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332 COXE’S TRAVELS IN DENMARK.
and being turned on its axis, fhewed the rifing and fetting of the fun, together with the
motions of the planets and heavenly bodies ; a wonderful contrivance for that age.
Tycho, obferving the delight of the young King, prefented this machine to His Majelty,
who accepted it, gave him in return a gold chain, and aflured him of his unalterable pro-
tection and attachment.
Notwithftanding, however, thefe aflurances, the King’s youth was worked upon by
thofe courtiers who were envious of the aftronomer’s merit, or who had been offended
by the violence of his temper, and the feverity of his fatire, and under various pre-
tences prevailed on Chriftian to deprive him of his penfion, and the canonry of
Rofkild.
Tycho, thus deprived of the means to fupport the great expences of his eftablifhment
at Uranienburgh, quitted with chagrin his favourite refidence, and repaired to his houfe
at Copenhagen, where he waited for an opportunity to retire from his native country.
Having tranfported from Uranienburgh all the inftruments and apparatus which could
be removed, he departed from Copenhagen with his wife and family, landed at Roftoc,
and remained a year at Wanibeck with his learned friend Henry Rantzau.
Having dedicated a treatife on aftronomy to the Emperor Rhodolph the Second, he
accepted a flattering invitation from that monarch, and repaired to Prague in 1599.
The Emperor received him in the kindeft and moft honourable manner, built for him an
obfervatory and laboratory, fettled on him an ample penfion, and treated him with the
higheft marks of deference and refpect.
in the fervice of Rhodolph he paffed the remainder of his days, but did not live long
to enjoy his protection. He had enjoyed a good ftate of health till the year previous to
his death, when his conftitution, fomewhat weakened by intenfe application, was {till
farther fhattered by the chagrin occafioned by his removal from Uranienburgh. At
that period he began to experience fymptoms of complaints which announced his ap-
proaching diflolution, but which he concealed as much as poffible from his friends. He
was reduced, however, to fo low a ftate, as to be affected with the moft trifling circum-
ftances, which he confidered as prodigies, and would frequently interrupt his fallies of wit
with fudden reflections on death.
The immediate caufe of his deceafe was a ftrangury, which being attended with the
moit excruciating torments, brought on a violent fever, and a temporary delirium; in
the mid{t of which he was heard fepeatedly to cry out, ‘ Ne fruftra vixifle videar }.””
The delirium at length fubfiding, he became compofed, and recovered his fenfes; but
from his extreme weaknelfs, perceived that he had not many hours to live. Accordingly
he gave orders with the utmoft coolnefs and refignation, amufed himfelf with compofing
an extempore copy of verfes, {ung various hymns, offered up prayers and fupplications
to the Supreme Being, recommended to his family and friends piety and refignation to
the divine will, exhorted his pupils to perfevere in their ftudies, and converfed with
Kepler on the abftrufe parts of aftronomy. ‘Thus, amidft prayers, exhortations, and
hterary converfation, he expired fo peaceably, that he was neither heard nor feen}, by
any of thofe who were prefent, to breathe his laft. He died in O&ober 1601, in the
fifty-filth year of his age.
It is remarkable, that this enlightened aftronomer was fo affected with the rage of
fyftem-making, as to reject the fimple and beautiful fy{tem of Copernicus, eftablifhed
by the moft incontrovertible proofs, and endeavour to reconcile the abfurdities of the
* That I may not feem to have lived in vain. ’
+ Tam tranquille ut nec deficere nec vifus fit nec auditus. Oratio Funebris, p. 27.
. Ptolemaic
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