INDUCTIVE HABITS. 311 



us if they were charged with the care of the 

 human race alone. "" In the same spirit, when 

 some objected to the asserted smallness of the 

 Medicean stars, or satellites of Jupiter, and urged 

 this as a reason why they were unworthy the re- 

 gard of philosophers, he replied that they are the 

 works of God's power, the objects of His care, 

 and therefore may well be considered as sublime 

 subjects for man's study. 



In the Dialogues on Mechanics, there occur 

 those observations concerning the use of the air- 

 bladder in fishes, and concerning the adaptation 

 of the size of animals to the strength of the 

 materials of which they are framed, which have 

 often since been adopted by writers on the wisdom 

 of Providence. The last of the dialogues on the 

 system of the world is closed by a religious 

 reflexion, put in the mouth of the interlocutor 

 who usually expresses Galileo's own opinions. 

 " While it is permitted us to speculate concerning 

 the constitution of the world, we are also taught 

 (perhaps in order that the activity of the human 

 mind may not pause or languish) that our powers 

 do not enable us to comprehend the works of His 

 hands. May success therefore attend this in- 

 tellectual exercise, thus permitted and appointed 

 for us ; by which we recognise and admire the 

 greatness of God the more, in proportion as we 

 find ourselves the less able to penetrate the pro- 

 found abysses of his wisdom." And that this 



