He dwells, in fervent language, upon the beauty and the
interest of the celestial phenomena. He points out the imperative
necessity of continuous and systematic observation of the heavenly
bodies in order to extend our knowledge. He appeals to the practical
utility of the science, for what civilised nation could exist without
having the means of measuring time? He sets forth how the study of
these beautiful objects "exalts the mind from earthly and trivial
things to heavenly ones;" and then he winds up by assuring them that
"a special use of astronomy is that it enables us to draw conclusions
from the movements in the celestial regions as to human fate."
An interesting event, which occurred in 1572, distracted Tycho's
attention from astronomical matters. He fell in love. The young
girl on whom his affections were set appears to have sprung from
humble origin. Here again his august family friends sought to
dissuade him from a match they thought unsuitable for a nobleman.
But Tycho never gave way in anything. It is suggested that he did
not seek a wife among the highborn dames of his own rank from the
dread that the demands of a fashionable lady would make too great an
inroad on the time that he wished to devote to science.
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