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 the Grand Duke to hasten as much as possible the termination of the negotiations with the Master of the Palace.

Galileo was all the more pleased with the success of this attempt, because meanwhile, weary of the long delays, he had begun to have his "Dialogues" printed. This is confirmed by a letter from him of 20th March to his learned friend, Cesare Marsili, in which he says that six sheets of his work, which would consist of fifty or more, were finished. We may here remark that this proceeding of Galileo's has been the subject of severe and unjustifiable blame on the part of some authors actuated by party spirit. It seems the less called for, since Galileo made no secret of the printing having been begun, and he was not reproached for it at the subsequent trial before the Inquisition. He quite supposed that after Father Stephani had inspected and sanctioned the work, all the conditions were fulfilled. He therefore considered Riccardi's consent to the publication in Florence as certain. It never occurred to him that after all this he would raise new difficulties.

A report of Niccolini's of 19th April to Cioli confirmed him in this supposition, and rejoiced his heart, as there seemed to be an immediate prospect of an end to these tiresome negotiations. Niccolini wrote that he and his wife had a little while before had a long conversation with Father Riccardi about Galileo's affairs, which had resulted in his promising to grant permission for the publication, but with the addition of a declaration, for his own protection, which he was to forward to Niccolini in a few days. On the 28th Niccolini received it, but instead of its containing the promised imprimatur, it required new clauses and imposed