262 JEROME CARDAN 



futility of lamentation over misfortune past or present, 

 or indeed over any decree of fate. He bids Gian 

 Battista reflect that he is human not a brute, a man not 

 a woman, a Christian not a Moslem or Jew, an Italian 

 not a barbarian, sprung from a worthy city and family, 

 and from a father whose name by itself will prove a 

 title to fame. His only real troubles are a weak body 

 and infirm health one a gift of heredity, the other 

 aggravated by dissolute habits. It may be a vain thing 

 for men to congratulate themselves over their happiness, 

 but it is vainer for them to cry out for solace over past 

 calamity. Contempt of money is foolish, but contempt 

 of God is ten times worse. Cardan concludes this part 

 of his letter by reciting two maxims given him by his 

 father one, to have daily remembrance of God and of 

 His vast bounty, the other, to pursue with the utmost 

 diligence any task taken in hand. 



Cardan then treats the scapegrace to a string of 

 maxims from the De Utilitate, maxims which a model 

 son might have read, but which Gian Battista would 

 certainly put aside unnoticed, and finishes with some 

 serviceable practical counsel : " Keep your mind calm, go 

 early to bed, for ours is a hot-blooded race and predis- 

 posed to suffer from stone. Take nine hours' sleep, rise 

 at six and visit your patients, being careful to use no 

 speech unconnected with the case before you. Avoid 

 heating your body to perspiration ; go forth on horse- 

 back, come back on foot ; and on your return put on 

 warm clothes. Drink little, break your fast on bread, 

 dried fish, and meat, and then give four hours to study, 

 for studies bring pleasure, relief from care, and mental 

 riches ; they are the foundations of renown, and enable a 

 man to do his duty with credit. See your patients 

 again ; and, before you sup, take exercise in the woods 



