CHAPTER XII.—CONCLUSION.
Viviani was Galileo's first biographer, but as he only knew him for the last few months of his life, many of his statements, being derived from hearsay, are not trustworthy. He gives a description of his appearance as he knew him, a square, well-knit figure rather above medium height, and a cheerful and pleasant face with plenty of hair and beard which had been of a reddish colour. His temper was short, but he was ailing for nearly fifty years, and much is forgiven in such a case, even without the provocation he was continually encountering for a longer period still. He was fond of congenial society, but rarely discussed mathematical or mechanical subjects with strangers. He was also fond of gardening, and country life generally. He was rather particular about wine, of which perhaps his liking was too great, considering the infirmities of body and of temper from which he suffered. He had a remarkable memory for classics and poetry, old songs and stories. He was a magnificent teacher, being able to grasp the difficulties of less rapid thinkers in a way not always found among professors.
When we come to consider his claims to fame, it is necessary to pay due regard to a sense of proportion. It is a commonplace to observe that his astronomical discoveries were bound to be made as, a direct consequence of the invention of the telescope, so that, though he is popularly known almost entirely by them, they cannot be rated very highly in comparison with his achieve-
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