among unpublished sources. I believe, however, that certain periods of Tycho Brahe's life in this volume will be found to appear in a light somewhat different from that in which previous writers have seen it. Especially it seems difficult to deny that Tycho's exile was almost entirely due to himself, and that there was no absolute necessity for his leaving Hveen, even though he had lost most of his endowments. As an amusing instance of the manner in which many incidents have been misunderstood by those who consider Tycho a martyr of science, we may mention that the trouble into which the minister of Hveen got with his superiors and with his parishioners (for his unwarranted interference with the Church ritual), has been described as a riot or fight, instigated by a wicked statesman, in which Tycho's shepherd or steward (pastor!) was injured.
I should scarcely have been able to write this book far from great libraries if I had not for many years taken every opportunity of acquiring books or pamphlets bearing in any way on the subject, or of making excerpts from such as could not be purchased. I have, however, been under great obligations to the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, who most kindly allowed me to consult the literary treasures on the star of 1572 in the Crawford Library of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. Hereby I have been enabled to examine even some writings on the new star which were unknown to Tycho Brahe.
That I have adopted the Latin form of the astronomer's name, by which he is universally known, instead of his real baptismal name of Tyge, scarcely requires an apology. It would indeed only be affectation to speak of Schwarzerd or Koppernigk instead of Melanchthon or Copernicus. The portrait of Tycho Brahe in this volume (about which see p. 264) has already appeared in Woodburytype in the
