Apparently,
Riccardi had come to the conclusion that he had not given the matter
sufficient attention, when the authority to go to press had been
first and, perhaps, hastily given. Considerable delay in the issue
of the book was the result of these further deliberations. At last,
however, in June, 1632, Galileo's great work, "The Dialogue of the
two Systems," was produced for the instruction of the world, though
the occasion was fraught with ruin to the immortal author.
[PLATE: FACSIMILE SKETCH OF LUNAR SURFACE BY GALILEO.]
The book, on its publication, was received and read with the greatest
avidity. But presently the Master of The Sacred Palace found reason
to regret that he had given his consent to its appearance. He
accordingly issued a peremptory order to sequestrate every copy in
Italy. This sudden change in the Papal attitude towards Galileo
formed the subject of a strong remonstrance addressed to the Roman
authorities by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Pope himself seemed to
have become impressed all at once with the belief that the work
contained matter of an heretical description. The general
interpretation put upon the book seems to have shown the authorities
that they had mistaken its true tendency, notwithstanding the fact
that it had been examined again and again by theologians deputed for
the duty.
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