The latter contains the Dialogue on the System, which was not suffered
to be printed in the former editions. The twelve first volumes of the
last edition of Milan are a mere transcript of that of Padua: the
thirteenth contains in addition the Letter to the Grand Duchess, the
Commentary on Tasso, with some minor pieces. A complete edition is still
wanted, embodying all the recently discovered documents, and omitting
the verbose commentaries, which, however useful when they were written,
now convey little information that cannot be more agreeably and more
profitably learned in treatises of a later date.
Such was the life, and such were the pursuits, of this extraordinary
man. The numberless inventions of his acute industry; the use of the
telescope, and the brilliant discoveries to which it led; the patient
investigation of the laws of weight and motion; must all be looked upon
as forming but a part of his real merits, as merely particular
demonstrations of the spirit in which he everywhere withstood the
despotism of ignorance, and appealed boldly from traditional opinions to
the judgments of reason and common sense. He claimed and bequeathed to
us the right of exercising our faculties in examining the beautiful
creation which surrounds us. Idolized by his friends, he deserved their
affection by numberless acts of kindness; by his good humour, his
affability, and by the benevolent generosity with which he devoted
himself and a great part of his limited income to advance their talents
and fortunes. If an intense desire of being useful is everywhere worthy
of honour; if its value is immeasurably increased, when united to genius
of the highest order; if we feel for one who, notwithstanding such
titles to regard, is harassed by cruel persecution,—then none deserve
our sympathy, our admiration, and our gratitude, more than Galileo.
_List of Galileo's Works._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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