270 JEROME CARDAN. 



lous, and if the wrong consisted rather in making than in 

 breaking it, Tartalea had not the less cause to complain. 

 Sympathy for Tartalea we cannot, indeed feel. The at- 

 tempt to assert exclusive right to the secret possession of 

 apiece of information, which was the next step in the 

 advancement of a liberal science, the refusal to add it, 

 inscribed with his own name, to the common heap, until 

 he had hoarded it, in hope of some day, when he was 

 at leisure, turning it more largely to his own advantage, 

 could be excused in him only by the fact that he was 

 rudely bred and self-taught, that he was not likely to 

 know better. Any member of a liberal profession who 

 is miserly of knowledge, forfeits the respect of his fra- 

 ternity. The promise of secrecy which Cardan had no 

 right to make, Tartalea had no right to demand. In 

 respect to three- fourths of the case it was indeed pecu- 

 liarly absurd; because of the four rules discovered by 

 Tartalea, and communicated to Cardan, he could claim 

 rights of invention over one only, that with which he 

 had turned the tables against Antonio Maria Fior, on 

 the occasion of their contest. The other rule then dis- 

 covered by him had been known not only to Fior, but 

 even to Scipio Ferreo, at least forty years before Cardan 

 published it; and the other two rules discovered by 

 Tartalea in 1530, had then been for some time known 

 to Zuanne da Coi. 



