426 HISTORY OF FORMAL ASTRONOMY. 



prosecutors of Galileo are still held up to the scorn 

 and aversion of mankind ; although, as we have 

 seen, they did not act till it seemed that their 

 position compelled them to do so, and then pro- 

 ceeded with all the gentleness and moderation 

 which were compatible with judicial forms. 



Sect. 5. The Heliocentric Theory confirmed on 

 Physical considerations. (Prelude to Kepler s 

 Astronomical Discoveries.) 



BY physical views, I mean, as I have already said, 

 those which depend on the causes of the motions 

 of matter, as, for instance, the consideration of the 

 nature and laws of the force by which bodies fall 

 downwards. Such considerations were necessarily 

 and immediately brought under notice by the exa- 

 mination of the Copernican theory ; but the loose 

 and inaccurate notions which prevailed respecting 

 the nature and laws of force, prevented, for some 

 time, all distinct reasoning on this subject, and 

 gave truth little advantage over errour. The for- 

 mation of a new Science, the Science of Motion 

 and its Causes, was requisite, before the heliocen- 

 tric system could have justice done it with regard 

 to this part of the subject. 



This discussion was at first carried on, as was 

 to be expected, in terms of the received, that is, 

 the Aristotelian doctrines. Thus, Copernicus says 

 that terrestrial things appear to be at rest when 

 they have a motion according to nature, that is, 



