concerned with man. In the Newtonian world, the earth was a minor planet of a not specially
distinguished star; astronomical distances were so vast that the earth, in comparison, was a mere
pin-point. It seemed unlikely that this immense apparatus was all designed for the good of certain
small creatures on this pin-point. Moreover purpose, which had since Aristotle formed an intimate
part of the conception of science, was now thrust out of scientific procedure. Any one might still
believe that the heavens exist to declare the glory of God, but no one could let this belief intervene
in an astronomical calculation. The world might have a purpose, but purposes could no longer
enter into scientific explanations.
The Copernican theory should have been humbling to human pride, but in fact the contrary effect
was produced, for the triumphs of science revived human pride. The dying ancient world had been
obsessed with a sense of sin, and had bequeathed this as an oppression to the Middle Ages. To be
humble before God was both right and prudent, for God would punish pride. Pestilences, floods,
earthquakes, Turks, Tartars, and comets perplexed the gloomy centuries, and it was felt that only
greater and greater humility would avert these real or threatened calamities. But it became
impossible to remain humble when men were achieving such triumphs:
Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night. God said "Let Newton be," and all was light.
And as for damnation, surely the Creator of so vast a universe had something better to think about
than sending men to hell for minute theological errors. Judas Iscariot might be damned, but not
Newton, though he were an Arian.
There were of course many other reasons for self-satisfaction. The Tartars had been confined to
Asia, and the Turks were ceasing to be a menace. Comets had been humbled by Halley, and as for
earthquakes, though they were still formidable, they were so interesting that men of science could
hardly regret them. Western Europeans were growing rapidly richer, and were becoming lords of
all the world: they had conquered North and South America, they were powerful in Africa and
India, respected in China and feared in Japan. When to all this were added the triumphs of
science, it is no wonder that the men of the seventeenth century felt themselves to be fine