204 JEROME CARDAN. 



than his grandfather's round shoulders, for there was a 

 hump on his back that amounted to a positive deformity. 

 It has been already said that he was born with the third 

 and fourth toes of the right foot joined together, " a defect," 

 notes Cardan, "of evil augury, which, if I had observed it 

 in time, I should have removed at once by a division of 

 the digits." 



Though this young man was usually moderate in speech, 

 yet he was wonderfully voluble when he became excited, 

 and then poured out such a torrent of words that he 

 seemed to be a madman. That fault helped him to his 

 fate. He was wanting, too, in common sense, and Jerome, 

 fearing that he might fall into mischief through his hot 

 temper and his simplicity, was very desirous that he 

 should be allied in good time to some prudent woman. 

 The father, therefore, had taken much pains to persuade the 

 son into thoughts of marriage, and suggested to him many 

 noble maidens among whom he might make his choice. 

 To all such urging the young doctor answered, that in the 

 first place it was requisite for him to devote his whole 

 time to the perfecting of himself in his profession, and in 

 the second place he wished to know how he could bring 

 a bride to live in his father's house among the young men 

 who were his father's pupils and attendants. When there 

 were no young men to be her house companions it would 

 be time enough for him to bring his wife. Besides, he 



