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invention of logarithms；was necessary to arrive at these truths！
What fertility of invention was displayed in all his hypotheses；
what patience in working them out； what magnanimity in discarding
those which were not true！ What power of guessing； even to hit
upon theories which could be established by elaborate
calculations；all from the primary thought； the grand axiom； which
Kepler was the first to propose； that there must be some numerical
or geometrical relations among the times； distances； and velocities
of the revolving bodies of the solar system！ It would seem that
although his science was deductive； he invoked the aid of induction
also： a great original genius； yet modest like Newton； a man who
avoided hostilities； yet given to the most boundless enthusiasm on
the subjects to which he devoted his life。 How intense his
raptures！ 〃Nothing holds me；〃 he writes； on discovering his great
laws； 〃I will indulge in my sacred fury。 I will boast of the
golden vessels I have stolen from the Egyptians。 If you forgive
me； I rejoice。 If you are angry； it is all the same to me。 The
die is cast； the book is written；to be read either now； or by
posterity； I care not which。 It may well wait a century for a
reader； as God has waited six thousand years for an observer。〃
We do not see this sublime repose in the attitude of Galileo；this
falling back on his own conscious greatness； willing to let things
take their natural course； but rather； on the other hand； an
impatience under contradiction； a vehement scorn of adversaries；
and an intellectual arrogance that gave offence； and impeded his
career； and injured his fame。 No matter how great a man may be；
his intellectual pride is always offensive； and when united with
sarcasm and mockery it will make bitter enemies； who will pull him
down。
Galileo； on his transfer to Padua； began to teach the doctrines of
Copernicus；a much greater genius than he； and yet one who
provoked no enmities； although he made the greatest revolution in
astronomical knowledge that any man ever made； since he was in no
haste to reveal his discoveries； and stated them in a calm and
inoffensive way。 I doubt if new discoverers in science meet with
serious opposition when men themselves are not attacked； and they
are made to appeal to calm intelligence； and war is not made on
those Scripture texts which seem to controvert them。 Even
theologians receive science when science is not made to undermine
theological declarations； and when the divorce of science from
revelation； reason from faith； as two distinct realms； is
vigorously insisted upon。 Pascal incurred no hostilities for his
scientific investigations； nor Newton； nor Laplace。 It is only
when scientific men sneer at the Bible because its declarations
cannot always be harmonized with science that the hostilities of
theologians are provoked。 And it is only when theologians deny
scientific discoveries that seem to conflict with texts of
Scripture； that opposition arises among scientific men。 It would
seem that the doctrines of Copernicus were offensive to churchmen
on this narrow ground。 It was hard to believe that the earth
revolved around the sun； when the opinions of the learned for two
thousand years were unanimous that the sun revolved around the
earth。 Had both theologian and scientist let the Bible alone；
there would not have been a bitter war between them。 But
scientists were accused by theologians of undermining the Bible；
and the theologians were accused of stupid obstinacy； and were
mercilessly exposed to ridicule。
That was the great error of Galileo。 He made fun and sport of the
theologians； as Samson did of the Philistines； and the Philistines
of Galileo's day cut off his locks and put out his eyes when the
Pope put him into their power；those Dominican inquisitors who
made a crusade against human thought。 If Galileo had shown more
tact and less arrogance； possibly those Dominican doctors might
have joined the chorus of universal praise； for they were learned
men； although devoted to a bad system； and incapable of seeing
truth when their old authorities were ridiculed and set at nought。
Galileo did not deny the Scriptures； but his spirit was mocking；
and he seemed to prejudiced people to undermine the truths which
were felt to be vital for the preservation of faith in the world。
And as some scientific truths seemed to be adverse to Scripture
declarations； the transition was easy to a denial of the
inspiration which was claimed by nearly all Christian sects； both
Catholic and Protestant。
The intolerance of the Church in every age has driven many
scientists into infidelity； for it cannot be doubted that the
tendency of scientific investigation has been to make scientific
men incredulous of divine inspiration； and hence to undermine their
faith in dogmas which good men have ever received； and which are
supported by evidence that is not merely probable but almost
certain。 And all now that seems wanting to harmonize science with
revelation is； on the one hand； the re…examination of the Scripture
texts on which are based the principia from which deductions are
made； and which we call theology； and； on the other hand； the
rejection of indefensible statements which are at war with both
science and consciousness； except in those matters which claim
special supernatural agency； which we can neither prove nor
disprove by reason； for supernaturalism claims to transcend the
realm of reason altogether in what relates to the government of
God；ways that no searching will ever enable us to find out with
our limited faculties and obscured understanding。 When the two
realms of reason and faith are kept distinct； and neither
encroaches on the other； then the discoveries and claims of science
will meet with but little opposition from theologians； and they
will be left to be sifted by men who alone are capable of the task。
Thus far science； outside of pure mathematics； is made up of
theories which are greatly modified by advancing knowledge； so that
they cannot claim in all respects to be eternally established； like
the laws of Kepler and the discoveries of Copernicus；the latter
of which were only true in the main fact that the earth revolves
around the sun。 But even he retained epicycles and excentrics； and
could not explain the unequal orbits of planetary motion。 In fact
he retained many of the errors of Hipparchus and Ptolemy。 Much；
too； as we are inclined to ridicule the astronomy of the ancients
because they made the earth the centre； we should remember that
they also resolved the orbits of the heavenly bodies into circular
motions； discovered the precession of the equinoxes； and knew also
the apparent motions of the planets and their periods。 They could
predict eclipses of the sun and moon； and knew that the orbit of
the sun and planets was through a belt in the heavens； of a few
degrees in width； which they called the Zodiac。 They did not know；
indeed； the difference between real and apparent motion； nor the
distance of the sun and stars； nor their relative size and weight；
nor the laws of motion； nor the principles of gravitation； nor the
nature of the Milky Way； nor the existence of nebulae； nor any of
the wonders which the telescope reveals； but in the severity of
their mathematical calculations they were quite equal to modern
astronomers。
If Copernicus revolutionized astronomy by proving the sun to be the
centre of motion to our planetary system； Galileo gave it an
immense impulse by his discoveries with the telescope。 These did
not require such marvellous mathematical powers as made Kepler and
Newton immortal；the equals of Ptolemy and Hipparchus in
mathematical demonstrationbut only accuracy and perseverance in
observations。 Doubtless he was a great mathematician； but his fame
rests on his observations and the deductions he made from them。
These were more easily comprehended； and had an objective value
which made him popular： and for these discoveries he was indebted
in a great measure to the labors of others；it was mechanical
invention applied to the advancement of science。 The utilization
of science was reserved to our times； and it is this utilization
which makes science such a handmaid to the enrichment of its
votaries； and holds it up to worship in our laboratories and
schools of technology and mines； not merely for itself； but also
for the substantial fruit it yields。
It was when Galileo was writing treatises on the Structure of the
Universe； on Local Motion； on Sound； on Continuous Quantity； on
Light； on Colors； on the Tides； on Dialing；subjects that also
interested Lord Bacon at the same period；and when he was giving
lectures on these subjects with immense eclat； frequently to one
thousand persons （scarcely less than what Abelard enjoyed when he
made fun of the more conservative schoolmen with whom he wa