Galileo's Daughter

Galileo Galilei had three children, all illegitimate, although the youngest Vincenzio was legitimized when he was thirteen. The daughters, Virginia and Livia, were placed in a convent when they were thirteen and twelve. Although this sounds as though Galileo was a distant and uncaring parent, he loved his children dearly, especially Virginia. The convent was probably the best he could have done for them since they would not have been able to make good marriages. Virginia, who took the name Maria Celeste at her profession of vows, adored her father. Their letters throughout Suor [the word for Sister] Maria Celeste’s life told the story of their deep and abiding love for each other and it was these letters that provided so many details of their lives.

Galileo didn’t have it much better than his impoverished daughters. Through the money he earned from his teaching and tutoring and from stipends that he was awarded, he was able to help out the convent from time to time. However, he suffered greatly from many afflictions that would keep him bedridden for months at a time. He also suffered at the hands of the Inquisition, being accused of teaching and publishing heretical material. Deeply devoted to his Catholic faith, but at the mercy of the enemies who spread rumors and lies, Galileo adhered to the restrictions the Office of the Inquisition put on him. Although he had many friends in Italy and all over Europe who were devoted to him personally and professionally, he spent the last decade or so of his life imprisoned in his house, slowly going blind. As bad as his physical ailments were, it sorrowed his soul more that he was kept separated from his daughter. Eventually, Galileo was proven right in his scientific discoveries and acknowledged as the genius he was. 

Dava Sobel, author of Galileo’s Daughter, also wrote Longitude, another book I very much enjoyed. She has a real gift for making science understandable and for making the story gripping.