e _Geniturarum
Exempla_, the _Theonoston_, the _Consilia Medica_, the dialogues _Tetim_
and _De Morte_, have necessarily been drawn upon for biographical facts.
The _De Subtilitate_ and the _De Varietate Rerum_; the _Liber Artis
Magnae_, the _Practica Arithmeticae_, have been noticed as the most enduring
portions of his legacy to posterity; wherefore, before saying the final
word as to his literary achievement, it may not be superfluous to give a
brief glance at those of his books which, although of minor importance to
those already cited, engaged considerable attention in the lifetime of the
writer.

The work upon which Cardan founded his chief hope of immortality was his
_Commentary on Hippocrates_. In 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 superficially, 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.[250] 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 _Ptolemaei de Astrorum Judiciis_, the writing of which
beguiled the tedium of