33 *
and being turned on its axis, Ihewed the rifing and fetting of the fun, together with themotions of the planets and heavenly bodies ; a wonderful contrivance for that age.Tycho, obferving the delight of the young King, prefented this machine to Iiis Majefty,who accepted it, gave him in return a gold chain, and allured him of his unalterable pro-teftion and attachment.
Notvvithfranding, however, thefe affurances, the King’s youth was worked upon bythofe courtiers who were envious of the aflironomer’s merit, or who had been offendedby the violence of his temper, and the feverity of his fajire, and under various pre-tences prevailed on Chriffian to deprive him of his penfion, and the canonry ofRofkild.
Tycho, thus deprived of the means to fupport the great expences of his eftablilhmentat Uranienburgh, quitted with chagrin his favourite refidence, and repaired to his houfeat Copenhagen , where he waited for an opportunity to retire from his native country.Having traniported from Uranienburgh all the inffruments and apparatus which couldbe removed, he departed from Copenhagen with his wife and family, landed at Roftoc,and remained a year at Wanfbeck with his learned friend Henry Rantzau.
Having dedicated a treatife on aftronomy to the Emperor Rhodolph the Second, heaccepted a flattering invitation from that monarch, and repaired to Prague in 1599.The Emperor received him in the lcindeft and mod honourable manner, built for him anojpfervatory and laboratory, fettled on him an ample penfion, and treated him with thehigheff marks of deference and refpeft.
In the fervice of Rhodolph he paffed the remainder of his days, but did not live longto, enjoy his prote&ion. He had enjoyed a good ftate of health till the year previous tohis death, when his conftitution, fomewhat weakened by intenfe application, was ftillfarther lhattered by the chagrin occafioned by his removal from Uranienburgh. Atthat period he began to experience fymptoms of complaints which announced his ap-proaching diffolution, but which he concealed as much as poflible from his friends. Hewas reduced, however, to fo low a ftate, as to be affefted with the moft trifling circum-ftances, which he conffdered as prodigies, and w’ould frequently interrupt his Tallies of witwith fudden reflections on death.
The immediate caufe of his deceafe was a ftrangury, which being attended with themoft excruciating torments, brought on a violent fever, and a temporary delirium; inthe rnidft of which he was heard repeatedly to cry out, “ Ne fruftra vixiflfe videarf.”The delirium at length fubfiding, he became compofed, and recovered his fenfes; butfrom his extreme weaknefs, perceived that he had not many hours to live. Accordinglyhe gave orders with the utmoft coolnefs and refignation, amufed himfelf with compofingan extempore copy of verfes, fung various hymns, offered up prayers and fupplicationsto the Supreme Being, recommended to his family and friends piety and refignation tothe divine will, exhorted his pupils to perfevere in their ftudies, and converfed withKepler on the abftrufe parts of aftronomy. Thus, amidft prayers, exhortations, andliterary converfation, he expired fo peaceably, that he was neither heard nor feenf, byany of thofe who were prelent, to breathe his laft. He died in October 1601, in thefifty-fifth year of his age.
It is remarkable, that this enlightened aftronomer was fo affected with the rage offyftem-making, as to rejefl; the Ample and beautiful fyftem of Copernicus , eftablilhedby the moft incontrovertible proofs, and endeavour to reconcile the abfurdities of the
* That I may not feem to have lived in vain,f Tam tranquille ut nec dtficere nec vifus fit nec auditus.
Oratio Funebris, p. 27.
Ptolemaic