ction wherever he went, and on the occasion of a visit to
Hesse-Cassel he spent a few pleasant days with William, Landgrave of
Hesse, who was himself skilled in astronomy.

Frederick II., King of Denmark, having recognised Tycho Brahe's great
merits as an astronomer, and not wishing that his fame should add lustre
to a foreign Court, expressed a desire that he should return to his
native country, and as an inducement offered him a life interest in the
island of Huen, in the Sound, where he undertook to erect and equip an
observatory at his own expense; the King also promised to bestow upon
him a pension, and grant him other emoluments besides.

Tycho gladly accepted this generous offer, and during the construction
of the observatory occupied his time in making a magnificent collection
of instruments and appliances adapted for observational purposes. This
handsome edifice, upon which the King of Denmark expended a sum of
20,000_l._, was called 'Uranienburg' ('The Citadel of the Heavens').
Here Tycho resided for a period of twenty years, during which time he
pursued his astronomical labours with untiring energy and zeal, and made
a large number of observations and calculations of much superior
accuracy to any that existed previously, which were afterwards of great
service to his successors. During his long residence at Huen, Tycho was
visited by many distinguished persons, who were attracted to his island
home by his fame and the magnificence of his observatory. Among them was
James VI. of Scotland, who, whilst journeying to the Court of Denmark
on the occasion of his marriage to a Danish princess, paid Tycho a
visit, and enjoyed his hospitality for a week. The King was delighted
with all that he saw, and on his departure presented Tycho with a
handsome donation, and at his request composed some Latin verses, in
which he eulogised his host and praised his observatory.

The island of Huen is situated about six miles from the coast of
Zealand, and fourteen from Copenhagen. It has a circumference of six
miles, and consists chiefly of an elevated plateau, in the centre of
which Tycho erected his observatory, the site of which is now marked by
two pits and a few mounds of earth--all that remains of Uranienburg. All
went well with Tycho Brahe during the lifetime of his noble patron; but
in 1588 Frederick II. died, and was succeeded by his son, a youth eleven
years of age.

The Danish nobles had long been jealous of Tycho's f