336 MORE POT-POURRI 



and old, to die. Tradition says that he worked from the 

 top of this tower. I wonder whether he did, or whether 

 Milton was right in saying that he studied the moon 

 from the top of Fiesole. Milton only saw Galileo on his 

 second visit to Florence, as during his first visit the 

 astronomer was kept a close prisoner by the Inquisition. 



What was really at the bottom of Galileo's persecu- 

 tion ? Religious people thought it militated against the 

 dignity and importance of man that this planet of his 

 should go spinning round the sun — with men's hopes 

 and feelings hanging on by their eyelids — instead of 

 remaining quiet, in a dignified manner, while the sun 

 did its duty in going round, warming and lighting, 

 the earth. 



Galileo's blindness seems to have had a 'prophetic 

 fascination ' for Milton, and the deep impression left by 

 the sight of the Tuscan astronomer is shown by the way 

 in which Milton once or twice alludes to him in 

 'Paradise Lost,' not published till nearly thirty 

 years later. 



Mr. Stephen Phillips' fine poem to MUton blind, 

 might almost apply to Galileo : 



The hand was taken by Angels who patrol 

 The evening, or are sentries to the dawn, 

 Or pace the wide air everlastingly. 

 Thou wast admitted to the presence, and deep 

 Argument heardest and the large design 

 That brings this world out of woe to bliss. 



Guida says of GalUeo's tower in 'Pascarel,' perhaps 

 the most imaginative and delightful of her Italian books 

 (so true to nature, and so false to human nature ! ) : 

 ' The world has spoilt most of its places of pUgrimage, 

 but the old star -tower is not harmed as yet where it 

 stands amongst its quiet garden ways and grass -grown 

 slopes, up high amongst the hills, with sounds of drip- 



