[86]AsapendanttothisejaculationofKeplermaybecitedthewordsofLinnaeus：“Deumominpotentematergotranseuntemvidietobstupui。”
NothingismoreunjustthantocastespecialblameforallthisresistancetoscienceupontheRomanChurch。TheProtestantChurch，thoughrarelyabletobesosevere，hasbeenmoreblameworthy。ThepersecutionofGalileoandhiscompeersbytheolderChurchwasmainlyatthebeginningoftheseventeenthcentury；thepersecutionofRobertsonSmith，andWinchell，andWoodrow，andToy，andtheyoungprofessorsatBeyrout，byvariousProtestantauthorities，wasneartheendofthenineteenthcentury。ThoseearlierpersecutionsbyCatholicismwerestrictlyinaccordancewithprinciplesheldatthattimebyallreligionists，CatholicandProtestant，throughouttheworld；
theselaterpersecutionsbyProtestantswereindefianceofprincipleswhichallProtestantsto-dayholdorpretendtohold，andnonemakelouderclaimtoholdthemthantheverysectswhichpersecutedtheseeminentChristianmenofourday，menwhosecrimewasthattheywereintelligentenoughtoacceptthescienceoftheirtime，andhonestenoughtoacknowledgeit。
Mostunjustly，then，wouldProtestantismtauntCatholicismforexcludingknowledgeofastronomicaltruthsfromEuropeanCatholicuniversitiesintheseventeenthandeighteenthcenturies，whilerealknowledgeofgeologicalandbiologicalandanthropologicaltruthisdeniedorpitifullydilutedinsomanyAmericanProtestantcollegesanduniversitiesinthenineteenthcentury。
NorhasProtestantismtherighttopointwithscorntotheCatholicIndex，andtolaystressonthefactthatnearlyeveryreallyimportantbookinthelastthreecenturieshasbeenforbiddenbyit，solongasyoungmeninsomanyAmericanProtestantuniversitiesandcollegesarenursedwith“ecclesiasticalpap“ratherthanwithrealthought，anddirectedtotheworksof“solemnlyconstitutedimpostors。”ortosundry“approvedcoursesofreading。”whiletheyarestudiouslykeptalooffromsuchleadersinmodernthoughtasDarwin，Spencer，Huxley，Draper，andLecky。
ItmayindeedbejustlyclaimedbyProtestantismthatsomeoftheformerstrongholdsofherbigotryhavebecomeliberalized；but，ontheotherhand，CatholicismcanpointtothefactthatPopeLeoXIII，nowhappilyreigning，hasmadeanoblechangeasregardsopendealingwithdocuments。ThedaysofMonsignorMarini，itmaybehoped，aregone。TheVaticanLibrary，withitsmassesofhistoricalmaterial，hasbeenthrownopentoProtestantandCatholicscholarsalike，andthisprivilegehasbeenfreelyusedbymenrepresentingallshadesofreligiousthought。
Astotheoldererrors，thewholecivilizedworldwasatfault，ProtestantaswellasCatholic。Itwasnotthefaultofreligion；itwasthefaultofthatshort-sightedlinkingoftheologicaldogmastoscripturaltextswhich，inutterdefianceofthewordsandworksoftheBlessedFounderofChristianity，narrow-minded，loud-voicedmenareeverpronetosubstituteforreligion。JustlyisitsaidbyoneofthemosteminentamongcontemporaryAnglicandivines，that“itisbecausetheyhavemistakenthedawnforaconflagrationthattheologianshavesooftenbeenfoesoflight。”[87]
[87]Foranexceedinglystrikingstatement，byaRomanCatholichistorianofgenius，astothePOPULARdemandforpersecutionandthepressureofthelowerstratainecclesiasticalorganizationsforcruelmeasures，seeBalmes’sLeProtestantismecompareauCatholicisme，etc。，fourthedition，Paris，1855，vol。ii。
ArchbishopSpauldinghassomethingofthesamesortinhisMiscellanies。L’Epinois，Galilee，p。22etseq。，stretchesthisasfaraspossibletosavethereputationoftheChurchintheGalileomatter。AstothevariousbranchesoftheProtestantChurchinEnglandandtheUnitedStates，itisamatterofnotorietythatthesmug，well-to-dolaymen，whetherelders，deacons，orvestrymen，are，asarule，farmorepronetoheresy-
huntingthanaretheirbettereducatedpastors。AstothecasesofMessrs。Winchell，Woodrow，Toy，andalltheprofessorsatBeyrout，withdetails，seethechapterinthisseriesonTheFallofManandAnthropology。AmongProtestanthistorianswhohaverecentlybeenallowedfullandfreeexaminationofthetreasuresintheVaticanLibrary，andeventhoseinvolvingquestionsbetweenCatholicismandProtestantism，arevonSybel，ofBerlin，andPhilipSchaff，ofNewYork。ItshouldbeaddedthatthelatterwentwithcommendatorylettersfromeminentprelatesintheCatholicChurchinAmericaandEurope。Fortheclosingcitation，seeCanonFarrar，HistoryofInterpretation，p。432。
Fewthingsintheevolutionofastronomyaremoresuggestivethanthestrugglebetweenthetheologicalandthescientificdoctrineregardingcomets——thepassagefromtheconceptionofthemasfire-ballsflungbyanangryGodforthepurposeofscaringawickedworld，toarecognitionofthemasnaturalinoriginandobedienttolawinmovement。HardlyanythingthrowsamorevividlightuponthedangerofwrestingtextsofScripturetopreserveideaswhichobservationandthoughthavesuperseded，anduponthefollyofarrayingecclesiasticalpoweragainstscientificdiscovery。[88]
[88]Thepresentstudy，afteritsappearanceinthePopularScienceMonthlyasa“newchapterintheWarfareofScience。”wasrevisedandenlargedtonearlyitspresentform，andreadbeforetheAmericanHistoricalAssociation，amongwhosepapersitwaspublished，in1887，underthetitleofAHistoryoftheDoctrineofComets。
Outoftheancientworldhadcomeamassofbeliefsregardingcomets，meteors，andeclipses；allthesewereheldtobesignsdisplayedfromheavenforthewarningofmankind。Starsandmeteorsweregenerallythoughttopresagehappyevents，especiallythebirthsofgods，heroes，andgreatmen。Sofirmlyrootedwasthisideathatweconstantlyfindamongtheancientnationstraditionsoflightsintheheavensprecedingthebirthofpersonsofnote。ThesacredbooksofIndiashowthatthebirthsofCrishnaandofBuddhawereannouncedbysuchheavenlylights。[89]ThesacredbooksofChinatellofsimilarappearancesatthebirthsofYu，thefounderofthefirstdynasty，andoftheinspiredsage，Lao-tse。AccordingtotheJewishlegends，astarappearedatthebirthofMoses，andwasseenbytheMagiofEgypt，whoinformedtheking；andwhenAbrahamwasbornanunusualstarappearedintheeast。TheGreeksandRomanscherishedsimilartraditions。AheavenlylightaccompaniedthebirthofAesculapius，andthebirthsofvariousCaesarswereheraldedinlikemanner。[90]
[89]ForCrishna，seeCox，AryanMythology，vol。ii，p。133；theVishnuPuranaWilson’stranslation，bookv，chap。iv。Astolightsatthebirth，orratherattheconception，ofBuddha，seeBunsen，AngelMessiah，pp。22，23；Alabaster，WheeloftheLawillustrationsofBuddhism，p。102；EdwinArnold，LightofAsia；
Bp。Bigandet，LifeofGaudama，theBurmeseBuddha，p。30；
Oldenberg，BuddhaEnglishtranslation，parti，chap。ii。
[90]ForChineselegendsregardingstarsatthebirthofYuandLao-tse，seeThornton，HistoryofChina，vol。i，p。137；alsoPingre，Cometographie，p。245。RegardingstarsatthebirthofMosesandAbraham，seeCalmet，Fragments，partviii；Baring-
Gould，LegendsofOldTestamentCharacters，chap。xxiv；Farrar，LifeofChrist，chap。iii。AstotheMagi，seeHiggins，Anacalypsis；Hooykaas，Ort，andKuenen，BibleforLearners，vol。
iii。ForGreekandRomantraditions，seeBell，Pantheon，s。v。
AesculapiusandAtreus；Gibbon，DeclineandFall，vol。i，pp。
151，590；Farrar，LifeofChristAmericanedition，p。52；Cox，TalesofAncientGreece，pp。41，61，62；Higgins，Anacalypsis，vol。i，p。322；alsoSuetonius，Caes。，Julius，p。88，Claud。，p。
463；Seneca，Nat。Quaest，vol。1，p。1；Virgil，Ecl。，vol。ix，p。
47；aswellasOvid，Pliny，andothers。
ThesameconceptionenteredintoourChristiansacredbooks。OfallthelegendswhichgrewinsuchluxurianceandbeautyaboutthecradleofJesusofNazareth，noneappealsmoredirectlytothehighestpoeticfeelingthanthatgivenbyoneoftheevangelists，inwhichastar，risingintheeast，conductedthewisementothemangerwheretheGalileanpeasant-child——theHopeofMankind，theLightoftheWorld——waslyinginpovertyandhelplessness。
AmongtheMohammedanswehaveacuriousexampleofthesametendencytowardakindlyinterpretationofstarsandmeteors，inthebeliefofcertainMohammedanteachersthatmeteoricshowersarecausedbygoodangelshurlingmissilestodriveevilangelsoutofthesky。
Eclipseswereregardedinaverydifferentlight，beingsupposedtoexpressthedistressofNatureatearthlycalamities。TheGreeksbelievedthatdarknessovershadowedtheearthatthedeathsofPrometheus，Atreus，Hercules，Aesculapius，andAlexandertheGreat。TheRomanlegendsheldthatatthedeathofRomulustherewasdarknessforsixhours。InthehistoryoftheCaesarsoccurportentsofallthreekinds；foratthedeathofJuliustheearthwasshroudedindarkness，thebirthofAugustuswasheraldedbyastar，andthedownfallofNerobyacomet。So，too，inoneoftheChristianlegendsclusteringaboutthecrucifixion，darknessoverspreadtheearthfromthesixthtotheninthhour。Neitherthesilenceregardingitoftheonlyevangelistwhoclaimstohavebeenpresent，northefactthatobserverslikeSenecaandPliny，who，thoughtheycarefullydescribedmuchlessstrikingoccurrencesofthesamesortandinmoreremoteregions，failedtonoteanysuchdarknesseveninJudea，haveavailedtoshakefaithinanaccountsotruetothehighestpoeticinstinctsofhumanity。
ThisviewoftherelationsbetweenNatureandmancontinuedamongbothJewsandChristians。AccordingtoJewishtradition，darknessoverspreadtheearthforthreedayswhenthebooksoftheLawwereprofanedbytranslationintoGreek。TertullianthoughtaneclipseanevidenceofGod’swrathagainstunbelievers。Norhasthismodeofthinkingceasedinmoderntimes。AsimilarclaimwasmadeattheexecutionofCharlesI；
andIncreaseMatherthoughtaneclipseinMassachusettsanevidenceofthegriefofNatureatthedeathofPresidentChauncey，ofHarvardCollege。ArchbishopSandysexpectedeclipsestobethef-KanbaAPp点com-inaltokensofwoeatthedestructionoftheworld，andtracesofthisfeelinghavecomedowntoourowntime。
ThequaintstoryoftheConnecticutstatesmanwho，whenhisassociatesintheGeneralAssemblywerealarmedbyaneclipseofthesun，andthoughtitthebeginningoftheDayofJudgment，quietlyorderedincandles，thathemightinanycasebefounddoinghisduty，marksprobablythelastnoteworthyappearanceoftheoldbeliefinanycivilizednation。[91]
[91]ForHindutheories，seeAlabaster，WheeloftheLaw，11。
ForGreekandRomanlegends，SeeHiggins，Anacalypsis，vol。i，pp。616，617。；alsoSuetonius，Caes。，Julius，p。88，Claud。，p。
46；Seneca，Quaest。Nat。，vol。i，p。1，vol。vii，p。17；Pliny，Hist。Nat。，vol。ii，p。25；Tacitus，Ann。，vol。xiv，p。22；
Josephus，Antiq。，vol。xiv，p。12；andtheauthoritiesabovecited。ForthetraditionoftheJewsregardingthedarknessofthreedays，seecitationinRenan，HistoireduPeupleIsrael，vol。iv，chap。iv。ForTertullian’sbeliefregardingthesignificanceofaneclipse，seetheAdScapulum，chap。iii，inMigne，Patrolog。Lat。，vol。i，p。701。FortheclaimregardingCharlesI，seeasermonpreachedbeforeCharlesII，citedbyLecky，EnglandintheEighteenthCentury，vol。i，p。65。Matherthought，too，thatitmighthavesomethingtodowiththedeathofsundrycivilfunctionariesofthecolonies；seehisDiscourseconcerningcomets，1682。ForArchbishopSandy’sbelief，seehiseighteenthsermoninParkerSoc。Publications。ThestoryofAbrahamDavenporthasbeenmadefamiliarbythepoemofWhittier。
Inthesebeliefsregardingmeteorsandeclipsestherewaslittlecalculatedtodoharmbyarousingthatsuperstitiousterrorwhichistheworstbreeding-bedofcruelty。Farotherwisewasitwiththebeliefregardingcomets。Duringmanycenturiesitgaverisetothedirestsuperstitionandfanaticism。TheChaldeansaloneamongtheancientpeoplesgenerallyregardedcometswithoutfear，andthoughtthembodieswanderingasharmlessasfishesinthesea；thePythagoreansaloneamongphilosophersseemtohavehadavagueideaofthemasbodiesreturningatfixedperiodsoftime；andinallantiquity，sofarasisknown，onemanalone，Seneca，hadthescientificinstinctandpropheticinspirationtogivethisideadefiniteshape，andtodeclarethatthetimewouldcomewhencometswouldbefoundtomoveinaccordancewithnaturallaw。Hereandthereafewstrongmenroseabovetheprevailingsuperstition。TheEmperorVespasiantriedtolaughitdown，andinsistedthatacertaincometinhistimecouldnotbetokenhisdeath，becauseitwashairy，andhebald；butsuchscoffingproducedlittlepermanenteffect，andtheprophecyofSenecawassoonforgotten。Theseandsimilarisolatedutterancescouldnotstandagainstthemassofopinionwhichupheldthedoctrinethatcometsare“signsandwonders。”[92]
[92]ForterrorcausedinRomebycomets，seePingre，Cometographie，pp。165，166。FortheChaldeans，seeWolf，GeschichtederAstronomie，p。10etseq。，andp。181etseq。；
alsoPingre，chap。ii。ForthePythagoreannotions，seecitationsfromPlutarchinCostard，HistoryofAstronomy，p。283。
ForSeneca’sprediction，seeGuillemin，WorldofCometstranslatedbyGlaisher，pp。4，5；alsoWatson，OnComets，p。
126。Forthisfeelinginantiquitygenerally，seethepreliminarychaptersofthetwoworkslastcited。