was always hospitably
received. Charles Danzeus, the French ambassador, and a person of great
learning, having heard of Tycho's arrival, invited himself to dine with
him at the house of Pratensis. The conversation soon turned upon the new
star, and Tycho found his companion very sceptical about its existence.
Danzeus was particularly jocular on the subject, and attacked the Danes
for their inattention to so important a science as astronomy. Tycho
received this lecture in good temper, and with the anxious expectation
that a clear sky would enable him to give a practical refutation of the
attack which was made upon his country. The night turned out serene, and
the whole party saw with astonishment the new star under the most
favourable circumstances. Pratensis conceived that it was similar to the
one observed by Hipparchus, and urged Tycho to publish the observations
which he had made upon it. Tycho refused to accede to this request, on
the pretext that his work was not sufficiently perfect; but the true
reason, as he afterwards acknowledged, was, that he considered it would
be a disgrace for a nobleman, either to study such subjects, or to
communicate them to the public. This absurd notion was with some
difficulty overcome, and through the earnest entreaties and assistance
of Pratensis, his work on the new star was published in 1573.

This remarkable body presents to us one of the most interesting
phenomena in astronomy. The date of its first appearance has not been
exactly ascertained. Tycho saw it on the 11th November, but Cornelius
Gemma had seen it on the 9th, Paul Hainzel saw it on the 7th of August
at Augsburg, and Wolfgangus Schulerus observed it at Wittenberg on the
6th. Tycho conjectures that it was first seen on the 5th, and Hieronymus
Munosius asserts that at Valentia, in Spain, it was not seen on the 2d,
when he was shewing that part of the heavens to his pupils. This
singular body continued to be seen during 16 months, and did not
disappear till March 1574. In its appearance it was exactly like a star,
having none of the distinctive marks of a comet. It twinkled strongly,
and grew larger than _Lyra_ or _Sirius_, or any other fixed star. It
seemed to be somewhat larger than _Jupiter_, when he is nearest the
earth, and rivalled _Venus_ in her greatest brightness. In the _first_
month of its appearance it was less than Jupiter; in the _second_ it
equalled him; in the _third_ it surpassed him in splendour; in th