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constructed such; of which he gave an account In atreatise called “ Rosa Ursina,” in 1650.

This able observer, indeed, has contested with Galileo the first observation of the spots in the sun ; but theevidence appears decidedly in favour of the latter.Scheiner was a monk; and, on communicating to thesuperior of his order the account of the spots, receivedin reply from that learned father a solemn admonitionagainst such heretical notions: — “ I have searchedthrough Aristotle, ” he said, “ and can find nothing ofthe kind mentioned: be assured, therefore, that it is adeception of your senses, or of your glasses.”

Notwithstanding such prejudices in some quarters,the progress of the new opinions was rapid among allorders. One instance is somewdiat remarkable.

In 1615, Paul Antony Foscarinus, a Carmelite monk,composed, under the patronage, and by the desire of,Vincenzio CarafFa, a Neapolitan nobleman, an essayin explanation and defence of the Copernican system.He conducts his argument with considerable addressand ingenuity : and meets the prejudices of his readersin such a way as to avoid offending them. In parti-cular, he enters largely into specious interpretations,with the view of reconciling to the doctrine of theearth’s motion and the sun’s immobility, the severalpassages in Scripture which express the contrary. Thewhole is conducted with high and, probably, sincere pro-fessions of piety, and reverence for the authority of thechurch ; and at the same time the author expresses hishope that his attempt will be found acceptable to philo-sophers, especially to Kepler and Galileo . The book isdedicated to the general of the order of the Carmelites;and was published at Florence, with the sanction of theecclesiastical authorities, in 1630. The case of Fosca-rinus is interesting in several points of view, and affordsa singular contrast, as well to that of Bruno, beforementioned, as to that of Galileo himself, as we shallpresently see. It does not appear, at first sight, easyto reconcile the indulgence with which the former was