Page:Galileo (1918).djvu/45

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
PUBLICATION OF "IL SAGGIATORE"
39

the "Dialogues on the Two Principal Systems of the World". The domestic troubles included not only illness of his daughters and annoyance at unsatisfactory reports of his son, but also difficulties in connection with his selfish brother, who, having now a family of seven, came to the conclusion that it would be an excellent thing for him to send them to Florence to live on Galileo. The latter, on the question being raised, offered temporary quarters until his brother should obtain work in Florence. The whole family except the eldest daughter took advantage of the offer. Galileo sent the eldest boy Vincenzio to Rome to study music in charge of his friend Castelli, and there, but for his bad conduct, he would have had the pension refused by his cousin, which in consequence, as we have seen, was transferred to Galileo. The nephew soon had to leave Rome, and before the end of the year (1628) Michelangelo had them all back again at Munich, though Galileo was willing to keep them. During the same year the other Vincenzio, Galileo's son, completed his Law course at the University of Pisa and took his Doctor's degree. He was nevertheless disinclined to seek a post in the Civil Service, for which he was now qualified, but preferred to idle away his time at home.

About this time an unsuccessful attempt was made to deprive Galileo of his practical sinecure at Pisa, some of his enemies questioning the power of the Grand Duke to assign a university salary to a man who neither lectured nor lived at Pisa; but it was decided that Ferdinand had power to do this, and to avoid the possibility of the question being raised again, the young Grand Duke appointed Galileo to a permanent post of equal value in the magistracy of the University, so that his income and leisure were if possible more secure than before.