Thursday, March 1, 2012

star stuff



I received a comment on last week's star stuff post letting me know that the words in the artwork I posted were misquoted. They actually aren't from Galileo, but from a poem by Sarah Williams entitled "The Old Astronomer to His Pupil." It's a beautiful poem, so I thought I would share it today!


Reach me down my Tycho Brahe, I would know him when we meet,
When I share my later science, sitting humbly at his feet;
He may know the law of all things, yet be ignorant of how
We are working to completion, working on from then to now.

Pray remember that I leave you all my theory complete,
Lacking only certain data for your adding, as is meet,
And remember men will scorn it, 'tis original and true,
And the obloquy of newness may fall bitterly on you.

But, my pupil, as my pupil you have learned the worth of scorn,
You have laughed with me at pity, we have joyed to be forlorn,
What for us are all distractions of men's fellowship and smiles;
What for us the Goddess Pleasure with her meretricious smiles!

You may tell that German College that their honor comes too late,
But they must not waste repentance on the grizzly savant's fate.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.


Since the original image attributed the quote to Galileo (and I still can't track down where it came from! ergh!) I decided to just make my own flapper doodle version with credit given to the correct author. It's available in my etsy shop here :)

Also did anyone snag the Carl Sagan shirt on teefury yesterday!? I wanted one but completely forgot to order until the 24 hours were up, darn it!