to conceive them For Instance that that Being should be of it self that that Being should be Almighty and Independent of every thing in its acting even to the Power of producing Beings out of Nothing There are others that seem to her inconsistent in the same Subject For instance she conceives Liberty and Immutability Immensity and Indivisibility the Properties of Bodies and of Spirits as so many Perfections She sees that the Perfections which agree to several Beings separately must all be united in that absolutely perfect Being Conceiving therefore a Being absolutely perfect the represents it at once as a free Being and an Immutable as one that can desire and be averse to the same thing though its Will be always Unchangeable that is Omnipresent without being extended or divisible that is a pure Spirit and at the same time includes all the Perfections of Bodies possible to be produc'd Nay I dare presume to say that this Idea thus analyz'd in respect of a Mind that never made any Reflection on the Reasons that conclude the Existence of a necessary Being discovering so many Contradictions in that necessary Being would as soon represent it as an Imaginary Being as a real one and that not supposing those usual Reasons that prove to us a first cause of all Beings and the Reflections that follow them we should as easily regard that Being as impossible as possible From whence I at least conclude that the Idea of a Being absolutely perfect cannot be look'd on as an Idea undoubtedly real by him that examins it before his Acquaintance with the ordinary Demonstrations Consequently that he that examins it cannot absolutely attribute Existence to that Being and which is the same thing cannot demonstrate to himself the Existence of a God from the Idea of a Being infinitely perfect The defect therefore of Descartes's Paralogism consists in this that he supposes before any Demonstrations the Idea of a Being absolutely perfect to be taken by the Mind for real and as having a real Object which is palpably false All this discovers the Original of the Scruples all the World have had as to that Demonstrations and which those themselves have not been clear of whom the difficulty of resolving so subtil a Paralogism hath drawn over to Descartes's Party who doubtless had they been honest and sincere must have confess'd they still felt some disquiet in their Mind on that Particular and that it was by meer Violence they had at last accustom'd their Understanding to tell them that Demonstration was evident This was the Fault which some felt rather than saw that made them deny Existence to be inclos'd in the Idea of a Being infinitely perfect For absolutely speaking although it is compriz'd in the Catalogue of Perfections appropriate to that Being yet the Mind to which the Idea was not manifestly real took it not in and excluded it in making that very Problem Does a Being absolutely perfect Exist Until the Arguments independent of that Idea had resolv'd the Problem and convinc'd it that such a Being did Exist And let not Descartes say that that Idea including nothing but Perfections it is evident it includes nothing but what is Real for a Chimerous Idea may be compos'd of only Real Ideas here then is one exactly like that we are in dispute of A Triangle that hath all the Perfections of Triangles That Idea though it includes nothing besides real Perfections is notwithstanding a Chimera since for Instance a rectangled Triangle has opposite Properties to those of an Equilateral and that Opposition is the reason they are inconsistent with one another So though all the Perfections of Beings are real it does not follow that that Idea A Being that hath all the Perfections of Beings should be a real Idea and the Opposition I observe betwixt some of those Perfections naturally influences my Mind unless prevented by the ordinary Demonstrations to doubt at least whether that Idea is not a Chimera as well as the other I have been speaking of From hence it is that in pursuance to the Demonstrations that convince me of the Existence of that Being but that give me no clear and distinct Knowledg of its Essence I confine my self to say That Being must contain the Perfections of all other Beings eminently that is to say in a way I don't conceive and which would never have come into my Head or at least would never have been look'd on by me as certainly and evidently possible unless I had been convinc'd of the Existence of the first Being before the discussion of its Essence That Solution of Descartes's first Paralogism made way to the discovery of that other Default of his where he concludes the Existence of God from the objective reality of the Idea as he speaks which we have of God That Idea says he which I find in my Mind has an infinite objective reality since it represents to me an infinite Being Therefore it has that infinite Being for its cause therefore an infinite Being exists For otherwise the Effect would have perfections that were not in its cause Those who have undertook that arguing give us to understand they have found it to be a greater Paralogism than the former and bring many Reasons for it which M. Descartes refutes as well as he is able For my own Part my Opinion is That M. Descartes supposes in that Reasoning what lay on him to be proved For he not only supposes that that Idea has an objective reality but farther that I can be ascertained independently of the common Demonstrations that it effectively has an objective Reality or that it has a Real and not an imaginary Object But I am incapable of knowing whether its Object be real or imaginary before the Demonstrations as I have already proved And if I can doubt whether that Object is not a Chimera I cannot suppose it has an Objective Reality but ought to fear it has an Objective Vanity if I may be allowed so to speak and in that Case I can by no means conclude That God has impressed it on my Mind and consequently that there is a God But I ought to think That probably it proceeds from nothing as Descartes expresses himself That is from an Imperfection of Mind that hath produced it as it could produce this same a Mountain without a Valley Hence it is clear and manifest that those two pretended Demonstrations are meer Paralogisms and that both are maimed and lame in the same part and defective on the same account Besides M. Descartes can never demonstrate to me the Truth of the Proposition on which all his reasoning depends viz. That the Cause of an Idea ought to contain formally or eminently all the Perfections which the Idea represents for when 't is said The Cause contains all the Perfections of the effect that is not meant nor is it evidently true but of such Perfections as the effect possesses and not of those it only represents for the Perfections
was not fully Satisfy'd She was unacquainted with the way and means that led her into this Condition And she consider'd it was an hazardous Exploit and that being once united to her Body she might never for ought she knew be disjoyn'd again till Death should cause a final Separation She apply'd her self therefore seriously to consider the Nature of her Body and the disposition of all its Organs She found that the Nerves imploy'd in Sentation and those that serve for Natural functions as the beating of the Heart the circulation of the Blood c. were of a Nature quite distinct She saw that these were vehemently distended and she concluded it might be for the better communicating the Animal Spirits to the Muscles with which the Nerves are united and capacitating them to maintain and continue those natural Motions the Soul is not aware of when united with the Body and that on the contrary the Nerves made use of in Sensation and by whose Means the Soul received the Impression of Objects were almost all unbraced and lax which might prevent the Motion caused by the Impulse of Objects from being continued unto the Seat of the Soul The Difficulty was to find the true Cause why one should be taxed without the other and how she might bring it about to distend those that formerly were laxed Mean while the Snush-Box which I mention'd his Body held in its left-Hand made M. Descartes call to mind That before his Extasie he had taken Tabaccco-Snush and he could not tell but so extraordinary an Effect might have been produced by the Vertue of that Tobacco That which he took of was an unusual kind which a Merchant of Amsterdam had brought over from an Island near China and presented him It was extreamly strong and M. Descartes to mollifie it had mix'd a certain Herb in it dryed to Powder whose Name he never would acquaint me with nor the Place where it grew though he presented me with a great Quantity of the same He laid a sufficient Dose upon the Back-Side of his Hand and gave it his Body to take and at the same Time happen'd this prodigious Effect in his Brain for all the Vapours raised there since his last taking were dislodged and dissipated in an instant He observed it was only the Particles of the Tobacco that scattered the Fâ—mes of the Brain and that those of the Herb which he had tempered with it being not so fine and having very little Motion fastned themselves in the Nerves that cause Sensation and and made them looser than they were before Seeing that Effect he no longer doubted but concluded it to be the Herb which he mix'd with the Tobacco that caus'd his Trance and took away his Senses and that the Tobacco at the same Time unhar bouring all the Fumes that might benight the Brain left the Soul with the entire Liberty of knowing and reflecting on it's self as she had then experienc'd After which he thought that Hungary Water was sufficient to brace the Nerves afresh that serve for Sensation since it is often used to recal those Persons that swoon away The Soul takes the Bottle I not long since mentioned and brings it in the Air from the far Side of the Chamber to his Body and therein consists exactly the Magick of which I then suspected M. Descartes guilty and moistens his Nostrils with it The subtile Vapour of that Liquor effected what he aimed at presently the laxed Nerves erect themselves and the Soul streight seats it self in the Pineal Gland and finds itself consederate with the Body as before It was in that instant I perceived Descartes to come to himself I told you he lock'd himself forthwith in another Room it was to make a second Experiment of his Tobacco and his Herb which succeeded to his Hearts Desire Since when it was a Business of nothing for his Soul to leave the Body and since his imparting to me the Secret his Soul and mine have made an hundred Expeditions together to instruct our selves of the greatest Curiosities in Nature As those that read the Works of M. Descartes are unacquainted with all that I have been relating they with just Cause are amazed at a thing which you will not startle at for the future I mean the Particulars he descends to in his Physicks concerning the Properties of his three Elements at how great soever remove from Sense they lie concerning their Figure their Motion their Rank and File in the Composition of his World and all particular Bodies concerning the Disposition of his Vortexes in which he proceeds so far as to observe the different size of the Balls of the second Element Part. 3. Princip of which they consist in their respective Places how those that come nearest the Centre of the Water are the least of all those that are a little removed are somewhat bigger increasing still in Bigness unto a determinate Distance after which they all are equal Concerning the Formation of their Parts chamfer'd in Fashion of a Skrew with which he explains the Nature and the different Phenomena's of the Load-Stone in a way so fine and easie Phoenomena's that till then had puzled and confounded all the Philosophers even those that had so ready a Method of explaining all things by the Assistance of their occult Qualities All this he saw intuitively and of himself and for me that speak to you is it possible to think That at the Age of seventy seven and being of so weak a Constitution as I am I say is it possible for you to think I should have lived to this and preserved my Health and Vigour as I do unless I had had a perfect Knowledge of the Machine of my Body Unless I had still filled and made-up the Breaches whereat Life leaks and runs out continually I mean not in applying the Remedies that Medicine prescribes whose conjectures are so very uncertain and from the Use of which Monsieur Descartes has so frequently dissuaded the Princess Elizabeth Lett. de Descartes But in the Practice of that Critical Knowledge my Soul has of my Body of which she perfectly is and can be instructed as often as she pleases by putting herself in the Capacity I have now been-speaking of I must acknowledg Sir replyed I then it is a most admirable Secret and of Infinite Use I am impatient till I learn it of you and as soon as I know it I am persuaded I shall improve it to as great a Benefit as Adam would have done the Tree of Life in Paradise if he had continued there And I doubt not but if Origen had known it he that looks upon the History of Scripture as Allegory he would have believed the Tree of Life to be nothing but this Mystery which God had communicated unto Adam But that which you was speaking of your Health creates one Scruple in me How Monsieur Descartes having to the Advantage of this fine Knowledg came to dye at the
Poets speak That enterview as much a Spirit as I was fill'd me full of Horror so hideously frightful it appear'd It is notwithstanding here said the Spirit of M. Descartes that I will fix nor will I quit this Place till the Providence of God shall dispose of me for Eternity he brought me into the World to reform and re-establish the Philosophy of it I had with good success began the Business I was sent upon but one unlucky Accident not in my Power to foresee prevented me from prosecuting my Design That shall not hinder me from using the Knowledg he hath given me to the best Advantage I presume to accomplish here the System of my World of which you have seen the Draught Matter here is plenty and to spare and only Motion 's wanting and I have all encouragement to hope That God who of his Goodness uses to condescend in Quality of an Universal Cause to the Thoughts and Inclinations of his Creatures conformably to their Nature will not be wanting to me Being a separate Spirit I can lay Claim to greater Motions far than those that set the Wheels of all the World below a going I shall no sooner desire the Moving of this Matter but God pursuant to the Laws of his Providence will create so much Motion as I have a Mind to There will be need of nothing more than the Determination of that Motion and the Distribution of it according to the particular Necessities of every part of Matter That determination as I have heretofore explained depends on Second Causes which Province will entirely belong to me I know very well the Rules the Consequences I have drawn from those Rules will infallibly compass my Design In short I find my self in a Capacity according to my Principles to warrant the Success of my Enterprise since notwithstanding the Machine I undertake is of an unweildy Bigness for I design to make it as capacious as our World and must be composed of an infinite different Parts since the Engines that must be plaid are innumerable since the Combinations and the different Determinations of Motions must be infinite it will not be the Work of one Day nor one Year half an Age is not too much for an Human Spirit for projecting such a Grand Design But I am persuaded my Principles supposed it will be sufficient I shall take no Satisfaction in Visitants that shall come and interrupt me during that Space of Time I will now begin to enjoy the Pleasures of Solitude which I could never find on Earth and I intreat you to manifest my Intentions thereupon to all my Friends below whom you think it convenient to acquaint with my Circumstances without telling them precisely where I am for once more I say I would not have them know exactly what 's become of me nor what I am a doing The Men there and especially the Philosophers deserve not to be admitted to the Knowledge of these great Mysteries they 'd ridicule as fabulous what ever you should say concerning me as they did for the most part entertain as Whim and Chimera all that I revealed of my Project touching the Construction of a World As for you my dear Friend I would that you return to your Body which now you have left almost two Days too long fasting may inflame it and introduce a Fever Above all take Care you never finally abdicate it upon your own Authority which some of my Disciples have been guilty of and so many Ancient Philosophers that we met in diverse Places for that is contrary to the Decree of Providence Enquire in your Way for the Spirit of Father Mersennus and send him hither I 'll take him to me for an Assistant and to keep me company Having receiv'd the last Orders of this dear Spirit and obtain'd Permission to give him a Visit once at least in three or four Years Time having considered the great Violence I should suffer in being so long distracted from him and the Danger likewise I was in of being so for ever in case I should dye during that great Term of Years he had destined to the compleating of his World we spiritually imbrac'd each other and I stood forwith for Paris I cut it through a vast number of Vortexes and Planets without discovering Father Mersennus but at last I found him out in Mercury in which he very much delighted because that is a very jolly Planet I intimated to him the Orders I had for him from M. Descartes which he imbraced with Joy having been all-a-long his faithful Correspondent and especially at Paris Being I was in haste for my Departure we had not much Discourse together so we parted he bent his Course towards the third Heaven my Spirit took the Way that led to my own Home where she reunited with my Body Since that Time I have paid M. Descartes 〈◊〉 or seven Visits the last was about two Months ago He assured me then He had dispatched almost all his Combinations and that all was as good as demonstrated And unless the most evident Principles of Geometry Mechanicks and Staticks were false he was confident of the Performance He promised to give me notice about this Time to come and see him to the end we might take a Review together and examine his Design and may be forthwith fall to work in the Production of his World that is to say to afford me the most Noble Diversion of which an human Soul is capable I daily expect a Message to depart and it will be your own Fault only added he if you are not a Sharer in this Voyage and gain a greater Stock of Knowledg in one Day than the most reputed Cartesians have in all their Life This is the Sum of all I had to say Scarce had he made an End of speaking but a Country Gentleman of no mean Rank of a good and genteel Presence though I disliked the impertinence of his Visit at that instant entred his Chamber in a Country Habit saying his Coach stood ready at the Gate and that it was Time to go It was a Design they had agreed on to take the Air for a Fortnight which obliged me to take my Leave of them and retire I knew not what to think of this Relation I never took him for an Enthusiast that had given it me And surely thought I this Story is too well pursued to be a Dream I then conceived it might be some mysterious Allegory containing all the Secrets of the Sect of which he would give me afterwards the Explication I applyed my self however to the reading of my fine Descartes and I compassed him during the Fortnight though it cost me many a Head-ake occasioned by the too great Intention of Thought But I understood in the Consequence That all he had said was far from Allegory and that he ought to be taken in a Literal Sense at the end of his Epistle My old Friend being returned from the Country sent me a
a little tempted to turn Cartesian without troubling my self to dispute the Globules with him of the Second Element or offering such other Doubts and Scruples as then came into my Mind with entire Submission I complemented upon all the rest both these Companions of my Voyage that is to say upon the subtle Matter and on that branchy Matter which I termed in their Language without more ado the Matter of the First and Third-Element I much applauded their Explication of Fluidity and commended it for its Neatness and Simplicity but a little Adventure turned the Discourse and had like to have spoiled the Fruit of all my former Complasance There was on the top of the Tower on which we lighted a kind of a Twirl that was in the Nature of a Weather-Cock about seven Inches Diameter its Substance was of Plate of Steel very thin and light its Sails were exactly equal and the Pin on which it turn'd smooth and polish'd So that the gentlest Gale of Wind set it a going and at the same time turn'd about a bent Iron Rod for the observing the point of the Wind whose end made the Axis to the Twirl It fortun'd that a Soldier of a Suitz Regiment that quartered in the Town discharg'd his Musket in the Air It was loaded with two Bullets one of which as it flew but just glanc'd upon the end of one of the Flyers of the Twirl And yet impress'd so considerable a Motion as lasted a long time The Bullet continu'd its Motion almost in a right Line and went very near as far and as swift as the other Bullet that never touch'd upon the Weather-cock I had good Reason to take notice of that last Circumstance Father Mersennus slipt not that occasion to demonstrate to me another of M. Descartes's Principles You see said he these Flyers if that Ball had not slanted upon one of them in passing seeing there is not any breeze of Wind do you think they would have left that quiet Posture they were in and turn'd themselves about No certainly I reply'd The posture they were in a Moment since could never have been chang'd for that they are in at present but by the assistance of some External Cause that has made that alteration But now added he that they are in a directly contrary State do you believe they could quit the same without the determination of some other Cause that should destroy their Motion as the Bullet did their Rest Father said I that Question seems more difficult than the other to resolve I have heard it always held as an unquestionable Axiom That every Body whilst it is in Motion tends to its Repose as to its end We 'll grant you reply'd he that Philosophick Banterage every Body whilst in Motion has a tendency to rest as to its end A Body is endu'd with Reason and a Will first to have an end and then to make unto it But if that Proposition is capable of receiving any tolerable meaning it says no more than this That in the situation and disposition Bodies have among themselves in the World sensible Bodies that are mov'd do truly lose their Motion by Degrees upon the opposition they receive from other Bodies to which it is communicated and at length they rest For if nothing did destroy that State of Motion it would last for ever by the same Rule that if nothing did disturb the rest of a Body it would always remain immoveable And this it is of which I had a desire to convince you by the Example of this little Wind-mill Fortune has presented us Supposing this Gimcrack had turn'd in the midst of Water as it does in the midst of Air it is a plain Case it 's Motion would quickly have been destroy'd by the great Resistance the Water would have made If two of its Sails had been longer larger and heavier than the other two the Motion had ceas'd sooner yet Because that inequality would have been another Cause of a more forcible Resistance Again if you add to this that the Pin on which it turns had been thicker as also rusty and unpolish'd the Motion had been lost still sooner for the same Reason But because it stands in Air and in Air that 's very fine because it Sails are exactly pois'd and its Axis slender smooth and polish'd the Resistance that it finds is less and the Motion so much greater and longer it will last Whence we may thus conclude Much Resistance destroys much Motion a less Resistance destroys less and a lesser yet destroys a lesser Motion still and so on Hence if there was no Resistance at all the Motion would not flag but continue always hence as a Body would maintain its Rest unless an external Cause disturbed it in the Possession of that State so a Body would continue its Motion as long as it should meet no Molestation in it So then the great Principle of M. Descartes is establish'd That a Body of its own Nature stays always in the Capacity it is plac'd if it is at rest 't wil always rest if it is of a Triangular Figure it will be of a Triangular Figure always if it is in Motion it will for ever be so But for the rest this Principle is not peculiar to Descartes Galileus before him Gassendus Hobbes Maignan c. suppose it true And I remember likewise That in making my Collections for my Commentaries upon Genesis where I have introduced an infinite Number of Philological Philosophical and Astronomical Dissertations I have remarked more than one Place in Aristotle where he either teaches of supposes the same Doctrin and Vasques one of the subtlest of the School Philosophers has proved it at large as to the concern of Motion It may however be said that no one ever carried it to that Pitch and used it so dextrously and with that Advantage as Descartes and thence it was that particular Difference and Honour was paid him rather than to others upon that respect I am much of your Opinion I returned That General Principle is without Controversie one of those the Mind of Man admits without offering Violence to itself and the Difficulty that is found in applying it to Bodies considered in Motion proceeds only from that false Idea so commonly received of what we call Modes in Philosophy and from our conceiting Motion as a positive being and Rest as its Privation though neither Motion is a Being nor Rest the Privation of a Being but one and the other are different and contrary States of which a Body Natural is capable But Reverend Father this Whirl-gig here has raised a Scruple in me of which I 'd fain discharge my Conscience iâ— is grounded on another Principle of Descartes concerning which you may call to mind if you please that the Ball that touch'd the Sail seeing it but glanced upon it lost nothing or next to nothing of its Motion that it had so far preserved and we saw it arrive to its
That God could change the Essences of things That the 〈◊〉 we call necessary are only True because 〈◊〉 will have them so And if God had willed it as he might have willed it if he pleas'd that Two and Three should not make Five that Proposition Two and Three are Five at this Day would be false When Descartes advances that Paradox he would fain be believed to own a vast Respect for and most humble Submission to the Omnipotency of God and is angry with the other Philosopherâ— and impleads them of almost Blasphemy for presuming to say God was not able to cause that Two and Three should not make Five Yet if you track Descartes a little you 'll quickly find That 't is not altogether for his Devotion-sake he maintains that Thesis but because that absurd Tenâ—t was the evident Result of some other Points of his Doctrin To have admitted of a Proposition so harsh as that upon Constraint and as a Conclusion drawn naturally from a Principle of his laying would not have made much for his Honour and would besides have discouraged others That made him think it his best way to be before-hand with them to make the Out-cry first and to wonder how the Philosophers could be so rash and inconsiderate as to prescribe Boundaries to the Almightiness of God I shall not at present meddle with the Absurdity of that Proposition I design not to correct all the Blunders of that Knight Errant of a Philosopher it will be too Glorious for him to understand I have condescended to criticise upon him But to enlarge a little on the Business in Hand I say should all I have urged against his Method be false should all the Arguments wherewith the World has baited him be Void and Null that Paradox alone would totally overthrow him and leâ— him suppose it true 't is impossible he should give aâ— any Rule of Truth For if it hold That the Truth of Propositions so depends on God as that he could have caused those esteâ—m'd necessarily true to have been false it was in his Power to have made these two be false What I conceive distinctly is true To deceive is an Imperfection If God was able to have done it how knows Descartes but he actually has What greater Reason has he to believe he hath not rather than the contrary Hath God revealed it to him Upon his Principle I 'll doubt not only as a Sceptick but now I 'll doubt in earnest Thus his two Rules of Truth are no longer Rules of Truth What now betides his Glorious Proposition I think therefore I am I have no need to be a Sceptick to discredit it Why Because I know not whether God from all Eternity designed it true or false Nor could I purchase that knowledge without a Revelation and still it must be questioned whether Revelation could â—erve for a Rule of Truth in these our Circumstances Thus Descartes Wiseman who had already made so far a Progress as to know he thought and that he was is here unfortunately non-plus'd I have a world of Reflections more to make and I should never be exhausted if I would enter upon his egregious Metaphysicks his new Demonstrations he pretends to give for the Existence of a God the Distinction of the Soul and Body Upon his way of answering Objections made against the rest of his Method if I would trouble my self to let you see how when his Propositions are attacked and at once the connexâ—â—â— of them or the Method he takes to come to the knowledge of Truth he contents himself sometimes to defend his Propositions well or ill without endeavouring to justifie his Method though that is the Piece in which he has pretended most to shew his Excellency and which is the most despicable of all at Bottom as I think I have sufficiently proved to you But this is enough to satisfie you I have not pass'd Judgment on your Master without sufficient Knowledg of the Cause And since I have delayed you too long Gentlemen Cartesians I am your most humble Servant recommend me to your Illustrious Doctor Socrates and Plato followed him taking Leave more civilly and more like Gentlemen than he And Plato added he was transported to see Aristotle's Reputation so run down in the World and that he deserv'd it were it for nothing but his Behaviour towards the Philosophers his Predecessors and especially for his ill natur'd Carriage unto Plato himself That he had used all Endeavours possible to suppress the Reputation with which they flourished in the World and had used less reserve toward him than all the rest although he had been his Master and meerly by his Calumnies in Point of Doctrin he had raised himself to the Character of Prince of Philosophers You know not said I what Time may still bring forth and you need not despair of coming in Play again Aristotle's Philosophy has had many Turns of Fortune within this Fifteen hundred Years and I 'll tell you as a Piece of News from our World That hardly more than fourscore Years ago the Sovereign Bishop of the Christian Church was upon putting forth a Placate commanding your Philosophy should be taught at Rome instead of Aristotle's and he had gained the Point but for a great Man of that Time called Bellarmine If that had once passed at Rome there had been a Fatal Stroke to Aristotle's Philosophy and yours had carried it all the World over You at once surprize and please me replyed Plato I am extreamly Glad and most highly obliged to you for this News Aristotle shall know it and I 'll imploy it to revenge the Insult of his late Discourse Mean while my two Guides were enraged to hear their Master treated in so vile a manner they had waited the End of his Discourse to answer it but observing him troop off without giving them the Opportunity they endeavoured what they could to stop him As they saw it was in vain the old Gentleman raillying hollow'd him at a Distance So ho Good Monsieur Aristotle where may a Man find your Sphere of Fire we have not met with it in our Voyage though your Books give us Intelligence it was placed above the Air and yet below the Moon For my part I was highly gratify'd with that Encounter and Discourse I had the Pleasure to observe That Spiritual Philosophers no more than Corporal could forbear disputing and were no less jealous of their Sentiments and Reputation I had the Happiness of this Diversion more than once in my Voyage upon several Occasions of which I shall give account After the Departure of our three Philosophers well said I to Father Mersennus what think you Father now of Aristotle Indeed he seemed to me a litte hot but after all methinks he 's no ill Disputant That way of tracing M. Descartes step by step in his Method of the re-search of Truth is very maliciously design'd and capable of raising Scruples especially that last Argument taken
Affair was carried on so far that M. Descartes Friends advised him to interpose the Authority of the Prince of Orange and the French Embassador to put a Stop to its Progress But he satisfied himself to proclaim he was injured and to demand Justice of the Procurators of Leyden who thought they had done him a special Favour in obliging their Doctors Silence and prohibiting them the mentioning Descartes and his Opinions in their Academick Exercises a Proceedure that was not very Satisfactory to M. Descartes He was a little better satisfied on the part of the Vniversity of Groiningue which at the Solicitation of the French Embassador severely check'd Schooks Outragious Conduct But all this was nothing in comparison with his great Concernment at Vtrecht where Voetius fell like a Lion loose upon him Voetius was one of the Supports of the Vniversity whom the Quality of Divinity Professor as also that of Minister and Rector joyned with his Reverend Gâ—ey Heirs rendred awful and venerable to a Town in which the Corporation of the University maintained a very considerable Grandeur He had learn'd how to employ these Advantages to the gaining absolute Authority and Command over the Minds of Men insomuch that his Sentiments were the Decisions in the University and Oracles in the Town 'T is known what they were in regard of the New Philosophy which was the Reason why those of Descartes's Party durst not declare themselves Notwithstanding Let◠〈◊〉 Desâ— at last Regius the Physician whom Descartes styles his Proto-martyr could no longer stifle the Hatred he had conceived against Substantial Forms he affixed his Theses wherein he had banished them to substitute in their Room the different Configuration of the insensible Parts of every Body This makes a great Noise in the Vniversity some take one Side some another This is the whole Discourse of the Town News and Politicks are hush'd and the Exchange now rings with nothing but Substantial Forms Mean time Voetius slept not in an Affair of this Importance he went to the first Disputes of Regius suborned a great many Scholars he had gained and placed them in several Parts of the Hall who as soon as Regius his Disciple began to talk of Subtil Matter of the Balls of the Second Element of Ramous and Chamfer'd Particles burst out a Laughing set up an Hiss clapt their Hands and were seconded by the Doctors the Friends of Voetius That tumultuous Outcry dismounted poor Regius and oblâ—ged him to cut off his Disputations He wrote to M. Descartes Tom. 1. dâ—â— Leâ—â— de Desâ— desiring Counsel in this Conjuncture and how he ought to behave himself in respect of Voetius who had forthwith put up Theses in Defence of Substantial Forms and against the other Points of the Cartesian Philosophy He had particularly addressed them to the Faculty of Medicine and the Professors of Philosophy imploring their Protectâ—on of Subâ—tantialâ— Forms against Regius M. Descartes's Advice was Tom. 1. Let. 89. That he should forbear Publick Disputations endeavour to draw over Voetius to answer his Thesâ—s but with all the deference and civility imaginable to manifest a grand Respect and Esteem for his Adversary yet so as still couragiously to maintain the Cause of Truth Regius took that Method not without Fear it might cost him his Chair and certainly he ran a great Risque Voeâ—ius undertook him put young Voetius his Son and Schooâ— upon writing against him And a little more had caused him to be condemned as an Heretick by the Divines He had him before the Magistrates nor had he so escaped but upon giving Security for the exact Performance of what they ordered in a Publick Decree Never to teach Descartes's Philosophy to hold fast to the ancient Dogma's and to make no Attaque for the future on Substantial Forms That Blow went with M. Descartes to the Quick though he seems in his Letter to Regius to make slight on 't insomuch that he could not forbear revenging himself venting a Phamplet under-hand called the History of Voetius in which he scurvily treated him and ridiculed him severely That turned the Bent of Voetius's Fury on himself who quitting thenceforward Regius whom he saw foiled and groveling and looked upon as a Forlorn-Hope sent out to Piqueer and Skirmish by Descartes thought he must double his Forces to make an On-set on this New Sect and assault it in its Leader As ill Fortune still would have it Descartes and Regius fell to Swords-points and sharpned their Quills against each other as if it had been the Fate of that Philosopher at that Time to have all the Learned Men of Holland for his Enemies whose Names did terminate in Ius Revius Demmatius the two Voetius's and Regius The first thing that was done at Vtrecht Let. de Desâ— was to damn Descartes in all Companies as an Atheist as another Vaninus who under pretence of establishing by his Arguments the Existence of a God aim'd only to rout and confute it Voetius declaim'd eternally against him in his Lectures in his Disputations in his Sermons He pitch'd purposely on Theses of Atheism where he brought in every thing that might bring an Odium on Descartes And so successfully did they decry him that when the News of his Death arriv'd several Years after at Vtrecht Prejudice was so deeply rooted as to make an addition of dreadful Circumstances and it was the Current Report of the Town That he dyed the most impious and wicked Villain in the World without Faith Câ—eâ—ghâ—on Ep. ad Regium without Religion like Iulian the Apostate casting up a thousand Blasphemies against Iesus Christ. Voetius indeavour'd to uncement the most intimate Friends he had Tom. 2. des Let de Desc. and as much a Protestant Minister as he was wrote to Father Mersennus in France to enter in a League with him and to excite him to write against Descartes but sped not in that Negotiation He accus'd him of being a Clandestine Enemy to the Religion of the Coâ—ntry and seem'd by that to be willing to impeach him as a Traytor to the State He added he was an Emissary and Spy of the Iesuitâ— and held an Epistolary Correspondence with them and produc'd one Letter especially against him which he had wrote to Father Dineâ— sometime after Confessor to the King So true it is that Titus Oats is not the first that thought of persuading the Protestants of his Country Hist. Conjâ—r Angleâ—erre the Iesuits gave Commissions in England to levy an Army in which they had the Disposal of all places of trust and made general Officers Colonels and Captains In short Voetius partly by hiâ— Reputation and Vogue partly by his Intrigues brought it about that Descartes's Philosophy should be condemn'd throughout the University of which he was Rector He cited him by the order of the Magistrates with a great noise at the sound of a Bell by the notice of a Bedel to come and answer to
M. Descartes had better acknowledg with the wisest and least conceited of the Philosophers that the Relation the Soul had with the Body in the Perception of Objects was an incomprehensible Mystery to the Mind of Man That the manner of Objects acting on the Senses as also how their Action was carried to the Brain might be very well explained but that a Bar was put to all farther Progress unless a Man would run himself into an unintelligible Jargon or advance Propositions dangerous in themselves or in the Conclusions that might be deduced from them He went on in commending M. Descartes for his Integrity Lett. de Desc. Tom. 1. Lett. 69. manifested in his declaring there was nothing in the Idea of a Soul or a Spirit that included an Impossibility of the Production of Motion by them and at once he blamed the Inconsiderateness of the Cartesians who fool-hardily advanced That no Creature whatsoever had the Power of producing Motion It is true adjoyned he with a little dash of Malice that Paradox as ill founded as it is is one of the Principal Pillars of the Cartesian System For without it how should an equal Quantity of Motion be kept up in the World where there are so many Souls so many Angels and so many Devils whose greatest Pastime it is to produce and create Hurly-burlies every Moment But M. Descartes is so much more Praise worthy for preferring the Interests of Truth before those of his own System as dear and beloved as it was The next Article was upon that grand Paradox of M. Descartes In resp ad 5. object Let. 110. Tom. 1. That the Essences of Things and Truths commonly called necessary are not independent of God and that they are only eternal and immutable because God hath will'd it so That God is the total and efficient Cause of the Truth of Propositions That it was equally arbitrary for God to cause that it should be false that all the Lines drawn from the center to the Circumference should be equal as to create the World See then the Abridgment of what Aristotle spoke at length upon that Subject He said He did not well understand what was the Sense and Meaning of those Words God is the eâ—ficient and total Cause of the Truth of Propositions For the Truth of a Proposition since it is not a Being but a meer Relation of Conformity that it hath with its Object could not to speak properly have an efficient Cause and if in some Sense it might be said to have an efficient Cause that could be nothing but the Mind or Tongue of him that Frames and Pronounces the Proposition Again he demanded if M. Descartes spoke in general of all Necessary Truths or only of some Particulars He could not continued he speak of all For doubtless he did not believe that God was or had been able to make these Propositions false There is a God God is the free Cause of all Beings God is a necessary Being He must therefore only speak of Propositions relating to the Creatures because according as he expresses himself in one of his Letters Ibid. God is the Author of the Essence as well as the Existence of the Creatures But that he had made a Reflection That the Truths which respect the Essence of the Creatures have a necessary Connexion with those that appertain to the Essence of God and that if it was possible for the one to be false the other might be so too As for example this The Creature essentially depends on God is a Proposition belonging to the Essence of the Creature which if it could be false that other would fall into the same Circumstance God is the absolute Master and free Cause of all Beings for neither the one could be true without the other's being so nor could the one be false unless the other was likewise false Whereupon Aristotle advised M. Descartes to have a special Care lest the profound Respect he affected towards the Omnipotence of God should not only degenerate into Superstition but should proceed so far as to bring him to Blasphemous Conclusions After that Aristotle made a frank and honest Acknowledgment That Descartes had explain'd the Nature of most sensible Qualities in a finer and exacter way than he had done As of the Hardness of Bodies of Liquidity of the Power of the Elaverium of Cold of Heat c. And to manifest he had no other Concern than for the Interests of Truth he retracted without Ceremony his Position of the Eternity of the World and his Sphere of Fire But since that Sphere of Fire makes one of the principal Parts of the Peripatetick System and is one of the chief Ornaments of his World he presumed that M. Descartes could do no less than abandon all his Vortexes in Exchange against which he urged many Reasons But Voetius having understood from us that M. Descartes was ready to put his World in Execution and the Design of our Journey was that we might be Witnesses of that mighty Action he wrote a Postscript in the Margent in which he promis'd to submit himself to that Experience and supposing it should answer the Pretensions of M. Descartes his Vortexes should be received at least as a good Hypothesis for the explaining the Phenomena of the World which God hath made But he farther adjoyned That in case M. Descartes should fail in his Attempt he should be oblig'd thus far to condescend That his Physicks which turn for the most part upon those Hinges is an Edifice without Foundation And that he should rest contented with the Praise common to all the Leaders of a Sect viz. That his Philosophy had something that was Good and True in it and that he should avow with the rest of Mankind that to build a World and establish a System of Philosophy true in all its Principles and Conclusions was a Point the Mind of Man in its utmost Endeavours could never reach Lastly as to M. Descartes's Demonstrations touching the Existence of God the Rules of Motion and some other Opinions for which that Philosopher had engag'd a greater Zeal and Earnestness and which required a more through Discussion Aristotle proposed to him the pitching on some Neutral and Unprejudic'd Place where they might confer together before disinterested Arbitratours to whose Determinations they should submit themselves He concluded with a gracious Offer of associating him in the Empire of Philosophy upon those only Conditions compriz'd in that Project He admonish'd him to fix some Bounds to his Ambition assuring him of the Vanity of his Hopes if he pursu'd to carry them any farther for that his own Authority was too well establish'd throughout all Europe to be indangered by the Enterprizes of a new Comer That almost all Universities and Colleges had renew'd the Oath of Allegiance to him and had made an Offensive and Defensive League against the New Philosophy That some Ladies and fine Wits of the great World that seem'd
the Existence and Distinction of your three Elements I flatter my self Monsieur you will not be much dissatisfy'd at my Answers and that you will acknowledg that how far soever I am behind-hand with the rest of your Disciples in Parts and Penetration there are but few that exceed me in the Attention you desire your Readers to bring with them in entring on your Books and Application requisite before they pass their Judgment and especially before they venture to oppose them or defend them But to persue in giving you the Account of my Conferences This I have been mentioning had two Effects The first was to break a little our Peripateticks of that mischievous Opinion they had admitted of your Doctrin which they had till then regarded as full of Contradictions and Absurdities absolutely incapable of Defence and as a System that undermin'd it self The other was to cause two or three of the most subtil and discerning of them to apply themselves closely to the reading and examination of your Books whereby they have found Difficulties in earnest that seem to me to be truly so and upon which as I at first observ'd to you I was forc'd to make my Appeal to you your self For I must confess that as Haughty as I was upon my first Success I am now reduc'd to such a Maze as makes your Light and Assistance necessary to extricate me theâ—ce 'T is now a Fortnight that these Gentlemen have desisted to urge any thing against your Doctrin and three or four Conferences in the Interim have pass'd in the explaining your Sentiments and resolving some Questions they propos'd to me upon several particular Passages of your Books of which they thought at least pretended that they thought they did not rightly take the meaning This was only a Stratagem they made use of to trapan me I was well aware of that petty Conspiracy which doubtless would have given me some disturbance having to deal with Men of admirable Sense had not the goodness of the Cause I manag'd bore up my Courage and Resolution To conclude two Days since they brav'd it at an high rate and promising or threatning in a short time to confute the greatest part of your Metaphysicks and your Physicks they told me they would immediately fall aboard the System of your Vortexes That that was to attack you in the main part and they question'd not but they had upon that Article wherewith to ruin your Physicks to all Intents and Purposes Notwithstanding whereas they are as Courtly and Obliging as Ingenuous and Judicious and besides were well persuaded of the difficulty of their Arguments to save me that Perplexity and Confusion in the trouble they foresaw I should be put to in giving the Solution they would not oblige me to answer them on the place But were content to give them me in Writing that I might return my Answer at my leisure They only read them over to me to see if I comprehended their Sense and I protest to you though I seem'd to Vapour I was extraordinary pleas'd in my Mind with those little Differences which they paid me For they argu'd only from Matter of Fact and Principles drawn Word for Word out of your Books which they turn'd one against another and made them destroy themselves in so plausible and probable a manner as requir'd M. Descartes himself at least one better skill'd than I am to refute them I shall transcribe the principal things of their Memoire and in their own Expression They have given it this Title Objections offered a Cartesian by some Peripateticks against the general System of M. Descartes's World FIRST they pretend to prove that the Posture and Array in which M. Descartes has marshal'd his Matter or his three Elements in his Vortexes thwarts and contradicts his general Rules of Motion which he gives himself and the Properties he attributes to every of those Elements And thence they 'l draw such Consequences as intirely overthrow his Doctrin touching the Nature of Light Secondly they will shew that his manner of explaining Light is no ways consistent with not to repeat his Position of the Elements in the Vortexes but the very disposition of his Vortexes amongst themselves Thirdly they will prove that by the Principles of M. Descartes the Earth no more than any other Planet can be priviledg'd with a Peculiar Vortex in the Vortex of the Sun Which being once more Demonstrated all M. Descartes's Astronomy is turn'd topsy-turvy and the whole OEconomis of his World utterly routed and destroy'd The first Argument 1. We forthwith take for granted that Master-Principle of M. Descartes That every Body circularly mov'd constantly endeavours to eccentrick it self and escape from the Circle it describes 2. From that universal Principle immediately follows this particular Consequence that in a Vortex where the Matter of the first second and third Element are circularly mov'd all three endeavour to acquire a Motion eccenctrick to the Vortex 3. We infer yet farther from the same Principle another Conclusion That in that general Attempt made by different Bodies thus agitated and confus'd to deviate from the Centre of their Motion those that are most agitated and are most fit for Motion those I say must have the advantage and ascendent over the rest to gain the Circumference of the Circle the Vortex describes and consequently to compel the less agitated and less fit for Motion towards the Centre of the Vortex Though this Conclusion should have no visible and necessary Connection with the Principle as indeed it has Yet we might warrant our use of it by producing M. Descartes to vouch the same thing in several places of his Books and particularly in his fourth Part of the Book of Principles Where he gives the reason for the Motion of heavy Bodies towards the Centre by this same Proposition Numb 23. That it was by vertue of that Principle that in the Vortex of the Earth Terrestrial Bodies are below the Air and the Air below the Celestial Matter To these we only add one more that M. Descartes frequently repeats especially in the third and fourth Part of Principles and in the eighth Chapter of his Tract of Light viz. That the first and second Element have much more agitation and are far more fit for Motion than the third whose parts are ragged and branchy and of a very irregular Figure All this suppos'd let us agree with M. Descartes that Matter having been created such as he advances God was able to divide and actuate it with Motion and that he effectively has divided it and mov'd it Let us stop now and fix our Imagination and our Thoughts upon that great Partition of Matter or upon that Vortex that hath the polar Star for its Centre Let us conceive that portion of Matter made up of an infinite number of little insensible Parts it self turn'd round whilst all the little Parts are also turn'd about their proper Centre From this Motion must arise
25. r. meet me at l. 34. r. she gave l. 36. r. sad p. 44. l. 2. imagines l. 21. r. utmost p. 45. l. 16. r. merited p. 46. l. 16. r. murder p. 51. l. 2. r. talked p. 58. l. 5. r. could p. 64. l. 2. r. in one l. 25. dele not p. 69. l. 26. r. Euripus p. 73. r. Califtbenes p. 76. l. 5. dele and l. 7. r. Venturer p. 77. r. unimpower'd p. 79. l. 6. dele we p. 83. l. 3. r. and. p. 86. l. 8. r. Placart p. 100. l. 4. r. â—aâ—sh l. 17. r. Galilaeus p. 112. l. 30. r. hairs p. 118. l. 15. r. Peripapeâ—icism p. 121. l. 12. r. met p. 122. l. 3. r. memoir p. 131. l. 34. r. clawing p. 141. l. 25. r. alone p. 142. l. 20. after to insert be p. 146. l. 10. r. conceiving p. 147. l. 12. r. netled p. 153. l. 21. r. Elaterium p. 155. l. 25. r. sect p. 156. l. 19. r. shock'd p. 158. l. 9. dele them p. 161. l. 4. r. clearing l. 27. r. not truly p. 162. l. 7. suppos'd to the. end that p. 173. l. 1. r. or p. 179. l. 18. r. Vices p. 182. l. 31. r. Des Arques p. 163. l. 9. r. Tonques p. 193 l. 35. r. petty p. 201. l. 6. r. part l. 34. r. Port. p. 211. l. 12. r. consists p. 220. l. 19. r. Wreck l. 21. r. dissipated p. 245. l. 31. r. resist p. 259. l. 19. dele more BOOKS Printed for and sold by Tho. Bennet at the Half-Moon in S. Paul's Church-yard A Critical History of the Texts and Versions of the New Testament wherein is firmly establish'd the Truth of those Acts on which the Foundation of Christian Religion is laid By Father Simon of the Oratory Together with a Refutation of such Passages as seem contrary to the Doctrin and Practice of the Church of England Memoirs of the Court of Spain Writ by the ingenious French Lady and Englished by Mr. Tho. Brown Octavo Memoirs of the Court of France By the same Author Octavo The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus the Roman Emperor Translated out of Greek into English with Notes by Dr. Casaubon To this Edition is added the Life of the said Emperor with an Account of Stoick Philosophy as also Remarks on the Meditations All newly written by the famous Monsieur and Madam Dacier Aristeae Historia LXXII Interpretum Accessere Veterum Testimonia de eorum Versione e Theatro Sheldoniano The Works of the Learned or an Historical Account and Impartial Judgment of the Books newly Printed both Foreign and Domestick together with the State of Learning in the World Published Monthly by I. de la Crose a late Author of the Universal Bibliotheque This first Volume beginning in August last is compleated this present April with Indexes to the whole The Bishop of Chester's Charge to his Clergy at his Primary Visitation May 5. 1691. Five Sermons before the King and Queen by Dr. Meggot Dean of Winchester A Sermon before the King and Queen by the Lord Bishop of Worcester A Sermon before the House of Commons on the Thanksgiving Day by Dr. Iane Dean of Gloucester Waller's Poems compleat in Two Parts Sir Iohn Denham's Poems A VOYAGE TO The World of Cartesius PART 1. IT fares with the World of Monsieur Descartes as with other lately discovered Lands whereof such different Accounts are given as often contradict one another Scarce Mention was made of this New World but an infinite Number of French English and Dutchmen resolve to go see it The Spaniard however zealous for new Discoveries understanding it was barren of Mines of Gold and Silver of Indigo and Ginger seemed not much concerned about it Wherefore those that had most contributed unto it were not a little pleased as believing they had no Reason to apprehend the Inquisition's coming there to disturb them Among other Things in that World the Earth takes a Turn about the Sun as in that of Copernicus And it is known that M. Descartes hath more than once Desc. â—om 2. lett 43 75. on that occasion reflected on the Misfortune of poor Galileus I cannot tell but it may be on his Account he hath taken so much Pains to prove this Paradox Part. 3. pr. n. 26. That the Earth stands still though at the same Time it is carried about the Sun by that Luminary's Vortex Let it be how it will many of those that give out they have best examined that Country have made their Relations of it but so differently that a Man can scarce yet determine what he must believe If you will credit one Party they 'll tell you It is no World at all but a perfect Chaos That all lie in Disorder and wild Confusion That 't is impossible for a Man to turn himself in it That there is neither Light nor Colours neither Heat nor Cold Drought nor Moisture That Plants and Animals there don't live There you have not only Liberty but positive Orders to doubt of every thing in Nature Some there shall be that will dispute you out of the Name of a Man though you have a Face like other Men though you be made up of Flesh and Bone as they though you Walk and Eat and Sleep and in a Word perform all the Natural Functions of a Man yet I say there are those that shall contest that Title with you until having conversed you and understood you speak consequentially they shall be convinced that you have Reason The Inhabitants look Proud and Scornful and have not the least Respect for Antiquity Aristotle especially is scouled in all Companies and upon all Occasions by them being look'd upon as a Vain Babler and an Antique Teller of Dreams It is said There is neither good Christian nor good Catholick there since they tamper with Principles too Delicate and Dangerous in Matters relating to Religion No Body can tell what to make of their Belief of the Creation of Our World the Production of Matter and the Providence of God who with them had no other Care upon him than to order the Cubical Particles of Matter to whirl about their Center After which he might sit Idle and Unconcerned since all the rest could be managed without the least of his Assistance On the other Side we are assâ—red A most excellent Conduct shines throught the whole Composition That all is admirably contrived and founded upon the Rules and Laws of Nature That this World is indeed disburthened of an infinite Swarm of Accidents Qualities and Intentional Species as of an unprofitable Lumber wherewith the Philosophers have imbroiled and incumbred ours But yet notwithstanding it cannot be deny'd but the Senses are subject to the same Impressions there as here only with this Difference that the Causes are more acknowledged and better explain'd As to the Point of Religion nothing seems more justifiable than the Apology of these Gentlemen which perhaps some have ingaged too inconsiderately for an Affair of that
Weight and Moment Can we apprehend a greater Idea of God Almighty than that which M. Descartes hath given An Idea that he derived not from the Visible Creatures that sleight and faint Ray of an infinitely perfect Being but which his Mind found impressed upon it self and which left no room for him to doubt of the Existence of a Sovereign Being though he possessed neither Heaven nor Earth nor any Body nor indeed any other Soul than his Can the Omnipotence of a Deity be advanced to a more transcendent Degree than he hath done it God according to him can cause That Two and Three shall not make Five That four Sides shall not be requisite to make a Square That the Whole shall be no bigger than One of its Parts Effects that other Philosophers never scruple to place out of the Reach of the God head But has not an Author of a little Piece called A Letter wrote to a Learned Iesuite clearly shewn That 't is Descartes World that is described in the first Chapter of Genesis Another Book hath since been publish'd in Holland with the Title of Cartesius Mosaisans and is to the same effect The Author of the Treatise concerning The Influence of the Stars describes the End of the World upon Descartes his Hypothesis Monsieur Scottanus in a late Apology that he offered for M. Descartes against those that Endeavoured to render him obnoxious to the Suspicion of Atheism observes to us the Respect he had for Religion certifying us That one of his Reasons for the reducing his Meditations to the Number of Six was the Consideration of the Six Days which God imployed in the Creation of the World If we may credit Father Mersennus a Learned and Noted Minim and an intimate Acquaintance of Descartes we shall find nothing of a more Christian Temper and that inspires us more ravishingly with the Love of God than Descartes Philosophy In short there is nothing more edifying than the Letter that Philosopher wrote to the Sorbon Doctors in dedicating his Meditations to them which is so true that not long since a Friend of mine not wont to be very Nice in those Matters having read by chance the Letter at my House which touched him and finding farther the Title of Meditations in the Front of the Work he seriously entreated me to lend him that Godly Book to entertain his Devotions during Passion Week This so strange Variety of Opinions and Relations counter to one another of a World otherwise of no little Renown provoked my Curiosity and induced me to be convinced of the Truth or Falsity of the Reports in my own Person All the Difficulty was to find a Guide to conduct me to a Country to which there was no Road passable either for Horse or Foot for Coach or Barge by Land or Sea But presently after my Resolve I was happily favoured with the most lucky Occasion that could be wish'd for the undertaking my Voyage with all the Pleasure and Ease imaginable Having sojourned some Months in a Country Town I strook up Acquaintance with an Old Standard of about eighty Years a Man of Parts and that formerly had conversed much with M. Descartes That Commerce had begot in him an unaccountable Zeal for the Tenets of that Philosopher and exasperated him to declaim against the Method and Opinions of the School the Prejudices of Childhood and taught him to make external Elogies on the Cartesian Philosophy He had so given himself up to this Opinion that he could no ways suffer in Point of Philosophy any one to deviate never so little from it In a Conference that we had together upon such sort of Things I desired to know if he kept up his Correspondence with any Carâ—esians of Worth and Reputation No said he I have broke with all Sorts of Persons that call themselves by that Name I can no longer find among them that Zeal and Observance the first Cartesians without Reserve attributed to that great Man Every one now a days builds Systems according to his own Humor and allows himself the Liberty of Adding or Retrenching what he pleases in the Platform M. Descartes hath laid which is a concern of that critical Nature as cannot be once touch'd without spoiling the whole Since the Death of the Famous M. Chersilier I have forbore writing to any single Person for I am persuaded That the pure and unmixt Cartesianism was buried with him You Gentlemen reply'd I are of a strange Constitution All the Prefaces of your Books are fill'd with Invectives and Raileries against those who implicitely espouse the Sentiments of an Author and profess they will never desert him It looks as if you and the rest of the new Philosophers had banded together in an offensive Confederacy to make continual War upon the Followers of Aristotle on that Account and at the same time you fall into the same Error for which ye reproach them and are an hundred times more bigotted to your Descartes than they to Aristotle For my part I know not how to blame the Conduct of those that are somewhat moderate which you are so enrag'd against If their Reason hath discover'd to them another Path than what M. Descartes trod in why are you angry if they follow it Aristotle held Possession a long time and reign'd absolute Monarch in Philosophy The Prescription and Vassalage of several Ages confirm'd his Title of Prince of Philosophers Descartes is a Rebel who durst encourage a Party against his Prince What Right has he to demand a greater Submission unto him than he was willing to allow to Aristotle Because answer'd he Truth and Reason are manifestly on his side That reply'd I is exactly the first step Rebellion ever makes to inforce the justice of its Cause and proclaim the publick Welfare does depend upon it But notwithstanding Sir pursu'd I I am more inclin'd to Neutrality in this Affair than you imagine I have determin'd to dive to the bottom of Descartes's Philosophy of which I have as yet but a dark and confus'd Knowledg having never studied him in his own Works but in the Books of his Disciples as soon as they appear'd and that irregularly and without Method But as I am oblig'd to leave this Country very speedily and have but a short time to advantage my self by your Ability in this Affair therefore it was that I enquir'd Whether you had any Communication of Letters or Friendship with any good Cartesian of Paris to whose Acquaintance you might recommend me and who would be willing to instruct a Scholar so apt and forward as I pretend to be That Proposal extreamly inspirited my old Gentleman and I perceiv'd sudden Joy diffus'd it self all over his Countenance Ever since I knew you said he taking me by the Hand I have observ'd in you a passionate Concern for Truth which is the best and first Disposition Descartes requires to attain unto it Trouble not your self you have still two Months good which you