dignitaries arrived, young Copernicus was given chalk LITTLE 

 and blackboard and put through his paces. Problems JOURNEYS 

 involving a dozen figures and many fractions were 

 worked out by him with a directness and precision 

 that made him the wonder of that particular part of 

 the world. 



Copernicus invented the science of trigonometry, and 

 we see that early in his twenties he was well on the 

 heels of it, for he had arranged a quadrant to measure 

 the height of standing trees, steeples, buildings or 

 mountains. For rest and recreation he painted pictures. 

 <J A college professor from Bologna traveling through 

 Cracow, met Copernicus, and greatly impressed with 

 his powers, invited him to return with him to Bologna 

 and there give a course of lectures on mathematics. 

 Q Copernicus accepted, and at Bologna met the 

 astronomer, Novarra. Copernicus was then twenty- 

 three years of age, but in intellect he was a man. He 

 had vowed a year before that he would indulge in no 

 trivial conversation about either persons or things, 

 only great and noble themes should interest him or 

 occupy his attention. With ignorant or commonplace 

 people he held no converse. He had remarkable beauty 

 of person and great dignity, and his presence at Bo- 

 logna won for him immediate respect. 

 Men accept other men at the estimate they place upon 

 themselves. 



In listening to lectures by Novarra, he perceived at 

 once how mathematics could be made valuable in cal- 

 culating the movements of the stars. 



15 



