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4 exclusion of mathematics. It may sound odd to modern ears, but there is no doubt of the fact that in those days the objection to the study of mathematics was that it did not pay, as we shall be reminded later on.

At thirteen Galileo was sent to the monastery of Vallombrosa, near Florence, for the conventional classical education, but he only stayed about two years, and was then hurriedly removed by his father, who found him in danger of yielding to the attractions of monastic life, and thus abandoning the career projected for him. The boy showed no special aptitude for business, but had a natural leaning towards mechanics, and like Newton at a later date, made toy machines at an early age. He had inherited a full share of his father's musical ability, and besides theoretical knowledge he learnt to play on various instruments, even surpassing his father's skilful performance on the lute. He showed, moreover, considerable facility in other arts, poetry, and especially drawing and painting, and though his inability to choose an artistic career restricted him almost entirely to criticism, his opinion was greatly valued by several painters of repute. Vincenzio could not be blind to the unsuitability of commercial pursuits for a youth of such accomplishments, and may have regretted what had seemed the necessity in his own case. He therefore abandoned the idea of the cloth trade, and cast about for a paying profession. His own experience taught him that neither mathematics nor music could be regarded as satisfactory from this point of view, and besides, Galileo had so far learnt nothing of mathematics. The choice, possibly influenced by the career of the boy's distinguished namesake, fell on the medical profession, and in his eighteenth year Galileo was sent to the University of Pisa to study under the celebrated physician Andrea Cesalpini, in addition to the usual course in philosophy.