“In order the better to execute his Holiness’s commission, I went myself, accompanied by a strange physician, an intimate friend of mine, to see Galileo, quite unexpectedly, at his villa at Arcetri, to find out the state he was in. My idea was not so much by this mode of proceeding to put myself in a position to report on the nature of his ailments, as to gain an insight into the studies and occupations he is carrying on, that I might be able to judge whether he was in a condition, if he returned to Florence, to propagate the condemned doctrine of the double motion of the earth by speeches at meetings. I found him deprived of his eyesight, entirely blind; he hopes for a cure, as the cataract only formed six months ago, but at his age of seventy the physician considers it incurable. He has besides a severe rupture, and suffers from continual weariness of life and sleeplessness, which as he asserts, and it is confirmed by the inmates of his house, does not permit him one hour’s sound sleep in the twenty-four. He is besides so reduced that he looks more like a corpse than a living man. The villa is a long way from the city, and the access is inconvenient, so that Galileo can but seldom, and with much inconvenience and expense, have medical aid.[535] His studies are interrupted by his blindness, though he is read to sometimes; intercourse with him is not much sought after, as in his poor state of health he can generally only complain of his sufferings and talk of his ailments to occasional visitors. I think, therefore, in consideration of this, if his Holiness, in his boundless mercy, should think him worthy, and would allow him to live in Florence, he would have no opportunity of holding meetings, and if he had, he is so prostrated that I think it would suffice, in order to make quite sure, to keep him in check by an emphatic warning. This is what I have to report to your Eminence.”[536]
This report at last opened the eyes of Urban VIII. as to Galileo’s real condition. The cry of distress from the blind old man, approaching dissolution, was too well justified to be wholly ignored, and a partial hearing was given to it at all events, at a sitting of the Congregation held on 25th February, under the presidency of the Pope.[537] But a full release, in spite of the information that Galileo was more like a corpse than a living man, still appeared too dangerous to be ventured on. On 9th March Galileo received from the Inquisitor-General, Father Fanano, the following communication:—
“His Holiness is willing to allow you to remove from your villa to the house which you own in Florence, in order that you may be cured of your illness here. But on your arrival in the city you must immediately repair, or be taken, to the buildings of the Holy Office, that you may learn from me what I must do and prescribe for your advantage.”[538]
Galileo availed himself of the permission to return to his little house, Via della Costa, at Florence, on the very next day. Here the Inquisitor-General, as charged by the Holy Office, informed him, “for his advantage,” of the order, not to go out in the city under pain of actual imprisonment for life and excommunication, and not to speak with any one whomsoever of the condemned opinion of the double motion of the earth.[539] It was also enjoined upon him not to receive any suspicious visitors.
It is characteristic of the mode of proceeding of the Inquisition, that Fanano set Galileo’s own son, who was nursing him with the tenderest affection, to watch over him. The Inquisitor enjoined upon Vincenzo to see that the above orders were strictly obeyed, and especially to take care that his father’s visitors never stayed long. He remarks, in a report to Francesco Barberini of 10th March, that Vincenzo could be trusted, “for he is very much obliged for the favour granted to his father to be medically treated at Florence, and fears that the least offence might entail the loss of it; but it is very much to his own interest that his father should behave properly and keep up as long as possible, for with his death a thousand scudi will go, which the Grand Duke allows him annually.” In the opinion of the worthy Father Fanano, then, the son must be anxious for his father’s life for the sake of the thousand scudi! In the same letter the Inquisitor assured Barberini that he would himself keep a sharp look out that his Holiness’s orders were strictly obeyed, which, as we shall soon see, he did not fail to do.
Galileo’s confinement in Florence was so rigorous that at Easter a special permission from the Inquisition was required to allow him to go to the little Church of San Giorgio, very near his house, to confess, to communicate, and to perform his Easter devotions,[540] and even this permission only extended expressly to the Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Sunday.[541] On the other hand, as appears from the dates of his letters,[542] he was allowed, during June, July, and August, to go several times to and fro between his villa at Arcetri and Florence.
Galileo was now once more to discover how rigidly he was watched by the Inquisition. His negotiations with the States-General, in spite of the urgent intercession of such men as Diodati, Hortensius, Hugo Grotius, Realius, Constantine Huyghens (Secretary of the Prince of Orange, and father of the celebrated Christian Huyghens), and others, had not led to any result. His proposed method of taking longitudes at sea, well worked out as it was theoretically, presented many difficulties in practical application. His methods of precisely determining the smallest portions of time, and of overcoming the obstacles occasioned by the motion of the vessel, did not prove to be adequate.[543] He had endeavoured, in a long letter to Realius of 6th June, 1637,[544] to dismiss or refute all the objections that had been made; but this did not suffice, and although the States-General acknowledged his proposal in the main in the most handsome terms, even accepted it, and offered him a special distinction (of which presently), it appeared necessary to have some personal consultation on the subject with the inventor. For this purpose, Hortensius, who had also a great desire to make Galileo’s acquaintance, was to go to Florence.[545] The Inquisitor-General heard that a delegate was coming from Germany to confer with Galileo on the subject. He at once reported this on 26th June to Rome,[546] whence he received instructions under date of 13th July from the Congregation of the Holy Office, that Galileo must not receive the delegate if he were of a heretical religion, or from a heretical country, and the Inquisitor will please communicate this to Galileo; on the other hand, there was nothing to prevent the interview if the person came from a Catholic country, and himself belonged to the Catholic religion; only, in accordance with the previous regulations, the doctrine of the double motion of the earth must not be spoken of.[547]
A few days after the Inquisitor had delivered his instructions to Galileo, the German merchants of the name of Ebers residing in Florence, presented him in the name of the Dutch Government with a very flattering letter, and a heavy gold chain, as a recognition of his proposals and a pledge of the ultimate adjustment of the negotiations. The envoys of the States-General found Galileo very ill in bed, his blinded eyes continually running and very much inflamed. He felt the gold chain, which he could not see, and had the letter read to him. He then handed the chain back to the merchants, on the plea that he could not keep it now, as the negotiations had been interrupted by his illness and loss of sight, and he did not at all know whether he should ever be in a position to carry them through.[548] The real motive, however, was nothing but fear of the Inquisition,[549] and as the sequel showed, he was quite right. Fanano sent a report on 25th July of all these circumstances to Cardinal Barberini at Rome. It is so characteristic that we cannot refrain from giving it:—
“The person who was to come to see Galileo has neither appeared in Florence, nor is likely to appear, so far as I am informed; but I have not yet been able to learn whether in consequence of some hindrance on the journey or from some other cause. I know, however, that presents for Galileo and a letter to him have come to some merchants here. A highly estimable person, who is in my confidence, and has spoken with the person who has the presents and letter in charge, told me that both bear the seal of the Dutch Government; the presents are in a case, and may be gold or silver work. Galileo has steadily refused to accept either the letter or the presents, whether from fear of incurring some danger, on account of the warning I gave him on the first news of the expected arrival of an envoy, or whether because he really could not perfect his method of taking longitudes at sea, and is not in a state to do it; for he is now quite blind, and his head is more in the grave than fit for mathematical studies. Insurmountable difficulties had also occurred in the use of the instruments indicated by him. Besides, it is said here, that if he had fully brought his plan to perfection, his Highness (Ferdinand II. of Tuscany) would never have permitted it to pass into the hands of renegades, heretics, or enemies of the allies of his house. This is what I have to report to your Eminence.”[550]
The news that Galileo had not accepted the distinction offered him by the Dutch Government gave great satisfaction at Rome; and Urban VIII. even charged the Inquisitor at Florence, by a mandate of 5th August, to express to Galileo the gratification of the Holy Congregation at his conduct in this affair.[551]