Galileo Galilei quotation from Galileo Galilei and the Roman Curia

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hurch, 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 parties that the Jesuit fathers have insinuated in the highest quarters that my book is more execrable and injurious to the Church than the writings of Luther and Calvin. And all this although, in order to obtain the _imprimatur_, I went in person to Rome, and submitted the manuscript to the Master of the Palace, who looked through it most carefully, altering, adding, and omitting, and even after he had given it the _imprimatur_, ordered that it should be examined again at Florence. The reviser here, finding nothing else to alter, in order to show that he had gone through it carefully, contented himself with substituting some words for others, as, for instance, in several places, ‘Universum’ for ‘Nature,’ ‘quality’ for ‘attribute,’ ‘sublime spirit’ for ‘divine spirit,’ excusing himself to me for it by saying that he foresaw that I should have to do with fierce foes and bitter persecutors, as has _indeed come to pass_.”[327] CHAPTER VI. _GALILEO’S ARRIVAL AT ROME._ Galileo reaches Rome in February, 1632.—Goes to the Tuscan Embassy.—No Notice at first taken of his Coming.—