242 JEROME CARDAN. 



to stir you up to write again, judging, with out-of-the-way 

 craft, what sort of a man you were from the relation of 

 Messer Zuan Colle, who has been here. I liked him 

 much, and did my best to give him pleasure, so that 

 from his account I learned to think well of you, and even 

 designed to send to you a letter ; but he behaved ungrate- 

 fully, speaking ill of me privately and publicly, and in- 

 viting me improperly with placards and writings, which 

 things not succeeding to his own content (he had to one 

 question three answers one from Euclid, the other from 

 Ptolemy, the other from Geber), he became so confounded 

 that he left in despair, quitting a school of about sixty 

 pupils, for which I was sorry enough. So that if I wrote 

 sharply to you I did it willingly, thinking to cause that 

 to follow which has followed ; that is to say, to have your 

 answer, together with the friendship of a man so singu- 

 larly able in his art as I judge you to be by the things 

 written in your letter. Thus I have committed an offence 

 of which I am not willing to repent. 



Now you must know, that in addition to your letter, I 

 received a placard of the things which you are now about 

 to read publicly in San Zuanne Polo, which bill has 

 given me the highest pleasure; and besides that, you 

 promised me four instruments, two to give to the lord 

 marquis and two for me : and Signer Ottaviano writes to 

 me that he sends four, though I have yet received neither 



