68 JEROME CARDAN. 



nacular, and that it needs more courage and impudence to 

 deny a falsehood attested by a great number of witnesses, 

 than to sustain a truth against which so many witnesses 

 declare that it is false, a very nice but very just distinc- 

 tion. 



The fifteenth book upon Subtilty discusses miscellaneous 

 curiosities. The sixteenth is upon Sciences, especially 

 geometry and music, and includes an exposition of the 

 signs of the weather. The next book is upon Arts and 

 Mechanical Contrivances, in which book are explained a 

 method of writing in cipher, a method of fortifying a 

 town, and a method of telegraphing and of talking by the 

 use of torches. It contains, also, scientific expositions 

 upon pulleys, wheels, and screws. The next book is upon 

 Marvels ; one of them is rope-dancing. Here occurs the 

 consideration why is it that the eye of a black dog held 

 in a man's hand hinders all dogs in his neighbourhood 

 from barking, and how useful such an eye must be to 

 thieves. Here is a place also for the narration of dreams. 

 The nineteenth book is upon Demons, and their truth; 

 charms are discussed, and one for headache given, which 

 the author has found useful. There is a special inquiry 

 into the Telchinnes, subterranean demons, who vexed 

 treasure-hunters. The next book treats of Angels and 

 Intelligences, giving their names. The twenty-first and 

 last, of the Universe and the Divine Being, who is in- 



