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 inlmortal 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.' 7 



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 Stj^ria. 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 one hundred and fifty pounds a year. This 



