190 JEROME CARDAN. 



help. For you are several and young, ready to destroy ; 

 I am already seized by age, and am alone. I have no 

 property ; you, with a prodigal mind, have no wit. 

 Therefore, it was far more likely that I should have fear 

 on my own account than that I should have hope of 

 redeeming you by my advice. 



' ' Consider too your deed which cannot be undone ; the 

 evil mind that is in those people ; for aged parents, if 

 they were not evil-minded, never could have permitted in 

 their daughter conduct that was of the worst example, in 

 defiance of the laws of God and man, and precepts of the 

 senate. They supposed that my small professional returns, 

 which they took to be greater than they are, would be 

 brought to the rescue ; they had profligately wasted their 

 own goods, what wonder that they gaped after the goods 

 of others ? If they had had anything else in view, they 

 would not have driven you so hurriedly into these nup- 

 tials. It was not to be hoped, therefore, that I could at 

 once transform your fortunes and hers; that would have 

 been the labour of a very wealthy man, as they supposed 

 I was : how I feared that I should fare worse through 

 them than through you, if I received you, do you (who 

 are now, I think, more placably disposed) consider with 

 yourself. A father, without any fixed property, with 

 income from a precarious art, entering upon old age, sur- 

 rounded by the great envy of many, and therefore with 



