298 JEROME CAEDAN. 



of reason. There are five things," he goes on to say, 

 " that may be taken freely by all except old men ; they 

 are, bread, fish, cheese, wine, and water. Two may be 

 used as medicines, mastix and coriander ; sugar is used 

 in many things. Two things are condiments, saffron 

 and salt, which also is an element. Four things are to 

 be taken moderately ; they are, meat, yolk of egg, raisins, 

 and oil: the last," he adds, " a latent element, answering 

 in properties, when burnt, to the element of the stars !" 



So, considering Cardan as an animal, the day, with its 

 edifications, passed away, and there returned with night 

 the period of sleep and dreams. By dreams, as we have 

 seen already, the philosopher considered himself to be 

 sometimes lifted out of animal existence, and brought 

 into communication with things spiritual. His nights 

 were as eventful as his days. He was beset by portents. 

 He saw one evening a meteor which approached his 

 court-yard, and, bright for a minute or two, was extin- 

 guished suddenly. That, we are told, preceded his ac- 

 quisition of the favour of the Marquis d'Avalos, a profit- 

 able honour that was not of long duration. He dreamt one 

 night 1 a strange dream of Alexander the Great, Hephses- 

 tion, and a lion, that preceded and portended his admis- 

 sion into the Milanese College of Physicians. Alexander 



1 The dreams here quoted are related in the fourth book Syne- 

 siorum Somniorum (ed. Bas. 1562), pp. 252, 267. 



