TARTAGLIA WARNS CARDAN ASSEVERATES. 257 



" In answer to your letter of the 23rd of April, received 

 the other day, very dear Misser Nicolo, I will reply to 

 you succinctly part by part, and first as to the excuse of 

 your departure without going to Vigevano. I desire 

 nothing but what you desire, and regret that you have 

 been put to so much trouble on my account, without any 

 advantage for yourself. 



" As to my work, just finished, to remove your sus- 

 picion I send you a copy, but I send it unbound, for I 

 would not have it beaten while it was so fresh. As for 

 your rule and my case solved by you, I thank you very 

 particularly, and praise your ingenuity above all with 

 which I have met, and am more pleased than if you had 

 given me a hundred ducats. I hold you as my very 

 dear friend. I have tried the rule and found it universal. 

 As to the doubt you have lest I should print such your 

 inventions, my faith that I have given you with an oath, 

 ought to suffice 1 , because the hastening of my book was 

 nothing to the purpose, for whenever I like I can add to 

 it. But I hold you excused by the importance of the 



1 "... la mia fede che ui ho data con giuramento, ui doueua bas- 

 tare, perche la speditione del mio libro non faceua niente a questo, 

 perche sempre che mi pare gli posso sempre aggiongere, ma lie ho per 

 escuso che la dignita della cosa, non ui lassa fondare sopra quello che 

 ui doueti fondare, cioe sopra la fede d'un gentil'huomo e ui fondati 



sopra una cosa che non ual niente, cioe ma el ponto e qua chel 



non e mazor tradimento. che a esser mancator di fede, e far dispiacere 

 a chi 1'ha fatto appiacere." Op. cit. p. 125. 



VOL. I. 8 



