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made fun of the more conservative schoolmen with whom he was
brought in contact）； that he heard； while on a visit to Venice；
that a Dutch spectacle…maker had invented an instrument which was
said to represent distant objects nearer than they usually
appeared。 This was in 1609； when he； at the age of fifty…five； was
the idol of scientific men； and was in the enjoyment of an ample
revenue； giving only sixty half…hours in the year to lectures； and
allowed time to prosecute his studies in that 〃sweet solitariness〃
which all true scholars prize； and without which few great
attainments are made。 The rumor of the invention excited in his
mind the intensest interest。 He sought for the explanation of the
fact in the doctrine of refraction。 He meditated day and night。
At last he himself constructed an instrument；a leaden organ pipe
with two spectacle glasses； both plain on one side； while one of
them had its opposite side convex； and the other its second side
concave。
This crude little instrument； which magnified but three times； he
carries in triumph back to Venice。 It is regarded as a scientific
toy； yet everybody wishes to see an instrument by which the human
eye indefinitely multiplies its power。 The Doge is delighted； and
the Senate is anxious to secure so great a curiosity。 He makes a
present of it to the Senate； after he has spent a month in showing
it round to the principal people of that wealthy city； and he is
rewarded for his ingenuity with an increase of his salary； at
Padua； to one thousand florins； and is made professor for life。
He now only thinks of making discoveries in the heavens； but his
instrument is too small。 He makes another and larger telescope；
which magnifies eight times； and then another which magnifies
thirty times； and points it to the moon。 And how indescribable his
satisfaction； for he sees what no mortal had ever before seen；
ranges of mountains； deep hollows； and various inequalities！ These
discoveries； it would seem； are not favorably received by the
Aristotelians； however； he continues his labors； and points his
telescope to the planets and fixed stars；but the magnitude of the
latter remain the same； while the planets appear with disks like
the moon。 Then he directs his observations to the Pleiades； and
counts forty stars in the cluster； when only six were visible to
the naked eye； in the Milky Way he descries crowds of minute stars。
Having now reached the limit of discovery with his present
instrument； he makes another of still greater power； and points it
to the planet Jupiter。 On the 7th of January； 1610； he observes
three little stars near the body of the planet； all in a straight
line and parallel to the ecliptic； two on the east and one on the
west of Jupiter。 On the next observation he finds that they have
changed places； and are all on the west of Jupiter； and the next
time he observes them they have changed again。 He also discovers
that there are four of these little stars revolving round the
planet。 What is the explanation of this singular phenomenon？ They
cannot be fixed stars； or planets； they must then be moons。
Jupiter is attended with satellites like the earth； but has four
instead of one！ The importance of this last discovery was of
supreme value； for it confirmed the heliocentric theory。 Old
Kepler is filled with agitations of joy； all the friends of Galileo
extol his genius； his fame spreads far and near； he is regarded as
the ablest scientific man in Europe。
His enemies are now dismayed and perplexed。 The principal
professor of philosophy at Padua would not even look through the
wonderful instrument。 Sissi of Florence ridicules the discovery。
〃As；〃 said he； 〃there are only seven apertures of the head；two
eyes； two ears； two nostrils； and one mouth；and as there are only
seven days in the week and seven metals； how can there be seven
planets？〃
But science； discarded by the schools； fortunately finds a refuge
among princes。 Cosimo de' Medici prefers the testimony of his
senses to the voice of authority。 He observes the new satellites
with Galileo at Pisa； makes him a present of one thousand florins；
and gives him a mere nominal office；that of lecturing
occasionally to princes； on a salary of one thousand florins for
life。 He is now the chosen companion of the great； and the
admiration of Italy。 He has rendered an immense service to
astronomy。 〃His discovery of the satellites of Jupiter；〃 says
Herschel； 〃gave the holding turn to the opinion of mankind
respecting the Copernican system； and pointed out a connection
between speculative astronomy and practical utility。〃
But this did not complete the catalogue of his discoveries。 In
1610 he perceived that Saturn appeared to be triple； and excited
the curiosity of astronomers by the publication of his first
〃Enigma；〃 Altissimam planetam tergeminam observavi。 He could not
then perceive the rings； the planet seemed through his telescope to
have the form of three concentric O's。 Soon after； in examining
Venus； he saw her in the form of a crescent： Cynthiae figuras
aemulatur mater amorum； 〃Venus rivals the phases of the moon。〃
At last he discovers the spots upon the sun's disk； and that they
all revolve with the sun； and therefore that the sun has a
revolution in about twenty…eight days； and may be moving on in a
larger circle； with all its attendant planets； around some distant
centre。
Galileo has now attained the highest object of his ambition。 He is
at the head； confessedly； of all the scientific men of Europe。 He
has an ample revenue； he is independent； and has perfect leisure。
Even the Pope is gracious to him when he makes a visit to Rome；
while cardinals； princes； and ambassadors rival one another in
bestowing upon him attention and honors。
But there is no height of fortune from which a man may not fall；
and it is usually the proud； the ostentatious； and the contemptuous
who do fall； since they create envy； and are apt to make social
mistakes。 Galileo continued to exasperate his enemies by his
arrogance and sarcasms。 〃They refused to be dragged at his
chariot…wheels。〃 〃The Aristotelian professors；〃 says Brewster；
〃the temporizing Jesuits； the political churchmen； and that timid
but respectable body who at all times dread innovation； whether it
be in legislation or science； entered into an alliance against the
philosophical tyrant who threatened them with the penalties of
knowledge。〃 The church dignitaries were especially hostile； since
they thought the tendency of Galileo's investigations was to
undermine the Bible。 Flanked by the logic of the schools and the
popular interpretation of Scripture； and backed by the civil power；
they were eager for war。 Galileo wrote a letter to his friend the
Abbe Castelli； the object of which was 〃to prove that the
Scriptures were not intended to teach science and philosophy；〃 but
to point out the way of salvation。 He was indiscreet enough to
write a longer letter of seventy pages； quoting the Fathers in
support of his views； and attempting to show that Nature and
Scripture could not speak a different language。 It was this
reasoning which irritated the dignitaries of the Church more than
his discoveries； since it is plain that the literal language of
Scripture upholds the doctrine that the sun revolves around the
earth。 He was wrong or foolish in trying to harmonize revelation
and science。 He should have advanced his truths of science and
left them to take care of themselves。 He should not have meddled
with the dogmas of his enemies： not that he was wrong in doing so；
but it was not politic or wise； and he was not called upon to
harmonize Scripture with science。
So his enemies busily employed themselves in collecting evidence
against him。 They laid their complaints before the Inquisition of
Rome； and on the occasion of paying a visit to that city； he was
summoned before that tribunal which has been the shame and the
reproach of the Catholic Church。 It was a tribunal utterly
incompetent to sit upon his case； since it was ignorant of science。
In 1615 it was decreed that Galileo should renounce his obnoxious
doctrines； and pledge himself neither to defend nor publish them in
future。 And Galileo accordingly； in dread of prison； appeared
before Cardinal Bellarmine and declared that he would renounce the
doctrines he had defended。 This cardinal was not an ignorant man。
He was the greatest theologian of the Catholic Church； but his
bitterness and rancor in reference to the new doctrines were as
marked as his scholastic learning。 The Pope； supposing that
Galileo would adhere to his promise； was gracious and kind。
But the philosopher could not resist the temptation of ridiculing
the advocates of the old system。 He called them 〃paper
philosophers。〃 In private he made a mockery of his persecutors。
One Saisi undertook to pro