central idea
that the submission of the human reason to Christian belief, and of
the mind and heart to the authority of the Church, is quite compatible
with original thinking of the highest order, and with that absolute
freedom of investigation into physical science, which has only too
often been said to be quite impossible to churchmen. For this reason
friends have suggested that they should be published together in a
form in which they would be more easy of consultation than when
scattered in different periodicals. It was urged, too, that they would
thus also be more effective for the cause which they uphold. This
friendly suggestion has been yielded to, whether justifiably or not
the reader must decide for himself. There is so great a flood of
books, good, bad, and indifferent, ascribing their existence to the
advice of well-meaning friends, that we poor authors are evidently not
in a position to judge for ourselves of the merit of our works or of
the possible interest they may arouse.

{viii}

I have to thank the editors of the _American Catholic Quarterly
Review_, of the _Ave Maria_, and of _The Ecclesiastical Review_ and
_The Dolphin_, for their kind permission to republish the articles
which appeared originally in their pages. All of them, though
substantially remaining the same, have been revised, modified in a
number of particulars, and added to very considerably in most cases.

The call for a second edition--the third thousand--of this little
book is gratifying. Its sale encouraged the preparation of a Second
Series of CATHOLIC CHURCHMEN IN SCIENCE, and now the continued demand
suggests a Third Series, which will be issued during the year. Some
minor corrections have been made in this edition, but the book is
substantially the same.

{ix}

CONTENTS.

PAGE

PREFACE ix

I. THE SUPPOSED OPPOSITION OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION 3

II. COPERNICUS AND HIS TIMES 15

III. BASIL VALENTINE. FOUNDER OF MODERN CHEMISTRY 45

IV. LINACRE: SCHOLAR, PHYSICIAN, PRIEST 79

V. FATHER KIRCHER, S.J. SCIENTIST, ORIENTALIST, AND COLLECTOR 111

VI. BISHOP STENSEN: ANATOMIST AND FATHER OF GEOLOGY 137

VII. ABBE HAUeY: FATHER OF CRYSTALLOGRAPHY 169

VIII. ABBOT MENDEL: