URSUS (Nicholas Ratmarus)

, a very extraordinary person, and distinguished in the science of astronomy, was born at Henstedt in Dithmarsen, in the duchy of Holstein, about the year 1550 He was a swineherd in his youth, and did not begin to read till he was 18 years of age; but then he employed all the hours he could spare from his daily labour, in learning to read and write. He afterwards applied himself to learn the languages; and, having a strong genius, made a rapid progress in Greek and Latin. He quickly learned also the French language, the mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy; and most of them without the assistance of a master.

Having left his native country, he gained a maintenance by teaching; which he did in Denmark in 1584, and on the frontiers of Pomerania and Poland in 1585. It was in this place that he invented a new system of astronomy, very little different from that of Tycho Brahe. This he communicated, in 1586, to the landgrave of Hesse, which gave rise to a terrible dispute between him and Tycho. This celebrated astronomer charged him with being a plagiary: who, as he related, happening to come with his master into his study, saw there, drawn on a piece of paper, the figure of | his system; and afterwards insolently boasted that he himself was the inventor of it. Ursus, upon this accusation, wrote furiously against Tycho, called the honour of his invention in question, ascribing the system to Apollonius Pergæus; and in short abused him in so brutal a manner, that he was going to be prosecuted for it.

Ursus was afterwards invited by the emperor to teach the mathematics in Prague; from which city, to avoid the presence of Tycho, he withdrew silently in 1589, and died soon after.

He made some improvements in trigonometry, and wrote several books, which discover the marks of his hasty studies; his erudition being indigested, and his style incorrect, as is almost always to be observed of persons that are late-learned.

VULPECULA et Anser, the Fox and Goose, in Astronomy, one of the new constellations of the northern hemisphere, made out of the unformed stars by Hevelius, in which he reckons 27 stars; but Flamsteed counts 35.