JEROME AS MORALIST. 189 



Cardan's ethical writings. Though he did not soar far 

 above his neighbours in Latinity, he excelled most in the 

 sterling qualities of mind expressed through the usual 

 barbarous medium, and by force of genius even his six- 

 teenth century Latin is not seldom compelled into phrases 

 terse and inimitable in their way. The Books on Conso- 

 lation were intended in the writing to console their author 

 under bitter disappointments during his first struggles 

 with an adverse world. " The work was called at first," 

 he says, " the Book of the Accuser, because it contended 

 against the vain passions and false persuasions of mankind : 

 afterwards its name was changed, and it was divided into 

 three books, inscribed as Consolation, because it appeared 

 that there was a far greater number of unfortunate men 

 needing consolation, than of fortunate in need of blame 1 ." 

 This passage shows the spirit in which Jerome wrote, how 

 far it was removed from bitterness. He treats in succes- 

 sion of those events which are regarded commonly as the 

 great ills of life, offering upon each many such comments 

 as Epictetus would have heartily commended, fortifying 

 his case with apt illustrations and a great many classical 

 examples, adopting sometimes the language of a Christian, 



1 " Fuerat autem ab initio ejus nomen Accusatoris, ut qui vanos 

 hominum affectus, atque falsas argueret persuasiones : at post mutato 

 nomine, et in tres libellos diviso, de Consolatione eum inscripsimus, 

 quod longe magis infaelices consolatione, quani fortunati reprehensione, 

 indigere viderentur." Op. cit. p. 3. 



