keen critical discussion the untenableness of the usual narrative, the document was published in Italy which raised Wohlwill's conjectures to certainty.
Up to 1870 the conclusion that Galileo did not for a moment resist the cardinal's admonition, but submitted at once, could only be drawn, as it was drawn by Wohlwill, partly from the wording of the report of the proceedings of 26th February, 1616, partly from Galileo's sincere Catholic sentiments, for he was to the end, from conviction, a true son of the Church. However much there might be to justify the conclusion, therefore, it was founded only on probability, was confirmed by no documents, and was therefore open to assault. It was attacked by Friedlein in a review of Wohlwill's brochure.[1] But when Friedlein was trying to prove that Galileo must have resisted the cardinal's admonitions, and only submitted to the peremptory threats of the official of the Inquisition, the document had been already published in Italy which placed the question beyond doubt. This is an extract of the protocol of the sitting of the Congregation of the Holy Office of 3rd March, 1616, and forms part of the collection of documents published by Professor Silvestro Gherardi in the Rivista Europea, 1870. It is as follows:—
- ↑ In the Zeitschrift für mathematischen u. naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht, 1st series, part iv., pp. 333-340. See the controversy between Dr. Wohlwill and Dr. Friedlein in the Zeitschrift für Mathematik, etc., 17th series. Part ii, pp. 9-31; part iii, pp. 41-45; part v., pp. 81-98.
