142 JEROME CARDAN 



conduct of the Highland Scots, who are wont to take 

 with them, when they are led to execution, one playing 

 upon the pipes, who, as often as not, is condemned like- 

 wise, and thus he leads the train dancing to death." 

 Like as the English were to Italians in other respects, 

 Cardan was struck with the difference between the two 

 nations as soon as the islanders opened their mouths to 

 speak. He could not understand a single word, but 

 stood amazed, deeming them to be Italians who had 

 lost their wits. " The tongue is curved upon the palate; 

 they turn about their words in the mouth, and make a 

 hissing sound with their teeth." He then goes on to 

 say that all the time of his absence his mind was full of 

 thoughts of his own people in Italy, wherefore he sought 

 leave to return at once. 



