POINTS FROM LETTERS GALILEO.

To judge the ease of Galileo fairly, it should be said that his condemnation arose chiefly from the very literal inter- pretation of scripture which from time to time has settled down upon the Church. Galileo's opinions were considered erroneous, because of such passages as the sun runneth about from one end of heaven to another," and " the founda- tions of the earth are so firmly fixed that they cannot be moved," and Joshua's prayer that the sun might stand still. If it was not normally moving, how could it be made to stand still ? There was no allowance for poetry or figure. The punishment was severe, but it was for saying that the scripture was untrue, and all punishments were severe in his day. We are not without this intense conservatism now, in and out of the Church, and perhaps it is well that truth should have a struggle before it comes to its 'own.—J. K. NoYER, Esher.

The Roman Congregations in 1616 and 1633 were wrong, of course, in condemning the heliocentric system which Galileo defended, and so were all the Protestant Reformers long before that time. Luther called Copernicus a madman

for upsetting astronomy and contradicting Scripture, whilst Melanchthon, Calvin, and others denounced the heliocentric system from the very first, nearly one hundred years before the Roman Congregations denounced it. No contemporary Catholic theologian accepted the Roman condemnation of the Copernican system as an infallible decision. Cardinal Bellarmine, who took a conspicuous part in the affair, and was in a position to understand the mind of Pope Pius V., wrote after the decree had been published :—

" I say that if real proof be found that the sun is fixed and does not revolve around the earth, but the earth around the sun, then it will be necessary, very carefully, to proceed to the explanation of the passages. of Scripture which appear to the contrary, and we should rather say that we have misunderstood these than to pro- nounce that to be false which is demonstrated."

As regards Galileo's " punishment," his imprisonment was commuted to one- of retirement in the palace of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and Galileo was later allowed to live at his own villa at. Arcieti, 'where, under a life pension granted him by the Pope, he continued his scientific studies until his death.—W. VANCE PACKMAN, " Hatfield," Sutton Court Road, ChiSwick, W.4.

HEDGEHOG AND CHICKENS.

A few nights ago I was disturbed about eleven o'clock by a loud commotion among my chickens. On going to see what was the matter, I found a hedgehog amongst a brood of month-old chicks. It disappeared quickly when I approached. I shut the chicks in the coop with the hen and went away. Very soon I was again disturbed—and; on going back to the coop, I found the hedgehog inside in the act of killing one of the chickens. Of course I then removed it to a place where it could not get' at them. I have enquired amongst poultry-keepers here and none seen= to have: heard of a hedgehog attacking chickens. It would be interesting to know if any Spectator readers have met with similar cases.—S.

THE WIGTOWN MARTYRS.

In the review of Professor Rait's book The. Making of Scotland, that appeared in your issue of September 14th, your reviewer asks whether it was not 1685 rather than 1684. that the two Wigtown martyrs were judicially drowned'? Surely the .answer is in neither year. The story of the martyrdom of the two women Margaret Wilson and Margaret Lauchtison was blown sky high by Mark Napier in his book History Rescued in re the Wigtown Martyrs. These two women were . not drowned on the banks of - the Solway, but were taken to the Tcilbooth in Edinburgh' and reprieved on the last day of April, 1685, seep 16 of Mark Napier's The Case for the Crown.—GRAHAM BOWER, Studwell Lodge; Droxford, Hants.

A GERMAN COUPLET.

Could one of your readers supply the first line of the couplet, the last three lines of which read as follows :—

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Auf des was unabwendbar droht. Damit Die heut'entbehren lernst. • Was Morgen sicher raubt der Tod."

—Miss H. M. Hurrox, The Farm, Belfast.

HUMANELY KILLED FURS.

WE would like to draw our readers' attention once more to our offer to give a free full-page advertisement to the firm which is first to obtain and retail as such, furs from humanely- killed animals. Readers may do good service by demanding such furs in the shops, and bringing the attention of retailers to our offer.—En. Spectator.

SURPLUS PLANTS. WE wish to thank the readers who have again generously responded to our appeal for surplus plants. They have been put into touch with those already on our lists. We shall be glad to 'hear of any more readers who can either supply such plants from their superfluity, or assist in their distribution in poor districts.—En. Spectator.

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