But the cardinal had not confined himself to these assurances of esteem and friendship in his letters, but had proved them by his actions in 1615 and 1616, by honestly assisting to adjust Galileo’s personal affairs when brought before the Inquisition. And Maffeo Barberini attributed the success then achieved in no small degree to his own influence, and used even to relate with satisfaction when Pope, that he had at that time assisted Galileo out of his difficulties. But here we must remind those authors who represent Barberini, when cardinal, as a Copernican, in order to paint his subsequent attitude as Pope in darker hues than history warrants, that although in 1615 and 1616 he exerted himself for Galileo personally, he in no way sought to avert the condemnation of the system.
In 1620, however, Barberini gave Galileo a really enthusiastic proof of his esteem. He celebrated his discoveries in some elegant and spirited verses, in which astronomy was allied with morality, and he sent them to Galileo, under date of 28th August, with the following letter:—
“The esteem which I always entertain for yourself and your great merits has given occasion to the enclosed verses. If not worthy of you, they will serve at any rate as a proof of my affection, while I purpose to add lustre to my poetry by your renowned name. Without wasting words, then, in further apologies, which I leave to the confidence which I place in you, I beg you to receive with favour this insignificant proof of my great affection.”[182]
When this dignitary, who was generally regarded as a friend and protector of science, had ascended the papal chair, the “Accadémia dei Lincei” hastened to dedicate “Il Saggiatore” to his Holiness, in order to spoil the sport of the author’s enemies beforehand.
To the annoyance of Galileo’s opponents and delight of his friends, by the end of October, 1623, “Il Saggiatore” appeared. This work is a masterpiece of ingenuity; for the author not only dexterously avoids falling into the snares laid for him by Father Grassi, but prepares signal defeats for him. Galileo takes his attack on him, “The Astronomical and Philosophical Scales,” paragraph by paragraph, throws light on each, and disputes or confutes it. And it is done in so sparkling and spirited a style, and the reasoning, pervaded by cutting sarcasm, is so conclusive, that “Il Saggiatore” certainly deserves to be called a model of dialectic skill. Our limits preclude going further into its scientific contents. For our purpose it will suffice to say that Galileo took occasion in it to lash many errors in Grassi’s work unmercifully, and thereby incurred the eternal hatred of the all powerful Jesuit party. Thus it was to a great extent the purely scientific “Saggiatore” which subsequently conjured up the tragic element in Galileo’s fate.
Another interesting point in the work is the way in which Galileo replies to Grassi’s interpellations about the system of the universe. Admirable as is the ingenuity with which he performs this ticklish task, one cannot sympathise with the denial of his inmost convictions. He parries the provocations of his adversary by demonstrating that the Ptolemaic and Copernican doctrines had nothing to do with the controversy about comets, and that this question was only raised by “Sarsi” in order to attack him (Galileo). He adds the ambiguous remark: “As to the Copernican hypothesis, I am fully convinced that if we Catholics had not to thank the highest wisdom for having corrected our mistake and enlightened our blindness, we should never have been indebted for such a benefit to the arguments and experiences of Tycho.”[183] He then shows that the Copernican system, “which, as a pious Catholic, he considers entirely erroneous and completely denies,” perfectly agrees with the telescopic discoveries, which cannot be made to agree at all with the other systems. But since, in spite of all this caution, a defence of the new system might have been detected in these statements, Galileo hastens to the conciliatory conclusion, that since the Copernican theory is condemned by the Church, the Ptolemaic no longer tenable in the face of scientific research, while that of Tycho is inadequate, some other must be sought for.
Notwithstanding all this fencing, however, no one can fail to see in “Il Saggiatore” an underhand defence of the Copernican system, as is evident from the passages quoted. Such a vague discussion of it as this, however, did not compromise Galileo according to the decree of 5th March, 1616; but “Il Saggiatore” would have directly contravened the assumed absolute injunction to silence on that system of 26th February, and Galileo would certainly not have ventured to write in this style if the Commissary-General of the Holy Office had, in 1616, solemnly forbidden him to discuss the said doctrine in any way whatever (quovis modo). This is another proof that this famous prohibition was not issued to Galileo in the form in which it occurs in the archives of 26th February.
“Il Saggiatore” was, indeed, denounced to the Inquisition in 1625, by Galileo’s opponents, as containing a concealed endorsement of the Copernican system, and a motion was made in the Congregation of the Holy Office to prohibit it, or at any rate to have it corrected; but it was not carried, and the party only prepared a defeat for themselves. In consequence of the denunciation, a cardinal was charged to investigate the matter, and to report upon it. He selected Father Guevara, General of the Theatines, to assist him, who, after careful examination of the work in question, spoke in high praise of it, recommended it most warmly to the cardinal, and even gave him a written statement, in which he explained that the opinion of the earth’s motion, even if it had been maintained, would not have appeared to him a reason for condemning it.[184] Even Urban VIII., who, we must suppose, was perfectly acquainted with the proceedings of 1616, does not appear to have had any scruples about “Il Saggiatore,” for he had it read aloud to him at table, immediately after its publication,[185] and, as Galileo was assured, enjoyed it highly.[186]