vi PREFACE 



the more famous of the contemporary men of mark, 

 with whom Cardan was brought into contact, as with 

 Cardan himself. The translations and analyses of some 

 of Cardan's more popular works which Professor Morley 

 gives are admirable in their way, but the space they 

 occupy in the biography is somewhat excessive. Had 

 sufficient leisure for revision and condensation been 

 allowed, Professor Morley's book would have taken a 

 high place in biographical literature. As it stands it is 

 a noteworthy performance ; and, by reason of its wide 

 and varied stores of information and its excellent index, 

 it must always prove a valuable magazine of memoires 

 pour servir for any future students who may be moved 

 to write afresh concerning the life and work of the great 

 Milanese physician. 



An apology may be needed for the occurrence here 

 and there of passages translated from the De Vita 

 Propria and the De Utilitate ex Adversis capienda, 

 passages which some readers may find too frequent and 

 too lengthy, but contemporary opinion is strongly in 

 favour of letting the subject speak for himself as far as 

 may be possible. The date and place of Cardan's 

 quoted works are given in the first citation therefrom ; 

 those of his writings which have not been available in 

 separate form have been consulted in the collected 

 edition of his works in ten volumes, edited by Spon, and 

 published at Lyons in 1663. 



The author desires to acknowledge with gratitude the 

 valuable assistance in the way of suggestion and emenda- 

 tion which he received from Mr. R. C. Christie during 

 the final revision of the proofs. 



London, October 1898. 



