20 JEROME CARDAN. 



doors were but a parade of folly; that the recovery of 

 health by their weak boy would interest posterity much 

 more than anything that had been done or would be 

 done by the strong army out of doors. For war, that 

 can be noble, was in those days altogether witless, and the 

 pen-work even of the worst dunce among philosophers 

 could scarcely fail to display more sense than the sword- 

 work of the cleverest among the captains. 



