LODOVICO FERRARI. 265 



an equation of the fourth degree, by the reduction of the 

 biquadratic into a cubic, Ferrari secured for himself the 

 right of being honourably named in every history of 

 mathematics. 



Honourably named and little more, for he died young, 

 and left no written works behind him. His friend Car- 

 dan, through whom he rose, has left a brief sketch of his 

 life and character 1 . I have already related how, after the 

 introductory omen of a magpie, young Ferrari had been 

 brought by his uncle to Cardan's house as a servant. 

 Some minute detail connected with that event may now 

 be given. A certain Bartholomew Ferrari, a man of 

 humble fortunes, having been exiled from Milan, settled 

 in Bologna, where he had two sons, Vincent and 

 Alexander. Vincent was Lodovico's uncle, Alexander 

 was his father. Alexander being killed, the boy went to 

 his uncle's house, and lived there. Vincent Ferrari had 

 an unmanageable son named Luke, who, flying one day 

 from his father's anger, went to Milan, and by chance 

 hired] himself as famulus into the service of Cardan. 

 After a time he slipped away from his new master, with- 

 out warning given, and went back to his old home. 

 Jerome applied there for him, and his father Vincent 

 took that opportunity of getting Lodovico off his hands. 

 As a substitute for his son Luke he sent his nephew off to 

 be the doctor's servant, and so it happened that on a day 

 1 Opera, Tom. ix. p. 568. I take from it the following details. 



