He had also the misfortune to make enemies
in other quarters. Don Giovanni de Medici, who was then the Governor
of the Port of Leghorn, had designed some contrivance by which he
proposed to pump out a dock. But Galileo showed up the absurdity of
this enterprise in such an aggressive manner that Don Giovanni took
mortal offence, nor was he mollified when the truths of Galileo's
criticisms were abundantly verified by the total failure of his
ridiculous invention. In various ways Galileo was made to feel his
position at Pisa so unpleasant that he was at length compelled to
abandon his chair in the University. The active exertions of his
friends, of whom Galileo was so fortunate as to have had throughout
his life an abundant supply, then secured his election to the
Professorship of Mathematics at Padua, whither he went in 1592.
[PLATE: PORTRAIT OF GALILEO.]
It was in this new position that Galileo entered on that marvellous
career of investigation which was destined to revolutionize science.
The zeal with which he discharged his professorial duties was indeed
of the most unremitting character. He speedily drew such crowds to
listen to his discourses on Natural Philosophy that his lecture-room
was filled to overflowing.
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