IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 I.I ■ttlll lu £ ii& HO u& Iii§ill^li4 ^ 6" » I^idDgFaphic ^Sdmoes Carporatian ^ ;\ V M WMT MAIN ITRMT WIMTM,N.V. l4StO (7U)t71-4S03 4^ v\ A. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de m Ctnadian Intiituttf for Historical IMicroroproductions / Inttitut Canadian da microraproductiona hiatoriquaa T«ehnieal and Bibliooraphie Notas/Notaa tachniquas at bibliographiquas Tha Imtituta ha* attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avallaMa for filming. 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Th ah Tli wl Ml dif am bai rigl ra« m« 10X 14X itx 22X MX »x y 12X IfX aDx UK 2tX 32X Th« copy filmtd hm htm bMn r«produc«d thanks to tho gonorotity of: Library of tha Public Archivas of Canada L'axamplaira /Mm4 f ut raprodult eric* * hi g4n4ro8it* da: La bibiiothiqua das Archivas publiquas du Canada Tha Imaoaa appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract apacifications. Original copias in printad papar covars ara fllmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impras- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara fllmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. Laa imagas suhrantaa ont 4ti raprodultaa avac hi plua grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da I'axamptaira film4, at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da filmaga. Laa axamplairas originaux dont la couvartura mt papiar aat imprimte sont filmis an cornman9ant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'imprassion ou d'illustration. soit par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autraa axamplairas originaux sont filmte an commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraasion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la damlAra paga qui comporta una taHa amprainta. Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol — ^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha aymbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Un das symbolas suivants apparattra sur la damlAra imaga da ehaqua microficha, salon la cas: la symbda -*• signifia "A 8UIVRE", la symbols y signifis "FIN". Maps, platas, charts, stc, may ba fllmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly included in ona axpoaura ara fllmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, as many framas aa raquirad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mathod: Laa cartas, planchas. tablaaux, ate, pauvant Atra filmte i daa taux da rMuction diffArants. Lorsqua la document aat trap grand pour Atra raprodult an un aaul clichA, il aat film* A partir da I'angla supAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droKa, at da haut mt baa, an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcaaaaira. Laa diagrammas suivants illustrant la mAthoda. 1 2 3 12 1 4 8 6 ■♦ Public Archives Archives publiques Canada Canada .'■^' ;■ v.^ i fi THE CALUMNY / AGAINST THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, Xir RSrEftlNCE TO GALILEO IB SLIP (DO IB 13) MONTREAL : >. fc i. lADLISK, 179 HOTia DAMS ITKIBT. 1849. INTRODUCTION, Trb following Historical sketch was published in the Pilot Newspaper of this City, of the 9th December, 1848; and was prepared in refutation of aspersions uttered by the Rev. Henry Wilkes, in his Lecture on *' The Free- dom of the Mind,'' delivered before the Mercantile Li- brary Association of this City, and in presence of His Excellency Lo&d Elgin. It is taken, in part, from an article published in the United States, a few year* since, by an " American Catholic," in answer to errone- ous statements made by Uie late Jo»n ^uincy Adams $ but it is chiefly composed of the facts, reasoning, end Isnguage, of th^ famous reply of the Dublin Review — supposed to be written by Doctor Wiseman — to Pro- fessor Powell, which was received so gratefully by the Oitholic public, and which startled so many Protestants into the belief that more was to be said on the reputed punishment of Galileo, than had been *' dreamt of in> their philosophy." Mr. Wilkes was very anxious to improvt the oce'ssion' referred to, by a flourish of eloquence on the Galileo> theme, — how that Philosopher suffered from the Inquisi- tion, and yet, ** stamped his foot and said," ifc. ; and then, ^'how Incompetent was the Inquisition to fetter the human soul." With what justice the Rev. Lcctuier indulged his darling hate of the Catholic Church in that inslance, the following pages will show. They will also prove how unjust was his insinuation, that had Coperi^ IV. Kicua lived somewhat longer, be, too, would have beett brought to trial for heresy — committed in writing hi» work. Did Mr. Wilkes know, when he uttered the words to this effect, which appear on the 9th page of his published Lecture, that the money to publish Copebnicus' book was furnished by a Cardinal — that the publication was superintended by a Bishop — and that the book itself was dedicated to a Pope 1 He scarcely could have known these facts $ and, then, if he did not, why did he dare to " lecture " his fellow-citizens without having made the little inquiry by which he would have discovered them % It is not necessary to enlarge further on Mr. Wilk£&' conduct; Catholics know well the propensity of his order to libel their faith, and* the authorities and institutions connected with it ; they have also had experience of the little effect which the best and clearest contradictions have in inducing- retractation or apology. Nevertheless, it is right to repeat the truth;— it will probably have itii rifect in time. MoMTRiAL, Januart, 1849. , . , J^^" ,« ■ ■ I ;-. - , - : r ■ • ' ( •• . . i / : . "%,-. COPERNICUS^GALILEO. Nicholas Copernicus, a Priest of the Gatbolir Church, and the Apostle of Modern Astronomy, acquired his scientific education at the University of fiologna, where, Laplace tells us, <* Astromony was taught with success." In Rome, he was ap- pointed to a Professor^bip, and for years lectured to crowded halls on his favorite study. AHer he had discovered the true theory of ihe solar system^ he continued for thirty-six years, with a persevering resolution seldom equalled, the laborious task of *< testing. it» truth by observation and the scrutiny of details." " This was the reason why he de- layed the publication of his .system for thirty-six years," says his Kngli&h Protestant Biographer of the Society for the Division of Useful Knowledge. '* The opinions," he adds, *^ on which it is based were widely known to be entertained by him long before the work itself appeared." A Protestant compatriot of Ct^pernicus, Karl Adolf Men zel, the distinguished historian, gives a second reason for this delay— viz. : \\U indifierence to renown, and Hsyd, « his discovery had its first promoter al Rome ; and that Copernicu!', if be had needed a protector, would have found one in the lover of science, Pope Paul III.'' So widely known weve tN opinions of Copernicus on the subject of the earth's motion, that it was publicly satirised in » farce brought out in the Theatre of Elbing. The personal popularity of Copernicus, however, wa» 80 greatt that the piece ivas hissed. For many years, the publication of his work was in vain urg- ed by Cardinal Seoniberg, who accompanied his solicitation by the funds necessary for its print- ing. One of the Cardinal's letters, dated 1536, is prefixed to the work. Another dignitary of ihe- church, the Bishop of Culm, himself superintend- ed its publication, and it was dedicated to the Head of the Church, Paul II t^ " on the express ground," says Sir Uavid Brewster, '< that the au- thority of the Pontiff" might silence the calumnies of those who attacked these opinions by arguments drawn from Scripture." ft will be seen, from these facts, that it is to Rome we are mainly indebted for the new theory of the earth's motion — that in Rome it had its birth, in Rome it was fostered and matured, and that but for Roman au>p'ces — the countenance of Popes and Cardinals— its adoption had, in all hu- man probabiliiy, been thrown back to a distance which it wou'd be now no purpose to try to cal- culate.. Galileo Galilei was born at Pisa in Febniar\v I564«. When a youth, he was intended for the medical profesf^ion ; but having manifested a great fondness for mathemaiic$i, his father reluctantly consented to his pursuit of that study. At the age of twenty-six, when about to leave the Sihool of Mathenia4ic8, he was noticed by Cardinal del Monte, and recommended to the reigning Duke of Tuscany as a young man of whom the highest ex« Ipectations might be entertained. He was imme- Idiatety nominated lecturer on Mathematics in his native city. Galileo now pursued his researches in physics with increased diligence and ardour. At that period the doctrines of Aristotle still reigned in the schools, although Leonardo da Vinci, who lived . ifi the early part of the sixteenth century, Nizzoli, his contemporary, Giordano Bruno, and Beneditti, who wrote about the time of Galileo's birth, had already, by many strikii^ and successful experi^ mcnts, shshken the authority of tihe Stagyrite in matters of ecience. Galileo followed zealously in their path, and proved by experiments the fallacy of the many prevailing opinions. His want of consideration, however, for those less enlightened than himself, and the severity with which he de<^ Dounced existing errors, caused a rupture between him and his hearers, which soon ripened into en<* mity, and ultimately rendered his stay at Pisa so unpleasant, that he left. Sir David Brewster re- marks, in commenting on this incident—^' Forget- ting that all knowledge is [)rogre88ive, and that the errors of one generation call forth the comments, and are replaced by the discoveries of the next^ Galileo did not anticipate that his own speculations and incompleted labours might one day provoke censure ; and he therefore failed in making allow- ance for the prejudices and ignoran-ce of his oppo** fienls. He who enjoys the proud lo^of taking a position in advance of his age, need not won- der that his less gifted contemporaries are left be- hind. Men are not necessarily obstinate because they cleave io deeply*rooted and venerable errors i Il' J*' i: r i 11, e t nor are they absolutely dull ^hen they are long in underatanding, and slow in ennbracing newly diicovered truths." In September, 1592, the Republic of Venice appointed Galileo to the Charr of Mathematics in the Univeraitv of Padua. There he remained till 1610, when ne was called to Florence by Cosmo n. to fill the station of Grand Ducal Mathemati* cian. Thin period of 18 years was nobly employ- ed for science. During this time he invented the telescope, improved the thermometer, wrote many valuable papers, and completed numerous inven- tions. Galileo visited Rome for the first time in the early part of the year 1611. His fame had long preceded him. Nowhere were his discoveries bet- ter appreciated, his merits more highly prized, than in the capital of the Christian world. His visit was a continued ovation. Honors the most dis- tinguished were lavished upon him. <* Whether W6 consider Cardinal^ Prince^ or Prelate^^^ says Salisbury, <* Ae found an honorable welcome from them all, and had their palaces as open and free to him as the houses tf private friends?^ His recep- tion was indeed, as is beautifully remarked, <* as though one of his own starry wonders had dropl from the sky»^^ Having brought with him his best telescope, he erected it in the garden of Cardinal Bandini. For weeks all classes, prelate, priest, layman, noble, and plebeian, flocked to see the wonders given for the first time to human gaze. The spots on the sun, lately discovered by Galileo, were the particular object of their curiosity. It wai during this visit that Galileo became a mem- 9 her of the celBbrated T.yncsen Academy. This was a philosophical society founded in 1603 by a young fioinan nobleman (Frederigo Gesi). Its chief ob- ject was the invetitigation of the physical sciences. A short extract from its regulations will thow that there was some tight in thai day and region, and nsay also afford some edificatioh this doctrine, by meani of the Inquisition, the talented Jesuit, Torquato de Cuppis, is delivering lectures in the Roman College (Bellarmine'is own) in support of the same Cnperniean doctrine,:— while in the Pope'» own University (Sapienza) anothtr Jesuit i« delivering.a'unilnr lecturer. The correspondence of the leading characters on ihlit occasion, which have come down to us, .shews the light in which they were dii^posed to look at tlie aiair. Monsignor DinI, Bishop of Fermo, writing to Galileo states, that Cardinal Barharini^ after- wards Pope Urban Vi I r, told him how Galileo hhould comport himMcIf, viss., ** with circumspec- tion and as a mathematician f* and adds that he, the Cardinal, *^ never heard a word either in his own or in Bellarmine'^a confiregaiion of qvei inte- rissi of GaliMs^ although^ in either^ the firtt mention of suchJhinet is made.** On the last day of February, 1&15, Ciampoli, the friend of Galileo, a*iid subsequently Secrolary to Pope Urhnn VIII., writei* to say that Barbarini repeated to him that it was only .required of Galileo ** not to truvpl out of the limitaof physics and mathematics, and to con- fine liimself to such reasoning as Ptolomy and Co- pernicus used, leaving Scripture to the theologians/' On the 21si March, the same writer says, that C&rdinal Boilnrmiite itated, mi8sed), and that by pursuing the course mentioned, that of speaking as a mathematician, be would be put to no trouble. Favorable as all this was to Galileo, and free as it left him, be still would not be pleas- ed y he Bet his heart on having his adopted theory received as an unquestioned and unquestionable truth, nor eould be rest easy till thnt object ^hiHlld be accomplished. Almost immediately after nil this proof of the disposition of those in power to deal fairly and favorably with him, we fiod him, uncited, and of /ns own free will, proceeding to Home, placing himself before the Inquisition to )*arn, as he saya, << what he should believe on the Copernican system.'' Again was he well and kindly dealt with, and all encouragement given to his scientific zeal. Hear himself declare his tri- umph :— *' My affair has been brought to a close, so far as I am individually concerned: ike result has been signified to me by all their Eminences, the Cardinals, who manage these affairs in the most liberal and obliging manner, with the assurance that they had felt as it were with their own hands, no less my candour and sincerity that the purposes of my persecutors. So that, so far as I aw per- sonally concerned, I might return home at any momenta He did not so return ; his characteris- tic ardor and impetuosity would not let him. he i 13 remains to try to obtain a decision that his opinion is in accordance with Scripfure, Througb ihe agency of a Cardinal Oreiini, who seems to have lent hiinaeif to his v\ewf, and imbibed no small portion of his ht^at and imprudence^ he pressed for ft decision. But ibe Cardinals waxed cold on the subject, and from time to time it was postponed ; at leng'h the Pope, irritated by importunities, did direct that the whole aflair should be tried by the lnqui:iition. Unfavorable, however, as were the circumstances under which the question was refer- red, good sense and moderation prevailed, and the only judgment pronounced was, that the doctrine ^appeared to be contrary to the Sacred Scripture." Such is the account left us by a contemporary who asrtisted Galileo in his cause, and who wrote this account at Rome for the philosopher at his own reffur.st ; and Galileo himself writing the day after the decision sayp, *Mhe result has not been fever- able to his enemies ; tho doctrine of Copernicus not having been declared hereiicalf but only as not consonant to the Sacred Scripture ; whence, the sole prohibition is of those books in which that consonance is maintained.^' With regard to the philo^iopher himself, they deemed it prudent to re- duce him to silence on tho subject. Tet even this step (of sMencing him) they did not take but as a last resort, commissioning one of their number (Bellarmine>to intimate to him their decision, and try, by all the arts of friendly persuasion, to en- gage him to give up « agitating*'' as the Ambas- sador terms if, the question ; and if he had a mind to hold these opinions, io hold them in peace. It WU8 only when this last expedient failed, the bio- 14 ,4- I grapher in Fabbioni tells us, thab Bellarmine IioU him junilically bound to silence, and in doing s > dispensed with any circumstance that might tend, unnecessarily, to irritate his wounded pride: he was even furnished with a posilive certijicaie that he was not caVed upon to renounce his opinions. Immediately after ihis provocation had taken place, he was admitted to a long and Iriend'y audience witii the Pope, arid was dismissed with every de- monstration of favour and regard. Such is the plain unvarnished statement of the facts of this (the second) inquiry by the Inquision into ttie doctrine and conduct of Galileo : it w.is of his own Seeking^ against the advice of his friend?, .. and arose out of his heated anxiety to give the law ^n the interpretation of Scripture ; was marked by much intemperance and indiscretion on his par, by kindness and good feeling on that of the Court; it left him the enjoyment of.his opinions, but re- duced him, as ^Uin ecclesiastical precautions^ to silence in doing so: it warred not with the doc- trine, for it left any other teaclier to enforce the fame views ; nay, f^cnrcely was the ink dry on the paper that recorded this decision,, when the chair of astronomy in ihe Pope's own University of Bologna was offered to ihe immortal Kepler, who, after Golileo, was tho most active, and, before Galileo and all others,, the most efficient advocate of Copernicanism in his day. Why then, it may be asked, was Galileo, and why Galileo alone, si- lenced f The answer is already given, and is still further attested by the Anobassador of his Prince, resident on the spot, who, in his despatch doted the day before the sentence was pronounced, de- - -.«/»oWp -^" resisting lirt ,u e luenc^" '^''^e S''" ""^■'"" "'^'"' lowed by |.e»ce .n »he »^'e"*'^ ^,.,f „„„„ed m The astronomer H ''''» f "^^^.^es verges m h.s ever ; Cardinal Ba'bar "> '<" ^ j.„ „.. honor, and moimts he i^a,a ^^^ ascendant i . n,on.ei.» Coi.ermoan.s<» « '" >j ^ ,he friend of " •„ enough .hat any one h »'J.^. ^„,^ _,,« U in.- GaUW.or » P" *»'^*'J "he pontifi«--al person, '« ,„.diate\y placed """'Y''* 5,. l„ fine, Galileo «,„,« p.«i of honor and profit. « of a . hHn.e\f comes to B"'^^' ""^^ „,ser.e, bu. in con. - citation, aa a Mr. ^^"^^"^l ^.^ uius.rious fr.end, plWnoe Avitl. ''^« '''t^ircengra.ulationa to h.s bro- Prince Cesi, »". "ff^^V^! " -"f, on his re-.en. eleva- U,er Academic-an, Barbann-, o .^ ,„,ded w«h ,ic«, .0 .be Chatr «/ St. ?««'. , p^,,„i„y honoN. The aubstant.al proo t ^^,^ ,„deBteemwi>hvrh.o''^«;f' ;"ery history of h« ry,are recorded .nalmo..every^^^^^^^^^y ,^ ,„ne. Am<.ng the fl'^'.'f'lf „„. hundred crown* Pope, was a T'^f'^J'^JfZdupon hi> so«. »'•»:. yearly for 0<^MeM^i'TjL'. Tbi. occurred Venzo,o P«««»«7//'''«ln thia ".anner." ««>• in .he spring of lb-*- ,f...,.uer 1837), " d«l f he EJi"*"'?'' *"'.""'. ^?h« excited 'pirU of '''« tman Pon.lf P^P^e, bef "e .hi Chris- an ,,hiio*opher, and declajes o ^^ G,,,,ea, \vorld. .hat he WW he enemy „„h.p^m.se. „or of science." A";;;,no the other, .t » P'- Ftorn one end ef 'he co«" mm 16 claimed that (he Geocentric doctrine is not a.mat- ifv of faith — that its opposite is not heresy. The Pope frequently expressed himi*e!f to the pame eflfect. Every thing promiried well for Galileo and his opini<>DS and nothing could have marred these proiipectii, but his own ratih temper. Unfortunate- ly this temper did, again, force him into a wrung course, — one discreditable alike to his head and his heart. To the wonder and astonishment of all, he s«izP8 the oh&nge at Rome, which a prudent man would have used otherwise, to publish his Four Days Dialogues^ in which he not only gives all preponderance to argument in favor of the opinion of his choice, but treats the opposite opinion and Its advocates with ridicule and contempt ! The very first p^ge, addresseii To the Discreet Render^ most indiscreetly satirises the Decree of 1616 by nafn«, in a vein of the most bitter irony and sar- casm. It was a daring attempt } and the air of defiance with which it was paraded, made it scarce- ly possible that any tribunal, pretending to public respect, should tamely submit to be thus ostentati- ously trampled upon. The wri'er had the further imprudenco to make pointed allusions to the rei<;n- ing Pontiff, — holding up to condemnation, in his Dialogue, arguments which the Pope had previoiis- !y used againtit the Earth's \i>ot\on. Grotitude' should have taught him to spare one who had al** ways been his friend, and who at that particular time was favoring, in the mo^t marked manner, both Galileo and his theory. However, the »haft was sped, and the natural consequence soon fol- lowed. Steps were taken to vindicate the violated order of 1616. Galileo was summoned to Rome, 17 but in censequence of bis age, *' he was allowed to come at his leisure f^ and we have the testimony of his Protestant Biographer, Sir David Brewster, that " during the trial he was treated with the most marked indu'sence ;" that, « he stood at the judg* ment seat with the recognized attributes of a sage, and though an ofiender against the laws of which they (the Inquisitors) were the guardians, yet the highest respect was paid to his genius* and the kindest commiseration to his infirmities." Sir David gives a very csndid exposition of the state of the question between Galileo and the Ro- man authorities in his work (Life of Galileo), pp. 79, et seq. He admits that from the period of the accession of Pope Urban VIII., ** Galileo must have felt himself secure, and in poss-ession of the fullest license to prosecute hts researches^ and pub' lish his discoveries, provided he avoided theological guestions ;'' and that the particular kindness of the Pope towards him *' must be regarded as a dona- tion to science itself, and as a declaration to the Christian world, that religion was not jealous of philosophy, and that the Church of Rome was wil- ling to respect and foster even the genius of its enemiesj*^ JHow difi'erent to the charge of " bigo- try and prejudice'' imprudently uttered by Mr. Wilkes!] The trial and condemnation which now took place were based on the infraction of the order of 1616. Such is evident from the docu- ments given in Venturi ; and Campanella, altoge- ther in the interest of Galileo, even to violence, tells us that the infringement of the injunction of 1616 was the cause of the proceeding in 1633. Indeed it is idle to talk of the doctrine being put ill I' f i ; i 1^ down. We have seen that the highest authorities in ftome favored itf some directly, some pas!la8 Eymerick, compiled many a long year before Galileo was thought of. It was only then, in that wide, impro- per, and technical sense, that the opinion in the sentence is denominated a <* heresy ;" and the cir- cumstance oflers no more proof that it was ever held as such, in the proper and ordinary sense of the word, than the language of our courts of law afibrda to show that one man was a debtor to the Queen, that another sought to kill her, and that she would dispose of the four quarters of a man executed for treason. In conclusion, it may be well to state that, even if the authorities of Rome did reject the theory of the eartk^s motion — which they did not — it would have been no moce than that great man, the pride 21 of England, Lord Bacon, di^. Hume tells m, that he '' rejected^ with the most positive disdain^ the system of Copernicus,'^'* The Danish astronomeri Tycho Brahe^ refused also to admit itv truth ; the Huguenot professor, Ramus, ten years after the death of Galileo, would not embrace the doetrlne ; and we have already seen how the. Theologians of Tubingen decided in the case of Kepler. But, strange to say, writers who assail Rome with all imaginable bitterness, jor her mere precautionary measures^ find excuses, and in some instances justi- fication, for the real persecution of Kepler, and the positive non-belief of Bacon and others. So it is, and so it will be, while certain prejudices prevail of which it would not be worth while here to speak. One thing, however, ought to be observed — Gen- tlemen, undertaking to instruct the public by lec* tures, &.C., incur no small responsibility, and should remember how many minds they are likely to do injury to by stating what is not true. '■-,'-: ' ■ »■