It is certain, however, that Galileo in Italy, (who died in 1642, aged seventy-eight years,) and, according to Bielfeld, Simon Marius in Germany, were the first that applied the telescope to the contemplation of celestial objects. W. B.
[A20a]. Elem. of Univ. Erud. b. i. ch. 49.
[A21]. In treating of the astronomy of the Greeks, Lalande contents himself with barely introducing the name of Aristotle, among their philosophers; seeming to consider him as one who had done very little for astronomical science. This philosopher (who died in the sixty-third year of his age, and only 322 years B. C.) among his other doctrines, not only maintained the eternity of the world; but, that Providence did not extend itself to sublunary beings: and as to the immortality of the soul, it is uncertain whether he believed it or not. Bayle calls his logic and his natural philosophy, “the weakest of his works:” and says, further; “It will be an everlasting subject of wonder to persons who know what philosophy is, to find that Aristotle’s authority was so much respected in the schools, for several ages, that, when a disputant quoted a passage from this philosopher, he who maintained the thesis durst not say, Transeat; but must either deny the passage or explain it in his own way.” W. B.
[A22]. This discovery was made on the 8th of January, 1610. It was, as Mr. Vince observes, a very important one in its consequences; as it furnished a ready method of finding the longitude of places, by means of their eclipses. W. B.
[A23]. Although both Geography and Navigation have been wonderfully improved by the important discoveries made by the moderns in astronomy, they have nevertheless, derived the most essential aid from the application of the Compass to their purposes.
The invention of this instrument, which is of indispensible utility, is almost universally ascribed to Flavio Gioia, a native of Amalfi in the kingdom of Naples. He is called, by some writers, Flavio de Melfi, (by which is meant, Flavio of Amalfi, this town being the place of his nativity;) and his invention of the Compass is placed in the year 1302. But it is affirmed by others, that Paulus Venetus brought the Compass first into Italy from China, in the year 1260.[1260.] The Chinese Compass, however, whatever may be its antiquity, appears to have been a very imperfect instrument, compared with the modern Mariner’s Compass; and, more especially, with the Azimuth Compass, as improved by Dr. Knight and Mr. Smeaton. The Chinese Compass, now used, is represented as being nothing more than a magnetic needle kept floating, by means of a piece of cork, on the surface of water, in a white china ware vessel, divided at bottom into twenty-four points.
It is worthy of observation, that the French have laid claim to the invention of the Compass, upon no better foundation than the circumstance of a fleur de lys being always placed at the north point of the chard; although it is known, that Gioia decorated the north end of the needle with that flower in compliment to his own sovereign, who bore it in his arms, as being descended from the royal house of France. “It hath been often,” says Dr. Robertson,[[A23a]] “the fate of those illustrious benefactors of mankind, who have enriched science and improved the arts by their inventions, to derive more reputation than benefit from the happy efforts of their genius. But,” continues this eminent historian, “the lot of Gioia has been still more cruel; through the inattention or ignorance of contemporary historians, he has been defrauded even of the fame to which he had such a just title. We receive from them no information with respect to his profession, his character, the precise time when he made this important discovery, and the accidents and enquiries which led to it: the knowledge of this event, though productive of greater effects than any recorded in the annals of the human race, is transmitted to us without any of those circumstances which can gratify the curiosity that it naturally awakens.” W. B.
[A23a]. Hist. of America, vol. i, b. i.
[A24]. Galileo Galilei was a strenuous defender of the system of Copernicus; for which he was condemned by the inquisition, in the year 1635, under Pope Urban VIII. This extraordinary man was a native of Florence, and born in 1564. He died in 1642, aged seventy-eight years.
W. B.