of the system of the earth's double motion was recognised by numerous learned men; and in 1696, when Newton published his immortal work, "Philosophiæ naturalis principia Mathematica," it became thoroughly established. All the scientific world who pursued the paths of free investigation accepted the Copernican system, and only a few ossified devotees of the old school, in common with some theological philosophers, still raised impotent objections to it, which have been continued even up to this day by some wrong-headed people.[1]
At Rome they only accommodated themselves to the new system slowly and reluctantly. In 1757, when it was no longer doubted by any one but a few fanatics, the Congregation of the Index thought the time was come for proposing to Pope Benedict XIV. to expunge the clause from the decree of 5th March, 1616, prohibiting all books which teach that the sun is stationary and the earth revolves. This enlightened pontiff, known as a patron of the arts and sciences, entirely agreed, and signified his consent on 11th May, 1757.[2] But there still remained on the Index the work of Copernicus, "De Revolutionibus Orbium Cœlestium," Diego di Zuñiga's "Commentary on the Book of Job" (these two works, however, only "donec corrigantur," but this was quite worthless for strict Catholics as far as the work of Copernicus was concerned, as since the announcement of these "corrections" by the decree of 15th May, 1620, no new edition had appeared), Foscarini's "Léttera sópra l'opinione de i Pittagorici e del Copernico della mobilità della
- ↑ For instance, Dr. Carl Schöffer, in his brochure: "Die Bewegungen der Himmelskörper. Neue and unbewegliche Beweise, dass unsere Erde im Mittelpunkte des Weltalls steht, und die Sonne, Mond und Sterne sich um dieselbe bewegen." Brunswick, 1854. ("The Motions of the Heavenly Bodies. New and indisputable proofs that our Earth is the centre of the Universe, and that Sun, Moon, and Stars, revolve round it").
- ↑ Habito verbo cum Sanctissimo, omittatur decretum, quo prohibentur omnes libri docentes immobilitatem solis, et mobilitatem terræ. (Olivieri, p. 94, or "Hist.-polit. Blätter," p. 585.)
