290 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN. 



To Rev. Dr. Whewell. 



Sept. 16, 1856. 



1856. MY DEAR SIR, I have been prevented from answering your 



note by an effect of gravity which brought me and my book- 

 ladder to the ground together, and dislocated my right shoulder. 

 However, it is getting right now, and the whole thing is not so 

 bad as it is called. As to Galileo, I have inquired of Libri, 

 who is up to that case above all men, and he says that though 

 various statements have been made, he never could find the least 

 ground for supposing that any Pope had done anything in the 

 matter. And this was my impression also. I feel confident 

 that all the rumour is a mere sham. 



The following (not to be used) may confirm you. The nar- 

 rator is Biot, to Libri, long ago. 



A little before 1830 Biot was at Rome, conversing with the 

 chief Inquisitor, who said, ' You men of science think that the 

 Inquisition is opposed to scientific statements, which is quite 

 untrue.' 'Then,' said Biot, 'I suppose the Professor at the 

 Sapienza College may teach the motion of the earth ? ' The 

 Inquisitor shook his head and said, 'No, that could not be 

 allowed.' Depend on it, if anything had been done, it would 

 have been widely promulgated. 



Yours very truly, however illegibly, 



A. DE MOEGAN. 



To Rev. Dr. Whewell. 



7 Camden Street, Nov. 7, 1856. 



MY DEAR SIR, For your thin volume of additions just 

 received many thanks. These little supplements are like giblet 

 pie a collection of all that is most racy : only, mind, I don't 

 mean to say they are goose giblets ; on the contrary, they shall 

 be owl giblets if the owl is still to be the bird of Minerva. 



Now for notes and remarks. Who can unlatinise in our day ? 

 Who answers for Nicholas Gusa or Adam Marshman ? ] He 

 might be Adam Marsh, or Fen, for aught we know. Have not 

 the French made Viete of M. de Viette, who would have been 

 horrified at his prefix of gentility being abolished ? We happen 

 to have plenty of evidence to De Viette. 



1 Adam de Marisco de-latinised. 



