ON INSTRUMENTS FROM ITAL Y. 113 



not, in his profession, have taken up a higher or more distinguished 

 subject, or one that could bring his name in greater evidence ; for 

 even to be known as a slanderer is to have a certain reputation. But 

 to return from this digression. 



" I have the most distinct recollection that when you had constructed 

 here the first telescope, among the first things which you discovered 

 were the spots on the sun ; and I should be able to point out the 

 exact place, where you, by means of the telescope, showed them on a 

 sheet of white paper to that father of glorious memory. I well 

 remember the discussions which took place, first as to whether it 

 were a deception of the telescope, or vapours in the interposed air, 

 and then having repeated our observations, we concluded that the 

 fact was such as it appeared and that it was deserving of serious 

 thought. And that afterwards you left us. The recollection of all 

 this is as fresh in my memory as if it were taking place at this very 

 moment. But what beasts are to be met with ! Truth conquers." 



Thus it clearly appears that even in August, 1610, Galileo had dis- 

 covered the spots on the sun. The following year he had occasion in 

 Rome, to draw the attention of several dignitaries to them, as may 

 be 1 seen from what Angelo de Filiis wrote in 1613 : " Besides this, he 

 (Galileo) did not leave Rome until he .... not merely mentioned 

 with words that he had found that the sun was spotted, but actually 

 proved it. He pointed out the spots on several occasions, and once 

 in particular in the garden of the Quirinal, in the presence of the 

 most Illustrious Cardinal Bandini, and of the most Reverend 

 Monsignori Corsini, Dini, Abbate Cavalcanti, Signer Giulio Strozzi, 

 and many other gentlemen." 



Nevertheless, the above-mentioned Father Scheiner did not hesitate 

 to assume as his own this great discovery, when it was already known 

 to most people. His brother monk, however, Padre Galdino wrote : 

 " That he warned Father Scheiner that the spots which were to be 

 seen on the sun, had been observed before any one else by Galileo ; 

 and Padre Adamo Tannero, who was not only a Jesuit, but also 

 Schemer's colleague in the college of Ingolstadt, in his "Astrologia 

 Sacra," not only leaves him (Scheiner) unmentioned, but alluding to 

 the solar spots expresses himselt as follows : " Certe magnus astrono- 

 mus Galileus horum Sydereonun ostentorum proecipuus inventor 



I 



