progrefs, which at his early age he had made in the fcience of
aftronomy and its concomitant ftudies, he was mortified at being
treated with contempt by his relations and acquaintance for
following a fcience which they confidered as degrading, and who
reproached him for not purfuing what they called the more
noble ftudy of the law. Difgufted at their behaviour he fettled
his affairs, and haftened his departure from a country wherein
he met with repeated mortifications, and before a year had elapfed
fet out upon his travels. He proceeded to Wittenberg, and afterwards
to Roftoc, where an accident happened which had nearly
occafioned bis death.
Being invited to a wedding feaft, he had a difpute with a Danifh
nobleman relative to fome fubjed in mathematics; and as they
were both of choleric difpofitions, the difpute ended in a duel.
In the conflict part of Tycho’s nofe was cut off. In order to
remedy this defed, Tycho contrived a fuppofititious nofe made of
gold and filver, which he fattened by means of a glue, fo artfully
formed, it is faid, as to bear the appearance of the real member,
and to deceive many who were not acquainted with his l o f s .
From Rofloc Tycho rontinued his travels, and profecuted his
ftudies in the principal towns of Germany and Italy, and particularly
at Aufburgh, where he formed an acquaintance with the
celebrated Peter Ramus, invented and improved various mathematical
inflruments, fuperintended the building of an obfervatory
at the expence of the burgomafter Paul Hainzell, after a plan
communicated by himfelf, and formed a feries of aflronomical
obfervatiojis
obfervations and difcoveries, which aflonifhed and furpafled all
who had hitherto been confidered as the greatefl proficients in
that fcience.
On his return to Copenhagen, in 1570, he was foondifgufted
with the neceflity of going to court ; and; importuned with innumerable
vifits and interruptions of his ftudies, he removed to
Herritzvold, near Knudftorp, the- feat of his maternal uncle,
Steno Bille, who alone of all his relations encouraged him to
perfevere in his aflronomical labours. Steno configned to his
nephew a commodious: apartment, and a convenient place for the
confirmation of his obfervatory and laboratory.
During his refidence with his uncle, Tycho, befides- his aflronomical
refearches, feems to have followed with no lefs zeal the
fludy of chymiflry, or rather of alchymy, from the chimerical
view of obtaining the philofopher’s flone, that he might amafs
fufficient riches to fettle in fome foreign country, where he
might not be under the neceflity of appearing at court, or having
his ftudies interrupted by receiving and paying vifits.
But neither his philofophy, or the unwearied zeal with which
he profecuted his ftudies, could exempt him from the paflion of
love. Being a great admirer of the fair fex, he conceived a violent
inclination for Chriftina, a beautiful country girl, the
daughter of- a neighbouring peafant, and alienated his family by
marrying a perfon of fuch low extraction. Love is ever ingenious
in devifing excufes. Our philofopher juftified the choice
of