260 JEROME CAEDAN. 



assembly seems to have been the maintaining of a sullen 

 watch against the hand of treason. 



There can be no doubt that there was much plotting 

 and contriving directed against Jerome, who since his 

 son's death had been neither a reputable nor an agreeable 

 companion. Gianpietro Albuzio, it should be said, appears 

 to have been not only a most eminent, but a most kindly 

 man, for with him the bereaved father found consolation 

 in pouring out his heart, if we may deduce so much from 

 the fact that Cardan dedicates to him a sorrowful book, 

 and makes him, as a most generous and sympathising 

 friend, speaker with himself in a dialogue upon the topic 

 of his sorrows 1 . Other physicians were of a less noble 

 stamp. One 2 whose son Cardan was refusing to take into 

 his house as pupil with a fee, happened to be a man 

 who boasted of his favour with the Duke of Sessa, and 

 punished the philosopher by labouring to bring him into 

 graver disrepute at court. His standing was already lost 

 there. Jerome, while praising the duke in recent books, 

 had complained that his friendship proved no blessing to 

 him; because, trusting to it in his son's case, he had 

 neglected help that would have served him better. 

 Meeting Cardan in the street, the physician (who is not 

 named) again requested that he would take charge of his 



1 De Morte. 



2 Paralipomenon, Lib. iv. cap. vi. for the succeeding story. 



