drawn up many argu- 

 ments and compilations of the opposite opinions, 

 which, however, I have not hitherto dared to pub- 

 lish, fearful of meeting the same fate as our master 

 Copernicus, who, although he has earned for him- 

 self immortal fame amongst the few, yet amongst 

 the greater number appears as only worthy of hoot- 

 ing and derision ; so great is the number of fools." 



John Kepler, like Galileo, lived a pathetic life. 

 His childhood was spent in the little beer-shop of 

 his wretchedly poor father. At six he had a severe 

 attack of small-pox, and his eyes were permanently 

 weakened. He was put to the plough, but his 

 delicate body could not bear the work. At last, 

 through charity, he became a theological student 

 at Tubingen. But here he began to think for him- 

 self, and, probably, would have been obliged to 

 leave the university. 



Fortunately for science, he heard some lectures 

 given by Michael Mostlen, famous in mathematics 

 and astronomy. A new world opened to Kepler. 

 He applied himself with all the ardor of youth, 

 and at twenty -two became professor of mathemat- 

 ics at Gratz, in Styria. He was soon driven away 

 from this Catholic stronghold, on account of his 

 Protestant faith. Tycho Brahe heard of his needs, 

 and made him his assistant at Prague, with a salary 

 of seven hundred and fifty dollars a year. This 



