306 EPOCHS IN THE HISTOEY OF THE CONTEMPLATION Of 



the universe (the most important parts of that system, the 

 grandest traits in the picture of the universe, unquestionably 

 belong to him) was no less distinguished by the courage 

 and confidence with which he propounded it, than by his 

 knowledge. He was in a high degree deserving of the fine 

 eulogium of Kepler, who, speaking of him in the introduc- 

 tion to the Eudolphine Tables, says, "vir fuit maximo in- 

 genio, et quod in hoc exercitio (in combating prejudices) 

 magni moinenti est, animo liber" Copernicus, in his de- 

 dication to the Pope, does not hesitate to term the generally 

 received opinion of the immobility and central position of 

 the earth an "absurd acroama," and to expose the stupidity 

 of those who adhere to so erroneous a belief. " If," said 

 he, "any empty babbler (ftaratoXoyot), ignorant of mathe- 

 matical knowledge, should yet rashly pronounce sentence 

 upon his work, by wresting for that purpose some passage 

 from Holy Scripture (propter aliquem locum scripturse male 

 ad suum propositum detortum), he sliould despise so pre- 

 sumptuous an assault. It was, indeed, generally known 

 that the celebrated Lactantius (who could not, it is true, be 

 reckoned among mathematicians), had spoken very child- 

 ishly (pueriliter) of the form of the earth, deriding those 

 who hold it tc he spherical. On mathematical subjects one 

 must write for mathematicians only. In order to shew that, 

 deeply penetrated with the truth of his results, he had no 

 cause to fear any condemnation, he addressed himself, from 

 a remote corner of the world, to the supreme visible head of 

 the Church, that he might protect him from the tooth of 

 slander; adding, that the Church would, moreover, be 

 advantaged by his investigations on the length of the year 

 and the movements of the moon." In regard to this last 



