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Rh supervened to alter the Pope's known previous sympathetic attitude towards Copernicanism.

Galileo meanwhile, though prepared to meet the usual "scientific" opposition, felt sure that he had safeguarded himself from any accusations made on behalf of the Church. He was therefore astounded when in August, 1632, his publisher received an order from the Inquisition forbidding the sale of the book until further notice. A few days later came the news of the appointment of a special Commission at Rome by order of the Pope to examine the book and report. The Commission was under the presidency of the Pope's nephew, Cardinal F. Barberini, and included nobody with any pretensions to scientific knowledge, such as Castelli, to whom the Pope expressly objected.

Failing to obtain any friendly representation on the Commission, Galileo appealed to the Grand Duke, who demanded on his behalf the right to defend himself against his accusers, expressing, his surprise that a book which had been submitted to the censorship and revised in accordance with its directions, and had then received the Papal Imprimatur, should two years afterwards be prohibited as suspicious; he desired therefore that copies of the accusations should be forwarded to Florence. The Grand Duke's instructions were sent to his ambassador Niccolini, but he encountered great opposition when he attempted to carry them out. The Pope, evidently much irritated against Galileo, exclaimed that both he and Riccardi had been deceived, and cajoled into granting the licence for the book and for its printing at Florence, and that by appointing a special Commission instead of sending the book straight to the Inquisition he was far more generous to Galileo than the latter deserved, since he "did not fear to make game of me". He added that there was no question of "defence," as the rule was for the