From an early age Galileo Galilei manifested his aptitude for mathematical and mechanical pursuits, but his parents, wishing to turn him aside from studies that promised no substantial return, destined him for the medical profession. But all was in vain, and at an early age the youth had to be left to follow the bent of his native genius, which speedily placed him among the most renowned natural philosophers. Galileo's great achievements are magnified by the fact that, happily combining experiment with calculation, he opposed the prevailing system. This system did not encourage going directly to nature for investigation of her laws and processes, instead it was held that these were best learned from authorities, especially that of Aristotle who was supposed to have spoken the last word upon all such matters. Against such a superstition Galileo resolutely and vehemently set himself. He not only soon discredited many beliefs that had been accepted as indisputable, but aroused a storm of opposition and indignation amongst those whose opinions he discredited. Galileo was a fierce controversialist, who, not content with refuting adversaries, was bent upon confounding them. Moreover, he wielded an exceedingly able pen, and unsparingly ridiculed and exasperated his opponents. Undoubtedly he thus did much to bring upon himself the troubles for which he is now chiefly remembered. Galileo is most widely remembered for his astronomical discoveries. In this connection, his greatest achievement was undoubtedly his virtual invention of the telescope. Hearing early in 1609 that a Dutch optician, named Lippershey, had produced an instrument by which the apparent size of remote objects was magnified, Galileo at once realized the principle by which such a result could alone be attained, and, after a single night devoted to consideration o...
