JEROME CARDAN 153 



illustrious personality. For in a man of learning three 

 properties ought to stand out pre-eminently a spotless 

 and gentle rule of life ; manifold and varied learning ; 

 and consummate talent joined to the shrewdest capacity 

 for forming a judgment. These three points Cardan 

 attained so completely that he seemed to have been 

 made entirely for himself, and at the same time to have 

 been the only mortal made for mankind at large. No 

 one could be more courteous to his inferiors or more 

 ready to discuss the scheme of the universe with any man 

 of mark with whom he might chance to foregather. He 

 was a man of kingly courtesy, of sympathetic loftiness 

 of mind, one fitted for all places, for all occasions, for 

 all men and for all fortunes. In reference to learning 

 itself, I beg you to look around upon the accomplished 

 circle of the learned now living on the earth, in this 

 most fortunate age of ours ; here the combination of 

 individual talent shows us a crowd of illustrious men, 

 but each one of these displays himself as occupied with 

 some special portion of Philosophy. But Cardan, in 

 addition to his profound knowledge of the secrets of 

 God and Nature, was a consummate master of the 

 humaner letters, and was wont to expound the same with 

 such eloquence that those who listened to him would 

 have been justified in affirming that he could have 

 studied nothing else all his life. A great man indeed ! 

 Great if he could lay claim to no other excellence than 

 this ; and forsooth, when we come to consider the 

 quickness of his wit, his fiery energy in everything he 

 undertook, whether of the least or the greatest moment, 

 his laborious diligence and unconquerable steadfastness, 

 I affirm that the man who shall venture to compare 

 himself with Cardan may well be regarded as one 

 lacking in all due modesty. I forsooth feel no hostility 



