42 JEROME CARDAN. 



physically bold, but he had from the beginning practised 

 himself in sword exercise, then an art necessary to all 

 men who desired long life, and he had exercised his 

 body well in running and leaping. He could not ride 

 decently, nor swim, and was afraid of fire-arms. Abso- 

 lutely a coward he was not, for in his restlessness it was 

 one of his favourite amusements to face at night the 

 dangers of the street, wandering about, contrary to law, 

 armed, having his face concealed by a black woollen 

 veil 1 . 



Firm in the midst of all his restlessness, determined 

 resolutely to mount upwards, not in worldly circumstance 

 but in the ranks through which only intellect can rise, 

 his spirit ever burning with an inextinguishable desire 

 for an immortal name 2 , Jerome Cardan left Milan to 

 commence his university career. Agostino Lanizario had 

 faith in the young author, and besought his aged father 

 to consult the future prospects of the youth. Clara Mi- 

 cheria added her prayers to the same effect, stimulated 

 by her son's declared intention, for the love of study, to 

 become a monk if he might become a student in no 



1 De Vita Propr. cap. viL p. 32, for the preceding details. 



2 " Hoc umim sat scio, ab ineunte setate me inextinguibili nominis 

 immortalis cupiditate flagrasse." De Libris Propriis. 



" Cupiditas mea gloriae, inter tot et adversa et impedimenta, stolida 

 non tantum stulta. Non tainen unquarn concupivi gloriam aut ho- 

 nores, imo sprevi : cuperem notum esse quod sim, non opto ut sciatur, 

 qualis sim." De Vita Propria, cap. ix. p. 42. 



