th,
and full belief of the condemned theory, it is rather wonderful that he
kept silence so long, than that he incurred at last the censures of the
hierarchy. He did, however, restrain himself from any open advocacy of
the heretical doctrines, even in composing his great work, the "Dialogue
on the Ptolemaic and Copernican Systems." This was completed in 1630,
but not printed till 1632, under license from officers of the church,
both at Rome and Florence. It is a dialogue between Simplicio, an
Aristotelian, Salviati, who represents the author, and Sagredo, a half
convert to Salviati's opinions. It professes "indeterminately to propose
the philosophical arguments, as well on one side as on the other;" but
the neutrality is but ill kept up, and was probably assumed, not with
any hope that the court of Rome would be blinded as to the real tendency
of the book, but merely that it would accept this nominal submission as
a sufficient homage to its authority. If this were so, the author was
disappointed; the Inquisition took cognizance of the matter, and
summoned him to Rome to undergo a personal examination. Age and
infirmity were in vain pleaded as excuses; still, through the urgent and
indignant remonstrances of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, he was treated
with a consideration rarely shown by that stern tribunal. He was allowed
to remain at the Florentine ambassador's palace, with the exception of a
short period, from his arrival in February, until the passing of
sentence, June 21, 1633. He was then condemned, in the presence of the
Inquisitors, to curse and abjure the "false doctrines," which his life
had been spent in proving, to be confined in the prison of the Holy
Office during pleasure, and to recite the seven penitential psalms once
a week during three years. The sentence and the abjuration are given at
full length in the "Life of Galileo," in the "Library of Useful
Knowledge." "It is said," continues the biographer, "that Galileo, as he
rose from his knees, stamped on the ground, and whispered to one of his
friends, '_e pur si muove_,' it does move though."

[Illustration: Galileo before the Inquisition.]

Galileo's imprisonment was not long or rigorous, for after four days he
was reconducted to the Florentine ambassador's palace; but he was still
kept under strict surveillance. In July he was sent to Sienna, where he
remained five months in strict seclusion. He obtained permission in
December to return to his villa at