Giordano Bruno is a disciple of Copernicus on whom we may look with peculiar interest, since he probably had a considerable share in introducing the new opinions into England;[18\5] although other persons, as Recorde, Field, Dee, had adopted it nearly thirty years earlier; and Thomas Digges ten years before, much more expressly. Bruno visited this country in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and speaks of her and of her councillors in terms of praise, which appear to show that {273} his book was intended for English readers; though he describes the mob which was usually to be met with in the streets of London with expressions of great disgust: "Una plebe la quale in essere irrespettevole, incivile, rozza, rustica, selvatica, et male allevata, non cede ad altra che pascer possa la terra nel suo seno."[19\5] The work to which I refer is _La Cena de le Cenere_, and narrates what took place at a supper held on the evening of Ash Wednesday (about 1583, see p. 145 of the book), at the house of Sir Fulk Greville, in order to give "Il Nolano" an opportunity of defending his peculiar opinions. His principal antagonists are two "Dottori d' Oxonia," whom Bruno calls Nundinio and Torquato. The subject is not treated in any very masterly manner on either side; but the author makes himself have greatly the advantage not only in argument, but in temper and courtesy: and in support of his representations of "pedantesca, ostinatissima ignoranza et presunzione, mista con una rustica incivilità, che farebbe prevaricar la pazienza di Giobbe," in his opponents, he refers to a public disputation which he had held at Oxford with these doctors of theology, in presence of Prince Alasco, and many of the English nobility.[20\5] [Note 18\5: See Burton's _Anat. Mel._ Pref. "Some prodigious tenet or paradox of the earth's motion," &c. "Bruno," &c.] [Note 19\5: _Opere di Giordano Bruno_, vol. i. p. 146.] [Note 20\5: Ib. vol. i. p. 179.]