GAL 
and is of very solitary and sequestered ha- 
bits, continuing motionless on its perch dur- 
ing the whole night, and often also a consi- 
derable part of the day, and but rarely seen 
otherwise than alone. Naturalists are but 
imperfectly acquainted with the jacamar 
genus, and know nothing of its nest and 
eggs. 
GALEGA, in botany, a genus of the 
Diadelphia Decandria class and order. Na- 
tural order of Papilionaceae, or Leguminosap. 
Essential character: calyx with subulate 
teeth, nearly equal ; legume with oblique 
streaks between the seeds. There are nine- 
teen species. 
GALEN1A, in botany, a genus of the 
Octandria Digynia class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Succulepte. Atriplices, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character: calyx four-cleft; 
corolla none; capsule roundish, two-seeded. 
There are two species. 
GALEOPSIS, in botany, a genus of the 
Didynamia Gymnospermia class and order. 
Natural order of Verticillatae, or Labiate. 
Essential character : corolla upper-lip notch- 
ed a little, vaulted ; lower has two teeth 
above. There are four species, with seve- 
ral varieties. 
GALILEI, or Galileo, in biography, 
a most excellent philosopher, mathemati- 
cian and astronomer, was the son of a Flo- 
rentine nobleman, and born at Pisa, in the 
year 1564. The earliest subjects of his stu- 
dies were poetry, music, and drawing ; but 
his genius soon led him to the cultivation of 
sublimer sciences, by his proficiency in 
which he has immortalised his name. His 
father, though a noble, possessed but a 
limited fortune, and was therefore desirous 
of educating him a physician, that he might 
secure greater means of independence from 
the protits of his profession, than he could de- 
rive from his paternal estate. With this view 
he entered him as a student in philosophy 
and medicine at the university of Pisa ; but 
Galileo became soon dissatisfied with the 
obscurity of the Aristotelian system, then 
taught in the schools, and conceived an un- 
conquerable dislike to medical studies. 
He now 1 betook himself to tiie study of 
the mathematics, and, without the assist- 
ance of a tutor, made a rapid progress in 
those sciences, commencing with Euclid, 
and afterwards making himself master of 
the works of Archimedes, and of other 
ancient mathematicians. When his father 
perceived which way his inclination tended, 
and that his improvement indicated uncom- 
mon talents for mathematical pursuits, he 
GAL 
prudently suffered him to follow the natural 
bias of his mind without any restraint. So 
great was the reputation he acquired as a 
mathematician, that in the year 1589, the 
Duke of Tuscany appointed him to the 
mathematical chair in the University of 
Pisa. He discharged the duties of this ap- 
pointment, for about three years, with the 
applause and admiration of the liberal and 
more enlightened ; but not without exciting 
the jealousy and opposition of the violent 
Aristotelians, who, because he ventured to 
question some of the hypothetical maxims 
of their master, held him out in the odious 
light of a visionary and dangerous innovator. 
Becoming disgusted with the obstructions 
which their ignorance and bigotry threw in 
the way of his promoting just principles- of 
science, in the year 1592 he resigned his 
professorship at Pisa, and accepted with 
pleasure of an invitation that was sent him 
to fill the mathematical chair in the univer- 
sity of Padua. In this seminary he conti- 
nued for eighteen years, esteemed and che- 
rished by the Paduans and Venetians, 
raising the credit of the university as a 
school of sound philosophy, and admired by 
all the learned, who had sufficient liberality 
and spirit to emancipate themselves from 
the fetters of ancient prejudices. 
By degrees Tuscany felt an increasing ar- 
dour for improvement, and no sooner was 
it known that Galileo’s patriotism inclined 
him to devote his services to liis native 
country, than Cosmo II, Grand Duke, sent 
for him to Pisa in the year 1611, where he 
made him professor of mathematics, with a 
very considerable stipend. Afterwards he 
invited him to Florence, and gave him the 
title of principal mathematician and philo- 
sopher to bis highness, continuing to him 
the salary annexed to his professorship, 
without any obligation to a residence at 
Pisa. With the study of mathematics, 
paUleo united that of physics, particularly 
the doctrines of mechanics and optics. Be- 
fore he had settled at Padua, he had writ- 
ten his “ Mechanics,” or treatise on the 
benefits derived from that science, and its 
instruments ; and also his “ Balance,” for 
finding the proportion of alloy or mixed 
metals. These he had introduced into his 
lectures at that university. 
Being informed at Venice, in the year 
1609, that Jansen, a Dutchman, had invent- 
ed a glass, by means of which distaut ob- 
jects appeared as if they were near, he turn- 
ed his attention to this subject, and from the 
imperfect accounts he had received, and 
