While the prisoner of Arcetri was thus eagerly fulfilling his great mission to his age, his friends were exerting themselves in vain to obtain at least an extension of his liberty. The Count de Noailles, French ambassador at Rome, had once attended Galileo's lectures at Padua, and had become so enthusiastic an adherent, that he afterwards told Castelli that he must see Galileo once more before leaving Italy, even if he walked fifty miles on purpose.[1] He therefore united his efforts with Niccolini's to obtain some amelioration for Galileo. But in vain. At an audience which Niccolini had on 8th December, 1634, Urban said indeed that he esteemed Galileo very highly, and was well disposed towards him; but all remained as before.[2]
In the year 1634 the band of dauntless men, who again and again ventured to attempt to obtain Galileo's liberty from the papal chair, was increased by the celebrated officer of state and man of learning, Fabri von Peiresc. Like Noailles, he had attended Galileo's lectures at Padua,[3] had since been one of his most ardent admirers, and had long maintained friendly intercourse with Cardinal Francesco Barberini. Peiresc now interceded eagerly with this prelate for Galileo, and even ventured openly to say, in a long and pressing letter of 8th December, 1634, to Barberini.:—[4] . . "Really such proceedings will be considered very harsh, and far more so by posterity than at present, when no one, as it appears, cares for anything but his own interests. Indeed, it will be a blot upon the brilliance and renown of the pontificate of Urban VIII., unless your Eminence resolves to devote your special attention to this affair. . . ." On
- ↑ Castelli's letter to Galileo, 2nd Dec., 1634. (Op. x. p. 64.)
- ↑ Castelli's letter to Galileo, 9th Dec., 1634. (Op. x. p. 65.)
- ↑ Comp. Piresc's leter to Galileo, 26th Jan., 1634 (Op. x. pp. 8-11), and to Card. Barberini, 5th Dec, 1635 (Op. x. p. 94).
- ↑ Op. x. pp. 94-96. In Albèri the date of this letter is wrongly given as 1635; Pieralisi has found the original of it in the Barberiana, with date 5th Dec, 1634. (Pieralisi, pp. 304-310.)
