the young king fhewed in obferving thefe phænomena, prefented it to his majefty. The king graciously accepted it, gave him in return a gold chain, and affured him of his unalterable protection and attachment. Notwithstanding however thefe affurances, the king's youth was worked upon by thofe courtiers who were envious of Tycho Brahe's merit, or who had been offended by the violence of his temper, and the feverity of his fatire, and under various pretences prevailed upon Chriftian to deprive him of his penfion, and the canonry of Roskild. Tycho Brahe being thus deprived of the means to fupport the great expences of his establishment 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 quitted Copenhagen, embarked with his wife and family, landed at Roftock, and remained a year at Wanbec with his learned friend Henry Rantzau. Having dedicated a treatise on af tronomy to the emperor Rhodolph the Second, who was extremely addicted to aftronomy, chymistry, and judicial aftrology, he at length received a very flattering invitation from that monarch, which he accepted without hesitation, and repaired to Prague in 1599. The emperor received him in the kindest and most honourable manner, built for him an obfervatory and elaboratory, fettled on him an ample penfion, and treated him with the highest marks of deference and respect. In the service 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 the intenfenefs of his application, was ftill farther shattered by the chagrin occafioned by his removal from Uranienburgh. At that period he began to experience fymptoms of complaints which announced his approaching diffolution, 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 most trifling circumstances, which he confidered as prodigies, and would frequently interrupt his fallies of wit with fudden reflections on death. The immediate caufe of his decease was a ftranguary, which being attended with the most excruciating torments, brought on a violent fever, and a temporary delirium; in the midst of which he was heard repeatedly to cry out, "Ne fruftra vixiffe "videar. His delirium at length fubfiding, he became calm and compofed, and perfectly fenfible. Being extremely debilitated by the violence of his diforder, he perceived that he had not many hours to live. Accordingly he gave orders with the utmost coolness and refignation; even amused himself with compofing an extempore copy of verfes; fung 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 persevere in their studies, and converfed with Kepler on the most abftruse parts of astronomy. Thus, amidst prayers, exhortations, and literary 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 October 1601, in the fifty-fifth of his age. year It is remarkable, that fo fenfible a man, and fo accurate an observer Q * That I may not feem to have lived in vain. as as Tycho Brahe, should be fo infect- himself, with an accuracy unknown to former aftronomers. He likewise discovered the refraction of the air; demonftrated against the prevailing opinion of those times, that the comets were higher than the moon; and from his obfervations on the moon and the other planets, the theories of their motions were afterwards corrected and improved. He was alfo the first aftronomer who composed a table of refractions, and fhewed the ufe to be made of them in aftronomy. Such is the reputation of Tycho Brahe, for his great proficiency in that fcience, that Coftard, in his Hiftory of Aftronomy, has fixed upon his name as marking the be ginning of a new period. ed with the rage of fyftem-making as to reject the fimple and beautiful fyftem of Copernicus, established by the most incontrovertible proofs, and to endeavour to reconcile the abfurdities of the Ptolemaic system. He was, indeed, too well acquainted with the motions of the heavenly bodies, not to be fenfible that the fun was the centre of the fyftem; and though he was ftruck with the fimplicity and harmony of the Pythagorean fyftem, which Copernicus had lately revived, yet out of refpect, it is faid, for feveral paffages in fcripture, he abfurdly endeavoured to reconcile (what were never intended to be reconciled) his learning with his faith: he rejected the diurnal rotation of the earth on its own axis; fuppofed that the earth was quiefcent; that the fun, with all the planets, was carried about the earth in the fpace of a year; and that the planets, by their proper motions, revolved round the fun in their several periods; thus retaining the most abfurd part of the Ptolemaic hypothefis, which makes the whole planetary fyftem revolve round the earth in the space of every twenty four hours. Tycho, indeed, was fo bigotted to his own hypothefis, and fhewed, even in his last moments, fuch an attachment to his own fyftem, as to defire his favourite fcholar, the great Kepler, to follow his fyftem rather than that of Copernicus. If we were to estimate the merits of Tycho Brahe, as an aftronomer, we should compare the science as he left it with the ftate in which he found it. His great merit confifted in his inventions and improvements of mathematical inftruments, and in the diligence and exactness with which he made aftronomical obfervations for a long series of years. And as his inftruments were remarkably good, he compofed a catalogue of 777 fixed ftars, all obferved by He feems to have embraced a large circle of the arts and sciences. He cultivated poetry, and wrote Latin verfes, not without fome degree of claffic elegance. He drew the plan for building the castle of Cronborg, and sketched the defign for the noble maufoleum of Frederic the Second, which was executed in Italy, and is erected in the cathedral of Roskild. He dabbled alfo in phyfic. He was fond of being confulted, and readily gave his advice and medicines gratis to thofe who confulted him. He invented an elixir, which he called an infallible cure for epidemic diforders, of which he has published the recipe in a letter to the emperor Rodolph. He was a good mechanic. He poffeffed feveral automates, and took great delight in fhowing them to the peasants, and was always pleased if they took them for fpirits. He was no lefs fond of being confulted as a fortune-teller, and willingly encouraged an opinion, that his knowledge of the heavenly bodies enabled him to obferve horofcopes, and foretel events. Many traditional fables of his predictions have been handed down to pofterity, which fhew his proneness to judicial af trology, rology, and the weakness of thofe who believed his predictions. In many instances aftrological predictions by alarming, occafion the event which they foretel, and have thus gained a falfe credit from the weak or the unwary. Thus Tycho Brahe's aftrological predictions proved fatal to the emperor Rodolph the Second: for, being informed by Tycho, that a star which prefided at his nativity threatened him with fome finifter defigns to his prejudice, from his relations, he was thrown into fuch a panic, that he did not venture to quit his palace, or appear before any perfon; and, as the conduct of his brother Matthias confirmed the aftrologer's informations, he fell at laft a prey to his grief, and died 18th January 1612, aged fifty-nine years. At Uranienburgh Tycho Brahe had feveral contrivances calculated to deceive and aftonish thofe who came to vifit and confult him. Among others, feveral bells communicating with the rooms in the upper ftory, inhabited by his fcholars, the handles of which were concealed in his own apartments. Frequently, when company was with him, he would pretend to want fomething, and having fecretly pulled the bell, would cry out" Come hi"ther, Peter;" "Come hither, 66 Chriftian," and was pleased to observe the astonishment of the company, who not hearing the bells, were furprized at the appearance of the perfon who was thus fummoned. He was no lefs devoted to the study of chemistry than to aftronomy, and expended as much on the terreftrial aftronomy, as he ftyles it, as on the celestial. He left, indeed, no writings upon that fcience, although it feems to have been his intention to have given to the, public a felection of his experiments, which he had made with fo much labour and expence; yet he adds, in the true cant of alchymy, "On confideration, and by the advice of the most illuftrious as well as the most learned men, he thought it improper to unfold the fecrets of the art to the vulgar, as few people were capable of ufing its myfteries to advantages, and without detriment." His foibles were as prominent as his virtues and capacity. He was of a morofe and unbending difpofition; indulged himself in too great freedom of fpeech *, but while he rallied others, was not pleased to be rallied himself. He was greatly addicted to judicial aftrology, and prone to a credulity and fuperftition below his learning and judgment. If he met an old woman in going out of his house, he would inftantly return home; and confidered an hare as an ill omen. While he lived at Uranienburgh he had a fool, whofe name was Sep, who was accustomed during dinner to fit at his feet, and whom he used to feed with his own hand. This man was continually uttering_incoherent expreffions, which Tycho obferved and noted down, from a perfuafion that the mind, in a ftate of emotion, was capable of predicting future events; and he even believed, if any inhabitant of the ifland was taken ill, that this madman could predict whether he should live or die. He maintained, that the cabala and magic, if they did not act to the offence of God or man, could lay open many abftrufe things, by figures, images, and marks. But to turn from the unfavourable to the brighter parts of his character, we may affent to the truth of the following eulogium given by his pa negyrift; that to him his ftudies were life; meditation his delight; fcience riches; virtue nobility; and religion his conftant direction. Q2 DESCRIPTION * Nihil fictum; nihil fimulatum in ipfo ; fed fcaphum fcapham appellabat, unde omne quod fuftinuit odium.-Or Fun, 269. 1201 DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK. FROM MORSE'S AMERICAN GEOGRAPHY. THIS city ftands on the fouth-weft point of an ifland, at the confluence of the Hudson and Eaft River. The principal part of the city Lies on the eaft fide of the island, although the buildings extend from one river to the other. The length of the city on the East river is about two miles, but falls much fhort of that distance on the banks of the Hudfon. Its breadth, on an average, is nearly three-fourths ofa mile; and its circumference may be four miles. The plan of this city is not perfectly regular, but is laid out with reference to the fituation of the ground. The principal ftreets run nearly parallel with the rivers. These are interfected, hough not at right angles, by ftreets running from river to river. In the width of the streets there is a great diverfity. Water-ftreet and Queen-ftreet,which occupy the banks of East River, are very conveniently fituated for business, but they are low and too narrow; not admitting, in fome places, of walks on the fides for foot paffengers. Broad-street, extending from the Exchange to City-hall, is fufficiently wide. This was originally built on each fide of the creek, which penetrated almoft to the City-hall. This ftreet is low, but pleafant; and that part which did not fuffer by the fire during the war, is generally well built; the other is recovering from its ruins. But the most convenient and agreeable part of the city is Broadway. This ftreet runs upon the height of land between the two rivers, beginning at the fort near the fouth end of the city, and extending to the Hospital, in front of which it opens into an extenfive plain or comThis ftreet is wide, and elevated fo as to command a delightful mon. profpect of the town, and the Hudfon. Wall-ftreet is generally wide and elevated, and the buildings elegant. Hanover-fquare and Dock-street are conveniently fituated for bufine:s, and the houfes well built. William-street is alfo elevated and convenient, and is the principal market for retailing, of dry goods. Many of the other ftreets are pleafant, but most of them are irregular and narrow. The houses are generally built of brick, and the roofs tiled. There are remaining a few houses built after the old Dutch manner, but the English tafte has prevailed almost a century. Upon the fouth-west point of the land stands the fort, which is a square with four bastions; within the walls of which the governors used formerly to refide. Below the fort, near the water, there is a line of fortifications of confiderable extent, defigned to command the entrance into both rivers. But it is questionable, whether any number of cannon would prevent fhips from paffing with a favourable wind and tide; and indeed whether New-York is capable of defence by land against a powerful marine force. The battery, however, in the fummer feason, furnishes the citizens with an agreeable walk, which is open to refreshing breezes. from the bay. The City-hall is a brick building, more ftrong than elegant. It is three ftories in height, with wings at each. end, and fronts Broad-ftreet, which affords an extenfive profpect. The first floor is an open walk, except two fmall apartments for the door-keeper and city-watch. In the fecond story of the eastern wing is the affembly chamber, now occupied by Congress, and adorned with the following paint ings: The portrait of the great Co- tizens. The church in the city is confidered as one church or congregation, though worshipping in different places. The charter, or act of importation was granted by William the Third, in the year 1696, when Benjamin Fletcher, Efq. was governor of the province. The minifters, elders, and deacons are the body corporate, and hold confiderable property. Many years before the war, they found it neceffary, by reafon of the decline of the Dutch lan guage, to have fervice performed in English, and had then two Dutch and two English minifters. Since the war it has been performed chiefly in English, and they have at prefent only two minifters. lumbus, belonging to the affembly of this state; a painting valuable only for its antiquity and the character of the man- The likeneffes of the King and Queen of France, as large as the life, executed in a masterly manner, and prefented to Congrefs by his moft Chriftian Majefty; equally valuable for the richness of the paintings, the dignity of the perfonages whom they reprefent, and as pledges of royal friendship-The likenefs of General Washington, prefented by a gentleman in England; a likeness dear to every American, and deftined to grace the walls of every council-chamber in the New World. The western wing contains a room for the council or fenate, now occupied by the fecretary of Congrefs, and another for the Mayor's court. In the body of the house is a spacious hall for the fupreme judicial court. Large additions are now making to this building for the accommodation of Congrefs, under the direction of the ingenious Mon. Le Enfant. There are three houfes of public worship belonging to the reformed Proteftant Dutch Church; one is called the Old Dutch Church, which was built in the year 1693, and rebuilt in the year 1766; another is called the North Church, which was founded in the year 1767, and dedicated to the fervice of God in the the year 1769. This laft church being ruined by the British during the late war, was repaired in the year 1784, and has fince been ufed with the old church for the performance of divine fervice. The middle church, generally called the New Dutch Church, was built in the year 1729; it is the most fpacious of the three, but was also ruined in the and is not yet fully repaired. war, The people of this denomination were the first fettlers of the state, and make a refpectable part of the ci There are four prefbyterian churches in the city of New-York. The firft was erected in the year 1719, built of ftone, and rebuilt and enlarged in the year 1748-it is eighty feet long, and fixty wide, with a cupola, and bell; and stands in the upper end of Wall-ftreet, the north fide of the street, near the Broadway. The fecond was erected in the year 1767, is a genteel brick building, eighty-three-feet long, and fixty-fivefeet wide, with a fteeple not finifhed; it stands on the east fide of the green, at the head of Beekman and Naffau-street. The congregations worshipping in thefe churches are comected with each other, under the care of the fame minifters, who preach alternately in them, and having the fame elders and deacons; their temporalities alfo are managed by the fame truftees, incorporated under the law of the ftate, paffed in April 1784, capacitating religious focieties of every denomination to incorporate themfelves for the purposes therein men. tioned. The third Prefbyterian Church was erected in the year 1768, is a genteel stone building, fixty-five and an half feet leng, and fifty-five and an |