was raised, and called Uraniburg--the castle of
the heavens. It was built on a hill in the centre of the island, and
included gardens, printing shops, laboratory, dwelling-houses, and four
observatories--all furnished with the most splendid instruments that
Tycho could devise, and that could then be constructed. It was decorated
with pictures and sculptures of eminent men, and altogether was a most
gorgeous place. L20,000 no doubt went far in those days, but the
original grant was supplemented by Tycho himself, who is said to have
spent another equal sum out of his own pocket on the place.

[Illustration: QVADRANS MAXIMVS CHALIBEUS QUADRATO INCLUSUS, ET
Horizonti Azimuthali chalybeo insistens.

FIG. 23.--The Quadrant in Uraniburg; or altitude and azimuth
instrument.]

For twenty years this great temple of science was continually worked in
by him, and he soon became the foremost scientific man in Europe.
Philosophers, statesmen, and occasionally kings, came to visit the great
astronomer, and to inspect his curiosities.

[Illustration:

QVADRANS MVRALIS
SIVE TICHONICUS.

FIG. 24.--Tycho's form of transit circle.

The method of utilising the extremely uniform rotation of the earth by
watching the planets and stars as they cross the meridian, and recording
their times of transit; observing also at the same time their meridian
altitudes (see observer _F_), was the invention of Tycho, and
constitutes his greatest achievement. His method is followed to this day
in all observatories.]

[Illustration: FIG. 25.--A modern transit circle, showing essentially
the same parts as in Tycho's instrument, viz. the observer watching the
transit, the clock, the recorder of the observation, and the graduated
circle; the latter to be read by a second observer.]

And very wholesome for some of these great personages must have been the
treatment they met with. For Tycho was no respecter of persons. His
humbly-born wife sat at the head of the table, whoever was there; and he
would snub and contradict a chancellor just as soon as he would a serf.
Whatever form his pride may have taken when a youth, in his maturity it
impelled him to ignore differences of rank not substantially justified,
and he seemed to take a delight in exposing the ignorance of shallow
titled persons, to whom contradiction and exposure were most unusual
experiences.

For sick peasants he would take no end of trouble, and went about
doctoring them for nothing