Chapter Iv. 56

Galileo treats his Opponents with severity and sarcasm--He is aided by the Sceptics of the day--The Church Party the most powerful--Galileo commences the attack, and is answered by Caccini, a Dominican--Galileo's Letter to the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, in support of the motion of the Earth and the stability of the Sun--Galileo visits Rome--Is summoned before the Inquisition--And renounces his opinions as Heretical--The Inquisition denounces the Copernican system--Galileo has an audience of the Pope, but still maintains his opinions in private society--Proposes to find out the Longitude at Sea by means of Jupiter's Satellites--His negotiation on this subject with the Court of Spain--Its failure--He is unable to observe the three Comets of 1618, but is involved in the controversy to which they gave rise,