144 JEROME CARDAN. 



and they are broad-chested. There are some among them 

 of great stature ; urbane and friendly to the stranger, but 

 they are quickly angered, and are in that state to be dreaded. 

 They are strong in war, but they want caution ; greedy 

 enough after food and drink, but therein they do not 

 equal the Germans. They are rather prone than prompt 

 to lust There are great intellects among them witness 

 Duns Scotus and Suiseth 1 , who rank second to none. In 

 dress they are like Italians; for they are glad to boast 

 themselves most nearly allied to them, and therefore study 

 to imitate as much as possible their manner and their 

 clothes. And yet, even in form, they are more like the 

 Germans, the French, and the Spaniards. Certain it is, 

 that all the barbarians of Europe love the Italians more 

 than any race among themselves. We were all nearly 

 killed in Belgium, because I had a youth with me who 

 looked much like a Spaniard. But perhaps these people 

 do not know our wickedness. 



" The English are faithful, liberal, and ambitious. But 

 as for fortitude, the things done by the Highland Scots 

 are the most wonderful. They, when they are led to execu- 

 tion, take a piper with them; and he, who is himself 

 often one of the condemned, plays them up dancing to 

 their death." 



1 Richard Suiseth, an English arithmetician, whose " Calculator," 

 edited by Victor Trinchavello, had been issued at Venice in 1520 by 

 Cardan's first publisher, Ottaviano Scoto. 



