lileo replied to this attack in a volume entitled _Il Saggiatore_, or
_The Assayer_, which, owing to the state of his health, was not
published till the autumn of 1623.[31] This work was written in the form
of a letter to Virginio Cesarini, a member of the Lyncaean Academy, and
master of the chamber to Urban VIII., who had just ascended the papal
throne. It was dedicated to the Pontiff himself, and has been long
celebrated among literary men for the beauty of its language, though it
is doubtless one of the least important of Galileo's writings.

[31] Printed in the Opere di Galileo, vol. vi., pp. 191-571.

CHAPTER V.

_Urban VIII., Galileo's friend, raised to the Pontificate--Galileo
goes to Rome to offer his congratulations--The Pope loads Galileo
with presents, and promises a Pension to his Son--Galileo in
pecuniary difficulties, owing to the death of his patron,
Cosmo--Galileo again rashly attacks the Church, notwithstanding the
Pope's kindness--He composes his System of the World, to
demonstrate the Copernican System--Artfully obtains a license to
print it--Nature of the work--Its influence on the public mind--The
Pope resolves on suppressing it--Galileo summoned before the
Inquisition--His Trial--His Defence--His formal abjuration of his
opinions--Observations on his conduct--The Pope shews great
indulgence to Galileo, who is allowed to return to his own house at
Arcetri, as the place of his confinement._

The succession of the Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne,
under the name of Urban VIII., was hailed by Galileo and his friends as
an event favourable to the promotion of science. Urban had not only been
the personal friend of Galileo and of Prince Cesi, the founder of the
Lyncaean Academy, but had been intimately connected with that able and
liberal association; and it was therefore deemed prudent to secure his
favour and attachment. If Paul III. had, nearly a century before,
patronised Copernicus, and accepted of the dedication of his great work,
it was not unreasonable to expect that, in more enlightened times,
another Pontiff might exhibit the same liberality to science.

The plan of securing to Galileo the patronage of Urban VIII. seems to
have been devised by Prince Cesi. Although Galileo had not been able for
some years to travel, excepting in a litter, yet he was urged by the
Prince to perform a journey to Rome, fo