The book, on its publication, was received and read with the greatest
avidity. But presently the Master of The Sacred Palace found reason
to regret that he had given his consent to its appearance. He
accordingly issued a peremptory order to sequestrate every copy in
Italy. This sudden change in the Papal attitude towards Galileo
formed the subject of a strong remonstrance addressed to the Roman
authorities by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Pope himself seemed to
have become impressed all at once with the belief that the work
contained matter of an heretical description. The general
interpretation put upon the book seems to have shown the authorities
that they had mistaken its true tendency, notwithstanding the fact
that it had been examined again and again by theologians deputed for
the duty. To the communication from the Grand Duke the Pope returned
answer, that he had decided to submit the book to a congregation of
"learned, grave, and saintly men," who would weigh every word in it.
The views of his Holiness personally on the subject were expressed in
his belief that the Dialogue contained the most perverse matter that
could come into a reader's hands.
The Master of the Sacred Palace was greatly blamed by the authorities
for having given his sanction to its issue. He pleaded that the book
had not been printed in the precise terms of the original manuscript
which had been submitted to him. It was also alleged that Galileo
had not adhered to his promise of inserting properly the arguments
which the Pope himself had given in support of the old and orthodox
view. One of these had, no doubt, been introduced, but, so far from
mending Galileo's case, it had made matters really look worse for the
poor philosopher. The Pope's argument had been put into the mouth of
one of the characters in the Dialogue named "Simplicio." Galileo's
enemies maintained that by adopting such a method for the expression
of his Holiness's opinion, Galileo had intended to hold the Pope
himself up to ridicule. Galileo's friends maintained that nothing
could have been farther from his intention. It seems, however,
highly probable that the suspicions thus aroused had something to say
to the sudden change of front on the part of the Papal authorities.
On 1st October, 1632, Galileo received an order to appear before the
Inquisition at Rome on the grave charge of heresy. Galileo, of
course, expressed his submission, but pleaded for a respite from
compliance with the summons, on the ground of his advanced age and
his failing health. The Pope was, however, inexorable; he said that
he had warned Galileo of his danger while he was still his friend.
The command could not be disobeyed. Galileo might perform the
journey as slowly as he pleased, but it was imperatively necessary
for him to set forth and at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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