It has sometimes been asserted or insinuated that Galileo was subjected to bodily torture. An argument has been drawn from the expressions used in his sentence: "Cum vero nobis videretur non esse a te integram veritatem pronunciatam circa tuam intentionem; judicavimus necesse esse venire ad rigorosum examen tui, in quo respondisti catholicè." It has been argued by M. Libri (_Hist. des Sciences Mathématiques en Italie_, vol. IV. p. 259), and M. Quinet (_L'Ultramontanisme_, IV. Leçon, p. 104), that the _rigorosum examen_ necessarily implies bodily torture, notwithstanding that no such thing is mentioned by Galileo and his contemporaries, and notwithstanding the consideration with which he was treated in all other respects: but M. Biot more justly remarks (_Biogr. Univ._ Art. _Galileo_), that such a procedure is incredible. To the opinion of M. Biot, we may add that of Delambre, who rejects the notion of Galileo's having been put to the torture, as inconsistent with the general conduct of the authorities towards him, and as irreconcilable with the accounts of the trial given by Galileo himself, and by a servant of his, who never quitted him for an instant. He adds also, that it is inconsistent with the words of his sentence, "ne tuus iste gravis et perniciosus error ac transgressio remaneat _omnino impunitus_;" for the error would have been already very far from impunity, if Galileo had been previously subjected to the rack. He adds, very reasonably, "il ne faut noircir personne sans preuve, pas même l'Inquisition;"--we must not calumniate even the Inquisition.] The ecclesiastical authorities having once declared the doctrine of the earth's motion to be contrary to Scripture and heretical, long adhered in form to this declaration, and did not allow the Copernican system to be taught in any other way than as an "hypothesis." The {285} Padua edition of Galileo's works, published in 1744, contains the _Dialogue_ which now, the editors say, "Esce finalmente a pubblico libero uso colle debite licenze," is now at last freely published with the requisite license; but they add, "quanto alla Quistione principale del moto della terra, anche noi ci conformiamo alla ritrazione et protesta dell' Autore, dichiarando nella piu solenne forma, che non può, nè dee ammetersi se non come pura Ipotesi Mathematice, che serve a spiegare piu agevolamento certi fenomeni;" "neither can nor ought to be admitted except as a convenient hypothesis." And in the edition of Newton's _Principia_, published in 1760, by Le Sueur and Jacquier, of the Order of Minims, the editors prefix to the Third Book their _Declaratio_, that though Newton assumes the hypothesis of the motion of the earth, and therefore they had used similar language, they were, in doing this, assuming a character which did not belong to them. "Hinc alienam coacti sumus gerere personam." They add, "Cæterum latis a summis Pontificibus contra telluris motum Decretis, nos obsequi profitemur."