departure, containing 399 short rules by which to foretell changes in the weather by the appearance of the sky, the sun, moon, and stars, or by the behaviour of animals.[1] In the absence of the author, the introduction was written in his name by his fellow-student, Longomontanus, at the dictation of Tycho. In this it is stated that King Frederick took a great interest in weather prognostications, and had desired Tycho Brahe, from books and his own experience, to compile a treatise on the subject, but as Tycho had other and more important work to look after, he had requested Flemlöse to do so. It is not said whether the author had collected his materials at Hveen, but most of the rules contained in the book are chiefly such as farmers and similar observers might imagine they had deduced from their experience, and here and there it affords curious reading, at least to a modern student.[2]
Another of the early assistants of Tycho was a German, Paul Wittich, from Breslau, whose name, but for his early death, would probably be much better known in the history of astronomy than it is. He had been recommended by
- ↑ "En Elementisch or Jordisch Astrologia Om Lufftens forendring. . . . Tilsammen dragen aff Peder Jacobsön Flemlös paa Hueen. Prentit paa Vraniborg Aff Hans Gaschitz, Anno 1591," xvi. + 143 pp., 12mo. Reprinted at Copenhagen in 1644 (by Longomontanus), 1745, and 1865. According to Friis, Tyge Brahe, p. 362, a German translation was printed at Hveen in September 1591, of which there is a copy in the library of the Polytechnic Institute at Vienna (see also Kepleri Opera, viii. p. 705, first line). Of the Danish original, only two copies are known to exist, both at Copenhagen.
- ↑ I shall give a few examples:—Flies and fleas announce rain when they are more than usually troublesome to men, horses, and cattle (ccv.). When goats are so very greedy that you can neither by words nor blows drive them away from small shrubs, which they bite off though they are not very hungry, then it is a sure sign of rain or storm (ccix.). When pigs with their snouts are throwing sheaves of corn or bundles of straw round about as if they were mad, you need not doubt that there will soon be rain (ccxxii.). All kinds of unusual fire in the air, appearing like an army or like stars running to and fro or against each other, or falling down to the earth, are forewarnings of comets (ccclx.). [This looks like an unconscious anticipation of modern ideas about the nature of comets.] Earthquakes generally follow after great and long-continuing comets (ccclxiii.).
