REJECTED AT MILAN. 79 



rienced from his father 1 /' When Cardan is relating facts, 

 the neglect of his son by the geometrician cannot be kept 

 out of sight; when he expresses feelings, however, a senti- 

 ment of filial affection, and a tender recollection of the 

 old man's latest sympathies, prompt nothing but panegyric 

 of the dead. 



His rejection by the physicians of his own town for the 

 reason assigned, inflicted a fresh hurt upon the sickly 

 spirit of the young philosopher. He entreated also, while 

 in Milan, for some satisfactory adjustment of his claims 

 against the powerful Barbiani family 2 ; but from the Bar- 

 biani he obtained no settlement. He found his mother 

 also sullen ; and having experienced in Milan insult and 

 disappointment, with much bodily and mental toil, he 

 went back to Sacco in a hectic state, half convalescent 

 from a desperate complaint. He had been oppressed at 

 Milan with worldly cares, the sense of which was rapidly 

 supplanted by the expectation of death 3 . Cough, ulcers, 

 and foetid expectorations, caused all who were about him 



1 De Consol. p. 75. 2 De Vita Propr. p. 18. 



3 De Propr. Vit. p. 19. De Consol. p. 76, where he writes "In- 

 terim vero cogita quae curse qua3 tristitise animum meura vexare de- 

 buissent. Hinc paupertas maxima, illinc mater flens orbitatem et 

 suam miseram senectutem, turn memoria contumaciae affinium, inju- 

 riae ut rebar medicorum, minae potentis " (t. e. of Count Barbiani, who 

 no doubt had borrowed money of Fazio) " desperatio salutis, nullus 

 amicus. Quiescens indigebam necessariis, laborare non poteram : men- 

 dicare turpissimum erat." On the same pages will be found authority 

 for the succeeding facts . 



