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Chapter 3 Emblematic Reactions Descartes, Peiresc, Galileo’s Daughter (1633–1642) 43 Reception of and reactions to Galileo’s condemnation continue to this day. Although this process is obviously subject to chronological periodization and analytical subdivision, it is only at the end of our historical survey that we can be sure of those chronological stages and analytical principles. In the meantime, the survey must proceed in a somewhat ad hoc manner, although not a random one. Thus, I begin with the period from 1633 to approximately 1642—the period of Galileo’s life after the trial. I focus on the reactions of four individuals that for various reasons have emblematic significance: Galileo himself; Nicholas Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1580– 1637), an enlightened French Catholic who was one of the leading intellectual and cultural politicians of the time; Galileo’s elder daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, who has no claim to fame beyond her sheer humanity, her great soul, and her loving heart; and René Descartes, who needs no introduction but whose reaction was perhaps the most sensational and important of them all, for which reason I discuss it first. 3.1 The End of the World: Descartes (1633–1644) In November 1633, while living in Deventer, Holland, René Descartes sent the following letter to Marin Mersenne in Paris: [340]I had planned to send you my World as a New Year’s present, and only two weeks ago I was still very determined to send you at least a part if the whole could not be transcribed in time. But I will tell you that recently I made inquiries in Leiden and Amsterdam about whether Galileo’s System of the World was available, for I seemed to remember that it had been printed in Italy last year; I was told that indeed it had been printed, but that all copies had been simultaneously burned in Rome and he had been condemned to some penalty. This [341] has shocked me so much that I have almost decided to burn all my papers, or at least not to let anyone see them. For I surmise that he, who is Italian and (as I understand) well liked by the pope, was convicted for no other reason than that he undoubtedly wanted to establish the earth’s motion, which I know well was formerly censured by some cardinals, although I think I have heard it said that afterwards one did not stop teaching it publicly , even in Rome; and I confess that if it is false, so are also all the foundations of my philosophy; it is easily demonstrated from them, and it is so connected with all parts of my treatise that I would not know how to detach it without rendering the rest flawed. However, just as I would not want for anything in the world to produce an essay containing the least word that was disapproved by the Church, so I would rather suppress it than publish it maimed. I have never had the inclination to produce books; and I would have never come to the end if I had not made a promise to you and some other friends, thinking that the desire to keep my word would oblige me to study that much more. Now after all, I am sure you will not send me a policeman to coerce me to keep my promise, and perhaps you will be very glad to be exempt from the pain of reading evil things. There are already so many opinions in philosophy which have plausibility and can be supported in disputes that, if mine do not have greater certainty and cannot be endorsed without controversy, I do not want to ever publish them. However, I would be ungracious if after my promise so long ago I thought of repaying your kindness in this manner, and so I shall not fail to let you see what I have done as soon as I can; I ask you, if you don’t mind, another year of delay to revise and polish it. You reminded me of the words of Horace, “Let it be suppressed till the ninth year,”1 and it is only three years since I started the treatise which I am thinking of sending you. I also beg you to send me what you know of the affair of Galileo.2 Using for the first time a label that eventually became generally adopted, Descartes was eager to know more about what he...

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