238 JEROME CARDAN. 



made by Cardan to the fifth proposition of his science of ar- 

 tillery, which proposition, in modern language, amounted 

 to the assertion that a body could not move at once under 

 the influence of a transmitted force and the force of gravi- 

 tation. Jerome knowing of course nothing of the theory 

 of gravitation, saw the facts, and urged them very properly. 

 Nicolo, like a good disputant, replied: " I answer and say 

 that the reasons and arguments adduced by you for the 

 destruction of my said fifth proposition, are so weak and 

 ill-conditioned, that an infirm woman would be strong 

 enough to beat them to the ground." He then endea- 

 voured in a technical way to reduce Cardan's suggestion 

 to an absurdity, and summed up by addressing to Jerome 

 the retaliatory comment, that " You thinking to make 

 yourself appear a miracle to me with your ridiculous oppo- 

 sitions, have proved yourself, I will not say a great 

 ignoramus, as you said to me, but a man of little judg- 

 ment." 



In reply to the unphilosophical sneer against the study 

 of artillery, Tartalea spoke very worthily, in the following 

 passage, which contains also the next reference to the 

 Marquis d'Avalos, whose precise relation to the matter 

 in dispute ought to be understood distinctly. Of the 

 artillery: "As to that particular, I answer and say, that 

 I take pleasure in new inventions, and in treating and 

 speaking of things about which other men have not 



