BRAHE, TYCHO, a celebrated astronomer, was born on the 14th December, 1546, at Knudstrop, a small lordship, near Helsingborg, in Schonen, and was descended from a noble Swedish family that had for some time been settled in Denmark. Blessed, or burdened, perhaps, with a large family, his lather, Otto Brahe, was anxious to educate his sons at the least expense, and therefore chose for them the ho nourable and easy profession of a soldier. His son Tycho, however, had the good fortune to be adopted as the heir of his uncle, George Brahe, who, perceiv ing the capacity of his nephew, and his fondness for study, got him instructed in the Latin language, with out the knowledge of his father.
At the age of twelve, after the death of Otto Brahe, his uncle sent Tycho to Copenhagen to com plete his studies, preparatory to his entering upon the profession of the law. After he had spent two years at this university without exhibiting a predilection for any particular branch of knowledge, his passion for astro nomy was excited by one of those accidental circum stances, to which science has so often been indebted for her most able cultivators. The great eclipse of the sun on the 21st of August I360 attracted nix notice, and he was struck with astonishmen., when he perceived that it happened at the precis,: time at which it was predicted. From that moment he de li:mined to understand a science so correct in its principles, and he immediately purchased a copy of the Tubulx Bergenses by Jo. Stadius, from which he acquired some information respecting the planetary motions.
Alter finishing his studies at Copenhagen, he was sent to Leipsie, to acquire a knowledge of the law : but the attractions of astronomy withdrew his atten tion from every other subject, unless when his tutor _urged him, by his remonstrances, to prepare for the profession to which he was destined. The poc ket money allowed him by his uncle was uniformly expended in the purc:tase of astronomical nooks ; and with a little celestial globe, he studied the names of the stars, when sleep had disarmed the igilance of his preceptor.
After remaining three years at Leipsie, he was preparing to make the tour of Germany ; but, in con sequence of his uncle's death, in 1565, he returned, to inherit the fortune which had been bequeathed to him. His relations seem to have seized this oppor tunity of making their last effort to subdue his love of science, and to bend his mind to the level of his protession. They loaded him with reproaches for hav ing neglected his studies : and they treated his astro nomical knowledge as useless, and even degrading, till his situation became so uncomfortable, that he left the country, with the design of travelling through Germany.
At the beginning of his travels, when Tycho had arrived only at Rostoch, an accident occurred, which had nearly terminated his career. At a wedding feast to which he was invited, he quarrelled with a Danish nobleman about some subject in geometry, and being both of impetuous dispositions, the mathematici ans resolved to settle the difference in the field. In this duel Tycho lost a considerable portion of his nose, a loss which he very dexterously supplied with a sub stitote made of gold and silver, and fastened by means of glue, so as to resemble the real member.
During his visits to the principal cities of Germa ny and Italy, Tycho became acquainted with the most illustrious astronomers of the times, and neglected no opportunity of improving in his favourite study. Among these were the Landgrave of Hesse, one of the most accurate observers of his age, who contributed much to the future comfort of Tycho.
During his stay at Augsburgh, he formed an inti mate acquaintance with the celebrated Peter Ramus, and he inspired with a love of astronomy Peter Hain zell, the consul or burgomaster of the city. This public-spirited magistrate built an excellent observa tory at his own expencc, under the direction of Tycho, in which they made many valuable observations be fore Tycho left Augsburgh. Hainzell continued to observe the heavens with great assiduity; and after wards published his observations on the new star which appeared in 1572.