Tycho had written to Corraduc, Kepler refused to listen to reason, and left Benatky the following day with Jessenius to return to Baron Hoffmann at Prague.[1]
There had evidently for several weeks been some misunderstanding between the two astronomers, as Tycho already, on the 6th March, had written to Hoffmann that as soon as he could find time from other occupations, they would both drive to Prague to discuss with Hoffmann the question as to Kepler's position. It cannot, however, have been Kepler's uncertain prospects alone which brought about the crisis on the 5th April, for it appears that Kepler on the following day wrote a very violent letter to Tycho, of which the latter took no notice beyond sending it to Jessenius.[2] It seems, therefore, probable that Kepler, as we hinted above, felt himself treated too much as an inferior and a mere beginner, while he, conscious of his genius, expected to be regarded as an independent investigator. Tycho, however, always expressed himself most kindly of Kepler in his letters, and it probably never occurred to him that he ought not to place Kepler on the same footing as his assistants. He now, on the 6th April, wrote a short letter to Hoffmann, in which he referred him to Jessenius for information as to the difference between Kepler and himself, and expressed the hope that Hoffmann, with his prudent advice, would endeavour to
- ↑ Among the Kepler MSS. in the Hofbibliothek at Vienna is a declaration written and signed by Kepler on the 5th April 1600, in which he, having been hospitably received by Tycho Brahe, "auch diese gantze zeit vber aller müglicheit nach also tractirt worden, das ich mich hingegen iederzeit, zue aller Vnderthaniger Danckbarkheit schuldig erkhennen" pledges himself to keep secret all observations or inventions which Tycho Brahe had communicated or might communicate to him. (Friis, Tyge Brahe, p. 327). This MS. is not mentioned by Frisch. If the date is correctly given, this document may have been an attempt on Kepler's part to conciliate Tycho, in order that the latter might make some concession as to the scientific work.
- ↑ Kepler's letter is only known from Tycho's letter to Jessenius. Opera, viii. p. 728. In this letter Tycho asks Jessenius to find out whether Kepler had now taken up with Reymers Bär, who had returned to Prague.
