Galileo loses his favourite Daughter--He falls into a state of melancholy and ill health--Is allowed to go to Florence for its recovery in 1638--But is prevented from leaving his House or receiving his Friends--His friend Castelli permitted to visit him in the presence of an Officer of the Inquisition--He composes his celebrated Dialogues on Local Motion--Discovers the Moon's Libration--Loses the sight of one Eye--The other Eye attacked by the same Disease--Is struck Blind--Negociates with the Dutch Government respecting his Method of finding the Longitude--He is allowed free intercourse with his Friends--His Illness and Death in 1642--His Epitaph--His Social, Moral, and Scientific Character, * * * * * LIFE OF TYCHO BRAHE. CHAPTER I. 123 Tycho's Birth, Family, and Education--An Eclipse of the Sun turns his attention to Astronomy--Studies Law at Leipsic--But pursues Astronomy by stealth--His Uncle's Death--He returns to Copenhagen, and resumes his Observations--Revisits Germany--Fights a Duel, and loses his Nose--Visits Augsburg, and meets Hainzel--Who assists him in making a large Quadrant--Revisits Denmark--And is warmly received by the King--He settles at his Uncle's Castle of Herritzvold--His Observatory and Laboratory--Discovers the new Star in Cassiopeia--Account of this remarkable Body--Tycho's Marriage with a Peasant Girl--Which irritates his Friends--His Lectures on Astronomy--He visits the Prince of Hesse--Attends the Coronation of the Emperor Rudolph at Ratisbon--He returns to Denmark, CHAPTER II. 145 Frederick II. patronizes Tycho--And resolves to establish him in Denmark--Grants him the Island of Huen for Life--And Builds the splendid Observatory of Uraniburg--Description of the Island, and of the Observatory--Account of its Astronomical Instruments--Tycho begins his Observations--His Pupils--Tycho is made Canon of Rothschild, and receives a large Pension--His Hospitality to his Visitors--Ingratitude of Wittichius--Tycho sends an Assistant to take the Latitude of Frauenburg and Konigsberg--Is visited by Ulric, Duke of Mecklenburg--Change in Tycho's fortunes, CHAPTER III. 160