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cry out, cc Come hither, Peter,” “ Come hither, Chriftian,” and was pleafed to obfervathe aftonifhment of the company, who, not hearing the bells, were furprized at the ap-pearance of. the perfon thus fummoned.

He was equally devoted to the ftudy of chymiftry, and expended as much on theterreftrial aftronomy, as he ftyles it, as on the celeftial. He left, indeed, ito writings onthat fcience, although he intended to publifh a feleftion of his experiments, made withgreat labour and expence ; yet he adds, in the true cant of alchvmy, “ On confidera-tion, and by the advice of the molt illultrious as well as the molt learned men, I deem itimproper to unfold the fecrets of the art to the vulgar, as few people are capable of uiingits mylteriesto advantage, and without detriment.”

His foibles were as prominent as his virtues and capacity. He was of a morofe andunbending difpofition, indulged himfelf in two great freedom of fpeech * ; but whilehe rallied others was not pleafed to be rallied himfelf.

He was greatly addicted to judicial aftrology, and prone to credulity and fuperftitionunbecoming his learning and judgment. If he met an old woman, he would inllantlyreturn home, and confidered an hare as an ill omen. At Uranienburgh he had a fool,by name Sep, who was accuftomed during dinner to fit at his feet, and whom he fed, with his own hand. This man was continually uttering incoherent expreflions, whichTycho noted down, from a perfualion that the mind, in a ftate of emotion, was capableof predicting future events ; and even believed, if any inhabitant of the ifland was takenill, that this idiot could predict his recovery or deceafe. He maintained, that the cabalaand magic, if they did not aCt to the offence of God or man, could lay open many abltrufethings by figures, images, and marks.

But to turn from the unfavourable to the brighter parts of his character, we mayaffent to the truth of the eulogium given by his panegyrift ; to Tycho Brahe his ftudieswere life, meditation delight, fcience riches, virtue nobility, and religion his conftantguide f.

Chap. VIII.— Journey through the JJle of Zealand. — Rojkild. — Cathedral. — Sepulchresand Char ablers of the Danijh Sovereigns , Harald Blaatand.—Sweyn II . — Margaret.—Chrijlian I. — Saxo-Grammaticus.—Royal Sepulchres at Ringfled.—Pajfage acrofs the 'Great Belt.—Ifle ofFunen. — Odenfee.—Tombs and Characters of John and Chrijlian II.—Pajfage acrofs the Little Belt.—Journey through Slefwic and Holjlein.—Canal ofKiel. — Eutin. — Lubec. — Travemunde. —General Remarks on the circular Ranges ofStoties frequent in Sweden and Denmark. —Genealogical Tables of the Kings of Den-mark. '

APRIL 5. Quitting Copenhagen we paffed along an excellent road, through a well-cultivated open country, to Rofkild, formerly the royal refidence and metropolis of Den-mark . It hands at a fmall diftance from Ifefiord, or bay of Ife; and in its flourifhingftate, was of great extent, comprizing within its walls twenty-feven churches, and asmany convents J ; but the prefent circumference is fcarcely half an Englifh mile, and thepopulation only one thoufand fix hundred and twenty fouls; the houfes are of brick,and have a neat appearance.

* Nihil fi&um; nihil fimulatum in ipfo; fed Jcaphum fcapbum appellabat; unde omne quod fuftinui 1odium.'—Or. Fun. 269.

f Ipfi vita ftudia erant; delicias vero meditatio; divitise fcientise ; virtus nobilitas ; religio dire£tio.—Oratio Funebris.

f Holberg, vol. i. p. 618. .

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