In consequence of an attack upon Tycho's treatise on the comet of 1577, by a countryman of our own, Tycho published a reply in 1591, entitled, Tychonis Brake responsio ad cujusdam peripatetici in Scotia dubiu, sibi de Jiarallaxi cometarum oppo site.
The death of Frederick II. was a severe blow to the fortunes of our author. His son, Christian IV., indeed, before his mind was poisoned by the advice of his wicked ministers, not only continued the pension of Tycho, but repaired tb Urriniburg, in 1592, in the 15th year of his age, to visit the friend of his father, and the greatest astronomer of the age.
During the few days which he spent in the company of Tycho, he examined, with the curiosity natural to youth, all the apparatus of the observatory ; and having shown a particular fondness for a gilt tin globe, con taining a representation of the starry heavens, Tycho presented it to the young king, and received in re turn a gold chain, as a token of his unalterable at tachment. But the favour of princes was on this occasion what it always has been,—a gift during the pleasure of those who surround and flatter them. The envy of Tycho's great reputation, and perhaps a personal feeling, s xcited by the violence of his temper, or the keenness of his satire, instigated the advisers of the young king to forget the hospitality which he received at Uraniburg, and to deprive Tycho of his pension, and of the canonry of Hos child. The minister Walchendorf, a name blackened in the eye of science, will descend to posterity load ed with the execrations of every wise and virtuous man.
Being thus deprived of the means of supporting his establishment in Mien, Tycho quitted that favourite retreat, endeared to science by the importance of his labours, and removed to Copenhagen, where lie wait ed for the earliest opportunity of leaving for ever an ungrateful country." With his wife and children, and instruments, he landed at Rostock, and spent a year at Wansbeck with his friend Henry Rantzau or Ranzovius, who published in 1600 a treatise on astro logy, and who was intimately acquainted with the Emperor Rodolph II. a great amateur of alchemy and astrology. Before our author left Uraniburg, he completed his work, entitled Tychonis Brahe Duni Eldstolarum astronomicorum libri, quorum primus hie illustriss. ct landatiss. Hassix Landigravii, ac ipsius mathematici uterus unague responsa ad singulas, comIdectitur. Uraniburgi cx officina tyllographica authoris 1596; and during his stay with Rantzau, he published his Astronomix in etaurata illechanica. Fol. Wandesburgi 1598 f
The last of these works was dedicated to the em peror Rodolph, as a preparatory step to the personal introduction to that monarch, which Tycho was pro mised by his friend Rantzatf. The wishes of our author, however, were anticipated by a flattering in vitation from the emperor, which Tycho gratefully accepted ; and lie repaired to Prague in 1599, where he met with the most welcome reception. This gene rous patron of merit erected, in the neighbourhood of Prague, a commodious observatory for his friend, and settled upon him an annual pension of 3000 crowns. Tycho now looked forward to better days. He renewed with delight, the labours which he had so unwillingly relinquished, and had the singular fe licity of having for his pupils two such celebrated men as Kepler and Longomontanus. His spirits, however were broken with sufferings and disappoint ment.; and neither the continued kindness of his be nefactor, nor the society of such able pupils, could sooth his agitated mind. The severity of his studies had begun to affect his bodily strength ; and finding himself encircled with new friends in a distant land, the melancnoly remembrance of former attachments, which even the ingratitude of his country could not extinguish, contributed to prey upon his mind. The most trilling occurrences were magnified by his dis eased imagination into prodigies sent front heaven ; and from his sallies of wit and pleasantry, his mind frequently turned to the contemplation of his latter end. A suppression of urine, attended by the most agonising pains, induced a violent fever and a tempo rary delirium, during which lie often exclaimed “.1r*r. frustra ViXiSae videar." These violent paroxysms left hint in a state of extreme debility, but in the lull possession of his mental powers. Ile saw that death was inevitable : Ile composed an extempore copy of verses : He exhorted his pupils to persevere in their labours : Ile conversed with Kepler on some of the profoundest points of astronomy ; and he mingled with these amusements frequent acts of piety and devotion. In such a frame of mind he expired, with out the least symptom of pain, on the 24th of October, in the 55th year of his age. A containing the figure of a knight, in rude sculpture, was erected to his memory in the Tein church at Prague, where his remains were deposited ; and his wife, with two sons and four daughters, were left to lament his loss.