The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-02
d LII n T. -.


eldest daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, which
has just been published by Macmillan & Co.,
gives the following interesting sketch of the
Philosopher
Prefxed to this volume is a carefully drawn
up pedigree Of the Bonajuti family, WIN, US
is well known, changed their name to that of
Galileo at the end Of the fourteenth or be-
ginning of the ffteenth century. The object
Of this change is said to have been to per-
petuate the name of member of the family,
Galileo, q son of Tomasso de- Bonajuti, one
of the Twelve Buonomini in 1343. From
Tommaso Bonajut ten generations in this
family record bring us down to its extinction
in two great-great- t-grandchildren of the phi
losopher, who took the vows of religion, the
hast, Cosimo, dying May 1S, 1879. The family
stock, Z, originally noble, produced rlany
scions of eminence. Calico de Bonajuti,
grandson of Tommaso, O celebrated physician,
was sent in 1888, by the Republic of Piom-
bino, to undertake the cure of its ward, the
young Giovanni dAppiano, Lord of Piom-
bino. His full-length efigy in marble is still
TO be seen in the church of Santa Croce,
Florence, in which city he was twice
elected one of the Priori, and in 1445 Con
faloniere, besides filling the office of Lecturer
in Medicine in the University. His nephew,
Giovanni de- Bonajuti de- Galilei, captain of
the Borgo s. Sepolcro, had O grandson, Vim
oenzio, born in 1920, who has been called the
founder of the modern musical drama. He
was the author of works of scientific merit on
mathematics and counterpoint, some of which
have been published, others reposing in MS.
in the. Palatine Library. A passage in his
Dialogue on Ancient and Modern Music,
published in 1851, cited by the compiler
before us, is worthy of note for the principles
which Vincenzio lays down in directing his
sons education. "It appears to me" says
one of the speakers in the Dialogue" 'that
they who in proof of any assertion rely simply
on the weight of authority, without adducing
any argument in support of it, act very alb
supply" In his stipulation for freedom to
question and freely to answer" the father
anticipates sentiments which are clearly laid
down in the famous letter to the Grand
Duchess Christina on the Copernican system,
and in the no less famous Dialogue on the
Too Systens Qf tie POrld. Vincenzio's eldest
son, Calico, was born at Pisa, February Is,
1864. Straitened circumstances, says Cher
ardini, had almost condemned the youth to
become trader in wool, had not his early
talent induced the hope of his rising to higher
pursuits. From his father he learned both
the theory and practice of music; even ex-
ceiling him, it was thought, in charm and
aeicacy of touch upon the organ and lutte.
In these he found solace in the last days
of his life, when blindness was added to the
old mans other sorrows. In the sister art
his talent was equally great. Had he had the
choice he used in later life to tell his friends,
he would have been "A painter. His critical
judgment was invited by masters like Bron-
Zinc, Passignano, and Jacopo da Empoh,
while Cigoli, whom Galileo pronounced to be
the first painter of his time, owned to having
derived from him his knowledge of perspec-
tive. At the Benedctine monastery of Val
lombrosa-as we learn from a letter of Diego
IrAt tlap TNnltt 1nd in
languages, grammar. and logic, but he was
removed Before the end Of his novitiate
owing to an attack of ophthamia. At the
age of seventeen, when already well versed
in Latin and Greek, sn excellent artist, and
an accomplished musician, ne was sent to the
University of Pisa, following the usual
course in philosophy andmedicine, being des-
tined by his father for the latter profession. In
philosophy, we are told, the students spirit
Of contradiction and preference for proof
over authority found him no favor in his
teachers eyes. The study of mathematics
was at that time utterly neglected in Italy,
despite the exertions of Comandino and
Maurolico. Even Vincenzio Galileo discou-
ragged it in his son, as so much waste in the
practical pursuit of medicine. From GER
tain Messer Ostilio Ricci he got lessons in
Euclid by stealth His fathers opposition to
his scientific tastes gave way at length to the
proofs of the youths mathematical and me-
chanical genius. 1t lies beyond our present
scope to follow the development of Galileo's
scientific powers, or to trace the splendid
series of his discoveries in physics. The
chief stages in his public career are
indicated in outline in the brief memoir be.
fore us, but our task lies rather with the phi.
losopher in his home. BY his fathers death
in July, 1891, Calico had become the head
of his family, position of no little burden
and responsibility in italian society at that
time. 1t was for him to see to the setting
out of his brother Michelangelo in life. He
is denounced and even threatened with arrest
by his brother-in-law, Benedetto Landucci
for the balance of dowry due on the marriage
of his sister Virginia. So writes his mother
Madonna Giulia, in o curious letter, May 30
1893, -"Al Motto Magnifco Fidelissimo Sig
more Galileo Galilei milo sempre Osservand
in Padova" Livia, novice sorely agains
her will, and intended for the veil in the con
vent of st. Giuliano, badgers her brother fo
''some stuff to make dress" The cir
plaguing her mother to find her husband
Calico has of course to come down with
dowry befitting one of the Galilei Pompe
Baldi, he hears, August 7, 1900, is a ''goo
sort of man" but has no more than 10
ducats yearly. Trusting for help from hi
brother, Galileo makes up a match with
Pisan gentleman, Taddeo Galetti, promising
1900 ducats, of which 800 were paid down
Of these he had to borrow 600, his Who'll
professional stipend then amounting to n
more than 800 ducats year. Michelangel
meanwhile had got post in the train OF som
Polish nobleman on excellent terms-"hi
table and dress similar to that worn by tn
gentlemen of his household, two servants,
coach and four, and n salary of 200 Hung
olya.