254 JEHOME CARDAN. 



was a man of influence even at Pavia, where he had 

 studied under Alciat, and where he founded, early in 

 his after life, a splendid college, called by his own 

 name, of which the edifice was raised from the designs 

 of Pellegrino Pellegrini, at a cost of sixty thousand gold 

 crowns. That college was founded in June. 1564 ; but 

 already, in 1562, he was engaged in a like work at 

 Bologna. There he was the most munificent contributor 

 towards the erection of the university building that at this 

 day ornaments the town. Though the university had 

 prospered under Papal patronage, its accommodation had 

 been very bad ; for that reason, in the year 1562, the 

 building of the present edifice was begun, and as it was 

 begun chiefly through the munificence of Borromeo, the 

 influence of that cardinal's voice in the affairs of the 

 University of Bologna was almost that of a master. To 

 this good friend and patron, therefore, Cardan turned, in 

 the hope of obtaining through his interest a chair at 

 Bologna, for which he could resign that which he held at 

 Pavia. Escaped from among the gossip that surrounded 

 him, and from the stigma that had been attached to his 

 name since Gianbatista's execution, he might hope to find 

 friends, and again meet with due honour out of his own 

 country. 



Borromeo's answer gave him all the necessary hope. 

 Morone, too, was influential at Bologna; therefore, relying 



