Historical Relations 141 



could only be defended by such men as Galileo's accusers, who were 

 unable or unwilling to investigate the matter for themselves. 

 Every one of the foundations of the Aristotelian system (see pp. 

 1 01— 102) had been undermined by Galileo or by Kepler and their 

 place taken by an intelligible mathematical relationship. From 

 now on the scholastic Aristotelianism was as much an embarrass- 

 ment to official religion as the narratives of miracle became at a 

 later date. It was, however, as hard for one section of the Church 

 to rid itself of its scholastic heritage as it was for another at a later 

 date to disembarrass itself of the dead-weight of miracle. There 

 may have been truth in the words of Bruno : " Perchance your fear 

 in passing judgement is greater than mine in receiving it." 



Kepler, despite the mystical and doubtless heretical tendencies 

 of many of his religious views, retained a perfectly simple religious 

 faith, and regarded scientific discovery as a process of the revelation 

 of the greatness of the Creator. It will be seen that he died a few 

 years before the appearance of the first publication by Descartes. 

 It may not be inappropriate to quote here a prayer by Kepler with 

 which he concludes one of his astronomical works. It is a reveal- 

 ing document, exhibiting at once the strength of his simple faith 

 and the absence from it of any clear philosophical element. 



"It remains only that I should lift up to heaven my eyes and 

 hands from the table of my pursuits, and humbly and devoutly 

 supplicate the Father of lights. O thou, who by the light of nature 

 dost enkindle in us a desire after the light of grace, that by this thou 

 mayst translate us into, the light of glory ; I give thee thanks, 

 O Lord and Creator, that thou hast gladdened me by thy creation, 

 when I was enraptured by the work of thy hands. Behold, I have 

 here completed a wtjrk of ;ny calling, with as much of intellectual 

 strength as thou hast granted me. I have declared the praise of 

 thy works to the men who will read the evidences of it, so far as my 

 finite spirit could comprehend them in their infinity. My mind 

 endeavoured to its utmost to reach the truth by philosophy ; but 

 if any thing unworthy of thee has been taught by me — a worm born 

 and nourished in sin — do thou teach me that I may correct it. 

 Have I been seduced into presumption by the admirable beauty of 

 thy works, or have I sought my own glory among men, in the 

 construction of a work designed for thine honour ? O then 

 graciously and mercifully forgive me ; and finally grant me this 

 favour, that this work may never be injurious, but may conduce to 

 thy glory and the good of souls." 



