256 JEROME CARDAN 



bulk it ranks first easily, filling as it does one of the 

 large folios of the edition of 1663. Curiously enough, 

 in addition to a permanent place in the annals of 

 medicine, Cardan anticipated for this forgotten mass 

 of type a general and immediate popularity ; wider 

 than any which his technical works could possibly 

 enjoy, seeing that it dealt with the preservation of 

 health, the greatest mortal blessing, and must on this 

 account be of interest to all men. It will be enough to 

 remark of these commentaries that no portion of 

 Cardan's work yields less information as to the author's 

 life and personality ; to dilate upon them, ever so super- 

 ficially, from a scientific point of view, would be waste 

 of time and paper. Another of his works, which he 

 rated highly, was his treatise on Music. It was begun 

 during his tenure of office at Pavia, circa 1547, and he 

 was still at work upon it two years before his death. 1 

 It is not difficult to realize, even at this interval of time, 

 that this book at the date of its publication must have 

 been welcomed by all musical students as a valuable 

 contribution to the literature of their subject. It is 

 strongly marked by Cardan's particular touch, that 

 formative faculty by which he almost always succeeded 

 in stimulating fresh interest in the reader, and exhibiting 

 fresh aspects of whatever subject he might be treating. 

 This work begins by laying down at length the general 

 rules and principles of the art, and then goes on to treat 

 of ancient music in all its forms ; of music as Cardan 

 knew and enjoyed it ; of the system of counterpoint 

 and composition, and of the construction of musical 

 instruments. 



The Commentary on Ptolemcei de Astrorum Judiciis, 



1 " Musicam, sed hanc anno post VI. scilicet MDLXXIV. correxi 

 et transcribi curavi." De Vita Propria^ ch. xlv. p. 176. 



