Page:The New Monthly Magazine - Volume 094.djvu/467

Rh kicked them—an affront which their master resented by speaking angrily to him. The Hofmester did not give vent at once to his indignation, but he never forgave Tycho Brahe, and did all he could to poison Christian’s mind against him. The court physicians also hated Tycho, on account of his discoveries in chemistry, which interfered with their pharmacopœia; and so powerful became the cabal against him, that he had to leave Denmark, and to spend the remainder of his days in exile. He died at Prague, in 1601.

It is a curious fact, that Tycho Brahe held thirty-two days in the year as unlucky. He considered that it was unwise to commence a journey on any of these days—that a marriage celebrated on one of them would not turn out well—and that if any one became ill on one of those days, he would not recover. He also believed that if, on first going out, one encountered an old woman, it was a sign of evil! There is not, however, any record of his belief in witchcraft.

Christian Longomontanus, the pupil of Tycho Brahe, also became much distinguished, and published many works on mathematics and astronomy. The Danish drama takes its date from the time of Christian IV., who was partial to theatrical representations—a taste he probably acquired during his visits to England, where he had become acquainted with the works of Shakspeare. Though harsh and unjust towards Tycho Brahe—who, however, was not sufficiently respectful towards his sovereign—Christian was the patron of science and literature, and did much to promote their cultivation in his dominions. He was the founder of the royal library of Copenhagen, which deservedly ranks as one of the best in Europe.

Two centuries ago, the progress of literature everywhere depended more on the patronage of the great than on the voice of the people; and, therefore, as the immediate successors of Christian IV. cared little for literary pursuits or intellectual pleasures, and as the court circle took their tone from the king, there was no encouragement to any class of authors. The intolerance of the clergy at that period, also, helped to keep down the spirit of improvement; so that during the reigns of Frederick III. and Christian V., the only authors who at all deserve to be mentioned were Peter Syv, a clergyman, who published the first Danish grammar that ever existed, and a bishop called Kingo, a poet, whose chief undertakings were a poetical version of the Psalms, and some odes in praise of the naval battles of Christian V.

During the reign of Frederick III., the Danes were much occupied with their internal politics; for it was about the year 1660 that the old constitution was abolished, and, by the will of the people, that Denmark was created an absolute monarchy. Towards the end of the seventeenth century lived Ole or Oleus Roemer, distinguished for his knowledge in astronomy, mathematics, and mechanics; and whose discoveries in regard to the velocity of light are noticed in the "Edinburgh Encyclopædia." He died in 1710.

The beginning of the eighteenth century has been called by the Danes "the age of Holberg." He was a writer of whom they are very proud, and not without good reason, for with him commenced a new era in Danish literature. The celebrated Oehlenschleger said of him, "that he had