GALILEI 244 GALITZIN great basin, and is undoubtedly of vol- canic origin. Its shores on the E. and N. sides are bare and rocky; on the W. sloping gradually, and luxuriantly cov- ered with vegetation. The surrounding scenery is hardly beautiful, but its asso- ciations are the most sacred in the world. GALILEI, GALILEO (ga-le-la'e), commonly called Galileo (gal-i-le'o), a distinguished Italian physicist; born in Pisa, Italy, Feb. 18, 1564. His father, Vincenzo Galilei, a nobleman of Florence, intended him for the medical profession; but his love of mathematical studies was so decided that he was allowed to pur- sue them. At the age of 24 he was ap- pointed mathematical professor at Pisa. There he was constantly engaged in as- serting the laws of nature against the scholastic philosophy, which raised up GALILEO such a host of enemies against him that in 1592 he was obliged to resign his pro- fessorship. He then went to Padua, where he lectured with unparalleled suc- cess, and students flocked to hear him from all parts of Europe. After remain- ing there 18 years, Cosmo III. invited him back to Pisa, and then to Florence, with the title of principal mathematician and philosopher to the grand-duke. Gali- leo had heard of the invention of the telescope by Janson, and making one for himself. He found that the moon, like the earth, has an uneven surface, and he taught his scholars to measure the height of its mountains by their shadow. His most remarkable discoveries were Jupiter's satellites, Saturn's ring, the Sun's spots, and the starry nature of the Milky Way. The result of his discoveries was his decided conviction of the truth of the Copernican system; though the blind conservatism of the monks charged him with heresy for it, and he was twice pi'osecuted by the Inquisition, first in 1615, and again in 1633. On both occa- sions he was compelled to abjure the sys- tem of Copernicus. In the following year, when he was 70 years old, and his health was declining, a very heavy blow fell on him by the death of his beloved daughter, Maria. Two years later he became blind. His latter years were spent near Flor- ence, devoting himself to the perfecting of his telescope. His greatest work is the "Dialogue on the Copernican and Ptolemaic Systems." Among his others are "Dialogues on Motion," "Sidereus Nuncius," "Treatise on the Sphere, etc." He died in Arcetri, near Florence, Italy, Jan. 8, 1642. His remains were ultimate- ly deposited in the Church of Santa Croce at Florence. GALION, a city of Ohio in Craw- ford CO. It is on the Cleveland, Cin- cinnati, Chicago and St. Louis and the Erie railroads. Its manufacturing indus- tries are of great importance. They in- clude railroad shops, carriage factories, wagon works, lumber mills, manufac- tures of automobile gears, pipes, etc. The city has a public library. Pop. (1910) 7,214; (1920) 7,374. GALITZIN (ga-let'sen), GALLITZIN GALYZIN, or GOLYZIN (go-let'sen), one of the most powerful and distin- guished Russian families, whose mem- bers have been equally prominent in war and diplomacy from the 16th century downward. Vasili, surnamed the Great, born in 1643, was the councillor and favorite of Sophia, the sister of Peter the Great, and regent during his minor- ity. His great aim was to bring Russia into contact with the W. of Europe, and to encourage the arts and sciences in Russia. His design to marry Sophia and plant himself on the Russian throne mis- carried. Sophia was placed by her brother in a convent and Vasili banished (1689) to a spot on the Frozen Ocean, where in 1714 he died. Amalie, Prin- cess GALITZIN (1746-1806), daughter of the Prussian general. Count von Schmet- tau. She was remarkable for her literary culture, her sympathetic relations with scholars and poets, but, above all, for her ardent piety. Having separated from her husband, she took up her residence in Miinster, where she gathered round her a cii'cle of learned companions, including Jacobi, Hemsterhuis, Hamann, and Count Stolberg. Prince DiMiTRi Alexeievitch, a Russian diplomat and statesman; born Dec. 21, 1738; was ambassador to the court of France in 1763, and to The Hague in 1773. He was in correspond- ence with Voltaire and was the author of
