Rooting it out by "science" becomes his obsession. Georgiana, however, by confining herself to her husband's scientific journal falls under the same misplaced love (of which Augustine speaks is the cause of all sin (Duffy 598) -- love that should be placed in God but is placed elsewhere): she begins to worship him beyond reason, simply because he seeks to attain the purity of the Infinite
The focus of Hawthorne's tale, Aylmer, is described as "an eminent proficient in ever branch of natural philosophy." (Hawthorne) In other words, he is a scientist, but in the early 19th century, science was sometimes viewed as being surrounded with an almost mystic aura
After their wedding, Aylmer becomes obsessed with the birthmark, and he finally convinces Georgiana that her birthmark is ugly and unsightly; instead of the charm she believed it was. In this sense, Aylmer abuses the power and credibility he has amassed as a scientist, and Georgiana ultimately, and erroneously, believes that Aylmer has "sway over the spiritual world" (Hawthorne)