At first, therefore, the majority of the learned world shook their heads incredulously about the phenomena announced by the "Nuncius," especially in Italy, where envy lent its aid to bring an armed opposition into the field. Little did it at first avail that Kepler, renowned as the first astronomer in Germany, was on the side of the "Sidereus Nuncius"; for in May of the same year he had a reprint of the work issued at Prague, with an introduction in which he expressed his entire conviction of the truth of the telescopic discoveries made known by it, and answered all objections.[1] In vain. These new discoveries were too revolutionary to be believed. Even upright and estimable scientific men, like Welser in Augsburg, and Clavius at Rome, did not give credit to Galileo's statements until they learnt better by their own observations. The latter, who was the first mathematician in Rome in his day, even said "he laughed at the pretended satellites of Jupiter; you must construct a telescope which would first make them and then show them." Let Galileo hold his own opinions, and he (Clavius) would hold his.[2]
But the leader of an unworthy agitation in Italy against Galileo was a man who assumed this attitude from very different motives from the sacred service of science. This was the well-known Professor Magini, astronomer at the university of Bologna, who, next to Galileo, enjoyed the highest reputation for learning in Italy. He could not brook that his famous countryman should all at once obtain the highest fame with seven-league boots, leaving a pigmy like himself far behind, by means of the discoveries made known in his "Sidereus Nuncius." He must not only be refuted,
- ↑ This reprint bore the following superscription: "Joannis Kepleri Mathematici Cæsarei Dissertatio cum Nuncio Sidereo nuper ad mortales misso a Galilaeo Galilaeo Mathematico Patavino." Comp. Venturi, vol. i. pp. 99-120.
- ↑ Op. vi. p. 121, note 1.
Galileo (Op. viii. pp. 58-60); also a letter from Julian de' Medici, Tuscan ambassador at the Imperial court, to Galileo, from Prague, 19th April, 1610. (Wolynski, "Lettere inedite," etc., p. 20.)
