at embarrassment he would have brought himself and the holy Church. But if, on the contrary, the works are indisputably proved to vary from the literal meaning of the words, and we give the Scriptures the second place, no detriment to Scripture results from this. Since, in order to accommodate themselves they often ascribe, even to God Himself, entirely false conditions, why should we suppose that in speaking of the earth or the sun they should keep to such strict laws, as not to attribute conditions to these creations, out of regard for the ignorance of the masses, which are opposed to fact? If it be true that the earth moves and the sun stands still, it is no detriment to Holy Scripture, since it speaks of things as they appear to the people. “Many years ago, when the stir about Copernicus was beginning, I wrote a letter[326] of some length, in which, supported by the authorities of numerous fathers of the Church, I showed what an abuse it was to appeal so much to Holy Scripture in questions of natural science, and I proposed that in future it should not be brought into them. As soon as I am in less trouble, I will send you a copy. I say, in less trouble, because I am just now going to Rome, whither I have been summoned by the Holy Office, which has already prohibited the circulation of my ‘Dialogues.’ I hear from well-informed pa
