Facts Which At First Seem

The Grand Duke [of Tuscany] ...after Observing The Medicaean Plants Several Times With Me ... Has Now Invited Me To Attach Myself To Him With The Annual Salary Of One Thousand Florins, And With The Title Of Philosopher And Principal Mathematicial To His Highness; Without The Duties Of Office To Perform, But With The Most Complete Leisure; So That I Can Complete My Treatises.

In My Studies Of Astronomy And Philosophy I Hold This Opinion About The Universe, That The Sun Remains Fixed In The Centre Of The Circle Of Heavenly Bodies, Without Changing Its Place; And The Earth, Turning Upon Itself, Moves Round The Sun.

The Number Of The Fixed Stars Which Observers Have Been Able To See Without Artificial Powers Of Sight Up To This Day Can Be Counted. It Is Therefore Decidedly A Great Feat To Add To Their Number, And To Set Distinctly Before The Eyes Other Stars In Myriads, Which Have Never Been Seen Before, And Which Surpass The Old, Previously Known Stars In Number More Than Ten Times.

Among The Great Men Who Have Philosophized About [the Action Of The Tides], The One Who Surprised Me Most Is Kepler. He Was A Person Of Independent Genius, [but He] Became Interested In The Action Of The Moon On The Water, And In Other Occult Phenomena, And Similar Childishness.

There Are Those Who Reason Well, But They Are Greatly Outnumbered By Those Who Reason Badly.