FAILURE OF THE FIRST BOOK. 147 



And this was all that had resulted from the book 

 written and printed with so much hope of a happy issue. 

 It was to have led the way to sick-beds, by the proof it 

 would afford that he who wrote it had thought soundly 

 and deeply as a practical physician. It was to have 

 brought to him the first honours of public authorship. 

 "But where I looked for honour," said Cardan, "I 

 reaped nothing but shame 1 ." The book damaged him in 

 every respect, but one. It had satisfied the printer, who 

 derived a profit from its sale. It had been bought to be 

 abused; the printer rejoiced, while the author grieved. 

 Ottaviano Scoto, satisfied with his experience, held his 

 type still at the service of the poor philosopher, and so at 

 any rate one difficulty had been overcome. 



1 De Libris Propriis. Lib. ult. Opera, Tom. i. p. 102. 





L2 



