ItiscurioustoseehowevensuchabiographerasArchbishopVaughanslursovertheangelicDoctor’serrors。SeeVaughan’sLifeandLaboursofSt。ThomasofAquin，pp。459，460。
　　AstoCopernicus’sdangeratRome，theCatholicWorldforJanuary，1869，citesaspeechoftheArchbishopofMechlinbeforetheUniversityofLouvain，totheeffectthatCopernicusdefendedhistheoryatRome，in1500，beforetwothousandscholars；also，thatanotherprofessortaughtthesystemin1528，andwasmadeapostolicnotarybyClementVIII。Allthis，evenifthedoctrinestaughtwereidenticalwithCopernicusasfinallydeveloped——whichissimplynotthecase——availsnothingagainsttheoverwhelmingtestimonythatCopernicusfelthimselfindanger——testimonywhichtheafter-historyoftheCopernicantheoryrendersinvincible。TheverytitleofFromundus’sbook，alreadycited，publishedwithinafewmilesofthearchbishop’sowncathedral，andsanctionedexpresslybythetheologicalfacultyofthatsameUniversityofLouvainin1630，utterlyrefutesthearchbishop’sideathattheChurchwasinclinedtotreatCopernicuskindly。Thetitleisasfollows：
　　Ant-AristarchussiveOrbis-TerraeImmobilis，inquodecretumS。
　　CongregationisS。R。E。Cardinal。an。M。DC。XVIadversusPythagorico-Copernicanoseditumdefenditur，Antverpiae，MDCXXI。
　　L’Epinois，Galilee，Paris，1867，laysstress，p。14，onthebroachingofthedoctrinebyDeCusain1435，andbyWidmanstadtin1533，andtheirkindtreatmentbyEugeniusIVandClementVII；
　　butthisisabsolutelyworthlessindenyingthepapalpolicyafterward。Lange，GeschichtedesMaterialismus，vol。i，pp。217，218，whileadmittingthatDeCusaandWidmanstadtsustainedthistheoryandreceivedhonorsfromtheirrespectivepopes，showsthat，whentheChurchgaveitseriousconsideration，itwascondemned。Thereisnothinginthisviewunreasonable。ItwouldbeaparallelcasetothatofLeoX，atfirstinclinedtowardLutherandothers，intheir“squabbleswiththeenviousfriars。”andafterwardforcedtoopposethem。ThatCopernicusfeltthedanger，isevident，amongotherthings，bytheexpressioninthepreface：“Statimmeexplodendumcumtaliopinioneclamitant。”FordangersatWittenberg，seeLange，asabove，vol。i，p。217。
　　ButOsiander’scouragefailedhim：hedarednotlaunchthenewthoughtboldly。Hewroteagrovellingpreface，endeavouringtoexcuseCopernicusforhisnovelidea，andinthisheinsertedtheapologeticliethatCopernicushadpropoundedthedoctrineoftheearth’smovementnotasafact，butasahypothesis。Hedeclaredthatitwaslawfulforanastronomertoindulgehisimagination，andthatthiswaswhatCopernicushaddone。
　　Thuswasthegreatestandmostennobling，perhaps，ofscientifictruths——atruthnotlessennoblingtoreligionthantoscience——forced，incomingbeforetheworld，tosneakandcrawl。[46]
　　[46]Osiander，inalettertoCopernicus，datedApril20，1541，hadendeavoredtoreconcilehimtosuchaprocedure，andendsbysaying，“Sicenimplacidioresreddiderisperipatheticosettheologosquoscontradicturosmetuis。”SeeApologiaTychonisinKepler’sOperaOmnia，Frisch’sedition，vol。i，p。246。KeplerholdsOsianderentirelyresponsibleforthispreface。Bertrand，inhisFondateursdel“astronomiemoderne，givesitstext，andthinksitpossiblethatCopernicusmayhaveyielded“inpurecondescensiontowardhisdisciple。”ButthisideaisutterlyatvariancewithexpressionsinCopernicus’sowndedicatorylettertothePope，whichfollowsthepreface。Foragoodsummaryoftheargument，seeFiguier，SavantsdelaRenaissance，pp。378，379；seealsocitationfromGassendi’sLifeofCopernicus，inFlammarion，ViedeCopernic，p。124。Mr。JohnFiske，accurateasheusuallyis，inhisOutlinesofCosmicPhilosophyappearstohavefollowedLaplace，Delambre，andPetitintotheerrorofsupposingthatCopernicus，andnotOsiander，isresponsibleforthepreface。Forthelatestproofs，seeMenzer’stranslationofCopernicus’swork，Thorn，1879，notesonpp。3and4oftheappendix。
　　Onthe24thofMay，1543，thenewlyprintedbookarrivedatthehouseofCopernicus。Itwasputintohishands；buthewasonhisdeathbed。Afewhourslaterhewasbeyondthereachoftheconscientiousmenwhowouldhaveblottedhisreputationandperhapshavedestroyedhislife。
　　Yetnotwhollybeyondtheirreach。Evendeathcouldnotbetrustedtoshieldhim。Thereseemstohavebeenfearofvengeanceuponhiscorpse，foronhistombstonewasplacednorecordofhislifelonglabours，nomentionofhisgreatdiscovery；buttherewasgravenuponitsimplyaprayer：“IasknotthegraceaccordedtoPaul；notthatgiventoPeter；givemeonlythefavourwhichThoudidstshowtothethiefonthecross。”
　　Nottillthirtyyearsafterdidafrienddarewriteonhistombstoneamemorialofhisdiscovery。[47]
　　[47]SeeFlammarion，ViedeCopernic，p。190。
　　TheprefaceofOsiander，pretendingthatthebookofCopernicussuggestedahypothesisinsteadofannouncingatruth，serveditspurposewell。DuringnearlyseventyyearstheChurchauthoritiesevidentlythoughtitbestnottostirthematter，andinsomecasesprofessorslikeCalganiniwereallowedtopresentthenewviewpurelyasahypothesis。Therewere，indeed，mutteringsfromtimetotimeonthetheologicalside，buttherewasnogreatdemonstrationagainstthesystemuntil1616。Then，whentheCopernicandoctrinewasupheldbyGalileoasaTRUTH，andprovedtobeatruthbyhistelescope，thebookwastakeninhandbytheRomancuria。ThestatementsofCopernicuswerecondemned，“untiltheyshouldbecorrected“；andthecorrectionsrequiredweresimplysuchaswouldsubstituteforhisconclusionstheoldPtolemaictheory。
　　ThatthiswastheirpurposewasseeninthatyearwhenGalileowasforbiddentoteachordiscusstheCopernicantheory，andwhenwereforbidden“allbookswhichaffirmthemotionoftheearth。”
　　HenceforthtoreadtheworkofCopernicuswastoriskdamnation，andtheworldacceptedthedecree。[48]Thestrongestmindswerethusheldfast。Iftheycouldnotbelievetheoldsystem，theymustPRETENDthattheybelievedit；——andthis，evenafterthegreatcircumnavigationoftheglobehaddonesomuchtoopentheeyesoftheworld！VerystrikingisthecaseoftheeminentJesuitmissionaryJosephAcosta，whosegreatworkontheNaturalandMoralHistoryoftheIndies，publishedinthelastquarterofthesixteenthcentury，explodedsomanyastronomicalandgeographicalerrors。Thoughattimescuriouslycredulous，hetoldthetruthasfarashedared；butastothemovementoftheheavenlybodiesheremainedorthodox——declaring，“Ihaveseenthetwopoles，whereontheheavensturnasupontheiraxletrees。”
　　[48]TheauthoritiesdecidingthismatterinaccordancewiththewishesofPopeVandCardinalBellarmineweretheCongregationoftheIndex，orcardinalshavingchargeoftheIndexLibrorumProhibitorum。RecentdesperateattemptstofastentheresponsibilityonthemasindividualsseemridiculousinviewofthesimplefactthattheirworkwassanctionedbythehighestChurchauthority，andrequiredtobeuniversallyacceptedbytheChurch。ElevendifferenteditionsoftheIndexinmyownpossessionprovethis。Nearlyallofthesedeclareontheirtitle-pagesthattheyareissuedbyorderofthepontiffoftheperiod，andeachisprefacebyaspecialpapalbullorletter。
　　SeeespeciallytheIndexof1664，issuedunderorderofAlexanderVII，andthatof1761，underBenedictXIV。Copernicus’sstatementswereprohibitedintheIndex“doneccorrigantur。”
　　Keplersaidthatitoughttobeworded“donecexplicetur。”SeeBertand，Fondateursdel’Astronomiemoderne，p。57。DeMorgan，pp。57-60，givesthecorrectionsrequiredbytheIndexof1620。
　　TheirmainaimseemstobetoreduceCopernicustothegrovellinglevelofOsiander，makinghisdiscoveryamerehypothesis；butoccasionallytheyrequireavirtualgivingupofthewholeCopernicandoctrine——e。g。，“correction“insisteduponforchap。
　　viii，p。6。ForascholarlyaccountoftherelationbetweenProhibitoryandExpurgatoryIndexestoeachother，seeMendham，LiteraryPolicyoftheChurchofRome；alsoReusch，IndexderverbotenenBucher，Bonn，1855，vol。ii，chapsiandii。Forabriefbutverycarefulstatement，seeGebler，GalileoGalilei，Englishtranslation，London，1879，chap。i；seealsoAddisandArnold’sCatholicDictionary，articleGalileo，p。8。
　　Therewas，indeed，inEuropeonemanwhomighthavedonemuchtocheckthiscurrentofunreasonwhichwastosweepawaysomanythoughtfulmenontheonehandfromscientificknowledge，andsomanyontheotherfromChristianity。ThiswasPeterApian。Hewasoneofthegreatmathematicalandastronomicalscholarsofthetime。HisbrilliantabilitieshadmadehimtheastronomicalteacheroftheEmperorCharlesV。Hisworkongeographyhadbroughthimaworld-widereputation；hisworkonastronomybroughthimapatentofnobility；hisimprovementsinmathematicalprocessesandastronomicalinstrumentsbroughthimthepraiseofKeplerandaplaceinthehistoryofscience：
　　neverhadatruemanbetteropportunitytodoagreatdeed。WhenCopernicus’sworkappeared，Apianwasattheheightofhisreputationandpower：aquiet，earnestpleafromhim，evenifithadbeenonlyforordinaryfairnessandasuspensionofjudgment，musthavecarriedmuchweight。Hisdevotedpupil，CharlesV，whosatonthethronesofGermanyandSpain，mustatleasthavegivenahearingtosuchaplea。But，unfortunately，ApianwasaprofessorinaninstitutionoflearningunderthestrictestChurchcontrol——theUniversityofIngolstadt。HisforemostdutywastoteachSAFEscience——tokeepsciencewithinthelineofscripturaltruthasinterpretedbytheologicalprofessors。Hisgreatopportunitywaslost。ApiancontinuedtomaunderoverthePtolemaictheoryandastrologyinhislecture-room。TheattackontheCopernicantheoryheneithersupportednoropposed；hewassilent；andthecauseofhissilenceshouldneverbeforgottensolongasanyChurchassertsitstitletocontroluniversityinstruction。[49]
　　[49]ForJosephAcosta’sstatement，seethetranslationofhisHistory，publishedbytheHakluytSociety，chap。ii。ForPeterApian，seeMadler，GeschichtederAstronomie，Braunschweig，1873，vol。i，p。141。ForevidencesofthespecialfavourofCharlesV，seeDelambre，Histoiredel’AstronomieauMoyenAge，p。390；
　　alsoBruhns，intheAllgemeinedeutscheBiographie。Foranattemptedapologyforhim，seeGunther，PeterandPhilippApian，Prag，1822，p。62。
　　DoubtlessmanywillexclaimagainsttheRomanCatholicChurchforthis；butthesimpletruthisthatProtestantismwasnolesszealousagainstthenewscientificdoctrine。AllbranchesoftheProtestantChurch——Lutheran，Calvinist，Anglican——viedwitheachotherindenouncingtheCopernicandoctrineascontrarytoScripture；and，atalaterperiod，thePuritansshowedthesametendency。
　　SaidMartinLuther：“Peoplegaveeartoanupstartastrologerwhostrovetoshowthattheearthrevolves，nottheheavensorthefirmament，thesunandthemoon。Whoeverwishestoappearclevermustdevisesomenewsystem，whichofallsystemsisofcoursetheverybest。Thisfoolwishestoreversetheentirescienceofastronomy；butsacredScripturetellsusthatJoshuacommandedthesuntostandstill，andnottheearth。”
　　Melanchthon，mildashewas，wasnotbehindLutherincondemningCopernicus。InhistreatiseontheElementsofPhysics，publishedsixyearsafterCopernicus’sdeath，hesays：“Theeyesarewitnessesthattheheavensrevolveinthespaceoftwenty-fourhours。Butcertainmen，eitherfromtheloveofnovelty，ortomakeadisplayofingenuity，haveconcludedthattheearthmoves；
　　andtheymaintainthatneithertheeighthspherenorthesunrevolves……Now，itisawantofhonestyanddecencytoassertsuchnotionspublicly，andtheexampleispernicious。ItisthepartofagoodmindtoacceptthetruthasrevealedbyGodandtoacquiesceinit。”MelanchthonthencitesthepassagesinthePsalmsandEcclesiastes，whichhedeclaresassertpositivelyandclearlythattheearthstandsfastandthatthesunmovesaroundit，andaddseightotherproofsofhispropositionthat“theearthcanbenowhereifnotinthecentreoftheuniverse。”SoearnestdoesthismildestoftheReformersbecome，thathesuggestsseveremeasurestorestrainsuchimpiousteachingsasthoseofCopernicus。[50]
　　[50]SeetheTischredenintheWalscheditionofLuther’sWorks，1743，vol。xxii，p。2260；alsoMelanchthon’sInitiaDoctrinaePhysicae。ThistreatiseiscitedunderamistakentitlebytheCatholicWorld，September，1870。Thecorrecttitleisasgivenabove；itwillbefoundintheCorpusReformatorum，vol。xiiied。Bretschneider，Halle，1846，pp。216，217。SeealsoMadler，vol。i，p。176；alsoLange，GeschichtedesMaterialismus，vol。i，p。217；alsoProwe，UeberdieAbhangigkeitdesCopernicus，Thorn，1865，p。4；alsonote，pp。5，6，wheretextisgiveninfull。