nothing but to trouble the Schools as for his Des Cartes he would have him pass for an Enemy of the Protestant Religion a Spy sent out of France against the Interest of the United Provinces not judging the Writers of his Religion in his own Country sufficient to exterminate him he thought good to find out some amongst the Catholicks and that too in the middle of France To find such it was necessary to change his Language He went about to perswade them that they had to deal with a common Enemy and in all their concerns to defend Religion in general against a Sceptique and an Atheist wherein the Catholicks were no less interested than Protestants He went to sollicit Men of Parts as far as the recesses of Cloisters in Paris and had even the Confidence to attempt Father Mersennus upon pretence that this Father was already train'd up and vers'd in making his party good against Atheists and Deists with whom he had enter'd the lists â—y divers Works he represented to this Faâ—her that being besides a good Philosopher â—nd Geometrician an undertaking of this naâ—ure was worthy his eminent Learning and Subâ—lty And to engage him the deeper by more â—revalent Expressions he tells him That haâ—ing shewed himself all along the Defender of Truth in his way of Treating of Divinity He â—eeded not to question but the same truth â—all'd for his assistance to secure it from the â—exatious insults of this new Philosopher This is perhaps the first time that ever any â—ody heard the Protestant Ministers congratulate the Roman Catholicks and what is more even the Monks for having successfully stood up for and guarded truth in matter of Theology The thing was yet something the more remarkable because Voetius a man would have thought should have been the â—ast from whom one might have hoped to have heard such a like Confession having without any cause taken a great liberty to oppose the Roman Church upon other occasions yea and falling out with some Ministers who were not able to endure his excessive flyings out and impostures But considering the Catholicks conn'd Voetius but little thank for this Confession and because the Protestants did not lay it to his charge Men looked upon it as the consequence of his disorderly Spirit to which the one and the party were pretty well accustomed there needs no other sign of this irregularity than the malignity wherewith he affects to make Monsieur Des Cartes pass for an Savage Jesuite thaâ— he might decry him and render him odiouâ— another way Father Mersennus feigned that he let himself be allured by the Charms of Voetius hiâ— Discourse and to demonstrate that he waâ— still more a Friend to Truth than to Monsieuâ— Des Cartes he promised him the service of hiâ— Pen provided they could supply him with Matter and Reasons sufficient to attack the Opinions of that Philosopher Some pretend the Monk spoke in earnestâ— Voetius was so far perswaded of it that immediately he noised it abroad that Mersennus was a writing against Des Cartes Afterwards he sought up and down for Materials and waâ— very importunate with all his Friends to dispatch relief to Father Mersennus yet a whole year was spent without being able to get the Father to make his words good save only in a Comparison that he made between Monsieur Des Cartes and Vaninus desiring him to make much of this as an important Piece and to display the Parallel of the new Philosopher with that Impious Wretch who was Burnt at Tholouse Without doubt they had a better opinion of Monsieur Des Cartes at the Court of France Seeing King Lewis the 13th commanded to send him word at the latter end of this Year that he would publickly gratifie his Merit This Prince informed by Card. Richelieu or by those that presented him with his Book that this Ornament to the Kingdom would â—e always out of its Element so long as he â—hould be out of his Realm had thoughts of preferring him to some eminent place either 〈◊〉 Court or in the Parliament thereby to â—ender him conspicuous to all his Subjects â—nd to grant him a great Pension suitable â—o his rank and able to support it But â—here were no sollicitations powerful enough â—o wean him from his retirement He regarded the Delights and Pleasures of Court â—nd the most glorious Occupations of Counsels and Parliaments as equally prejudicial â—o the repose and leisure that were requiâ—re to serve Mankind in the Profession he â—ad chosen and putting infinitely a greater value upon his King 's good will towards him than upon all the Honours and Riches that â—e would have pleased to heap upon him â—e wisht rather to live alone content with the perpetual acknowledgment of his gracious offers than to expose himself to hatard of losing the advantages of his Philosophy under pretence of being desirous to bear the heavy weight of those Honours and to justifie the choice of so great a Prince BOOK VI. From 1641 till 1644. I. IN the Year 1641. began to appear in publick the second Works of Monsieur Des Cartes with the priviledge of the King and approbation of the Doctors of Paris intituled Meditations touching the first Philosophy wherein is discovered the Existence God and the Immortality of the Soul But you must observe thaâ— it was not the Author's intent that they should insert the word Immortality instead of that of Immateriality This Work the publication of which he pretends to be purely owing to his own Conscience was of a more Antient Composing than his Essays being the very first fruits of his retirements in Holland The importance of the subject matter prevail'd with him before it went to the Press to let the most able Divines of the Roman Church see it nay and other Learned Men too of other Communions who past for the most subtile Wits in Philosophy and Metaphysicks to the end that he might profit by their Censures answer their Difficulties and cause their Objections and his Answers to be Printed together at the same time with his Treatise His Manuscript was in order hereunto above a year in the hands of Father Mersennus who had a Commission from him to find out Censurers or Approvers for this Book of all faculties whilst he in the mean time did the same in the Catholick and Protestant Netherlands Yea and he had some intensions to dedicate it to the Doctors of the Sorbonne that is to all the Faculty of Diviâ—ity of Paris because saith he the cavils of some persons had made him resolve to guard himself henceforward with the Authority of others since Truth is so little regarded when it is alone He recommended this business to Father Gibeuf Father of the Oratory his friend who by his great Capacity had gain'd a great Esteem and Credit 〈◊〉 the Sorbonne and amongst Men of Wit and â—ngenuity and left Father Mersennus to order all the rest II. Whilst this Father searched for
same time also that he light again upon Marcinus Mersennus at Paris â—ut as to his Exteriour Garb quite different from that he had known him at La Flesche Mersennus had turn'd Minim after his leaving the Sorbon-School this renewing of their acquaintance was so much the more acceptable to the Monk because Monsieur D. Cartes was not so much below him as when he saw him a Lad in the Colledge On the other side the Meeting proved Advantagious for Monsieur Des Cartes forasmuch as it served to deliver him from his being given to Gaming and other unprofitable pastimes They began to relish the sweetness of their innocent acquaintance and to solace one another in the research of truth when Father Mersennus was about the year 1614. sent to Nevers there to read Philosophy to the young Monks of his Order This Separation went to Monsieur Des Cartes his Heart But in stead of occasioning himâ— any thoughts to return to his sports and idleness it made him come the better to himself than the presence of his Virtuous Friend did it inspired into him the Resolution to retire from the World and forsake even his usual Friends and Companions on purpose to set himself again to the Study that he had Relinquished He made choice of a place of Retirement in the Fauxbourg St. Germain where he hired an House out of the Noise and shut himself up with only one or two Servants without so much as giving his Friends or Kinsmen notice thereof Having in this manner recovered his gusto for Study he was over Head and Ears in the Study of Mathematicks to which he bestowed all that Leisure he had but now procured himself which continued near upon two years Such of his Friends which were good for nothing else but to pass away the time and divertisement soon grew weary that they see him no more They sought him up and down but all in vain in the City at Court and in his Country he was so wise at the beginning of his Retirement to prevent the chance of meeting any that he might not fall into the Hands of these Troublesome Persons when he was obliged to go abroad about his occasions the business had no bad Success for near two years together but he afterwards relyed but too confidently upon the luckiness of his Solitude for not being vigilant enough about his regress and ingress and not cautious of his ways and turnings as before he was met with by one of his Friends whom he could not get quit off till such time as he should discover the place of his Abode This cost Monsieur Des Cartes his Liberty to say no worse the Friend did so far prevail by his frequent reiterated visits and by his importunity that he first troubled his Repose and then Diverted him from his beloved Solitude to bring him again upon the Stage of the World and to plung him again into Divertisements as before But he soon perceived he had changed his Relish for Pleasure Games and walkings were not so Charming to him as once before and the Enchantments of Worldly Delights had but very weak effects upon him against the Charms of Philosophy and Mathematicks from which his Jovial Friends were not able to free him They made him spend the Christmas holy days Anno 1616. and the beginning of the next year till Shrovetide as merrily as they possibly could But they could not make him take delight in any thing but Musick by a Consort of which he could not chuse but be much taken considering the skill he had in Mathematick's He no longer could hope from the importunate companions of his Age and Quality to have the liberty of retrieving and improving his retirement and beside seeing himself one and twenty years of Age he deemed it his duty to enter upon Service He departed for Holland in the Month of May and Listed himself in the Prince of Orange his Troops in quality of a Voluntier doing in this as many other younger Brothers of the French Nobility did who flockt thither to learn the Trade of War under the Conduct of that great Captain But as his Heart was already prepossessed by a stronger passion for the research of Truth to which he was fully resolved to apply himself sooner or later his design was not to become a great Warriour in this Prince his School so that in determining to bear Arms he resolved never to appear any way forward as an Actor but every where to be but as a Spectator of what is played in all sorts of Common-wealths and States upon the Stages of the World He turned Souldier for no other end but only to Study the different natures of men more according to nature and to endeavour to make himself proof against all the accidents of Life That he might not be uneasie under any Superiour Power he refused upon his first entrance all Command and all Engagements and always maintained himself at his own charges But pro forma to keep up the custom he was to receive once at least his Pay and had the curiosity to preserve that piece of Money he had for his Pay all his Life as a Testimony of his having served in the Army He did really take delight in War at that Age but this inclination was but the effect of the heat of his Liver which was asswaged in process of time Altho' the City of Breda where he lay in Garrison enjoy'd at that time the quiet which was procured it by the Truce concluded upon between the Spaniard and Hollander yet for all that he always shewed himself an utter Enemy of Idleness and Libertinism Whether you consider him in his Military Occupations wherein he was assiduous and careful as any of the hottest forwardest Souldiers or be it you look upon him at the leisure hours he could spare from his Duties which he employed in Study when others spent it in Debauchery At that time it so happened that an Anonymus person caused a Problem of Mathematicks to be affixt up and down the streets of Breda to be propounded to the Learned and to require the solution of it Monsieur Des Cartes beholding the concourse of Passengers stopping before the Note affixt Writ in Dutch desired the next Man he found by him that he would please to tell him either in Latin or French the substance of what is contained The Man as good luck would have it to whom he addrest himself was willing to satisfie him yet upon this condition that he on his part would be obliged to solve the Problem which he judged it self to be very difficult Monsieur Des Cartes accepted of the condition with such a resolute Air that the Man little expecting such a thing from a young Cadel in the Army gave him his name in Writing together with the Place of his Abode to the intent he might bring him the solution of it when he should find it out Monsieur Des Cartes
examine Princes Courts to frequent the company of persons of different conditions and contrary humours He Studyed moreover to make a Collection of several Experiments as well upon the natural Productions of several Climats he past through as upon politick matters which he observed amongst People in respect of their Customs Manners of Lives and Inclinations This is what he calls the Great Book of the World Wherein he maketh account to find out true Science dispairing to find it any where else except in this Volum opened to every ones view and in himself according to his perswasion that the Seeds which God hath Sown in us are not so totally stifled by ignorance or other effects of sin According to these principles he intended that these Voyages and Travels should serve him to make trial upon himself in the Accidents and Occurrences fortune should propose to him and that they might put him upon making Advantagious reflexions upon every thing that presented it self and became profitable to him for the Conduct of his Life For he flatter'd himself with the hopes of finding more of truth in the reasoning private persons use touching their own concerns than in those which a great Schollar shut up in his Study useth upon Speculations which ordinarily produce no other effects than Vanity and Haughtiness and sometimes he prides himself the more in them by how much they are for the most part more dissonant to common Sense after he hath labour'd and set all his Wits upon the Rack to make them probable But to speak the truth when he applyed himself only narrowly to survey the manners of other Men he found very little in them whereby he could make himself sure of any thing He perceived in a manner as great a diversity in them as he had before met with in the Opinions of Philosophers So that the greatest Advantage that occurred to him by that inquiry was that seeing several things how extravagant and ridiculous soever they may appear to us yet do not cease for all that to be commonly received and approved of by other People he learnt at last not to believe any thing upon slight grounds and not stifly and peremptorily to stand up for that which both Example and Custom had formerly perswaded him to be right Leaving Hungary he took another turn into Moravia where he joyned the Emperors Forces under the Count Bucquoy He visited Selesia the utmost parts of Poland Pomerania â—he Coasts of the Baltick Sea the Marquisate of Brandenbourg and descended into Holstein from whence after he had turned off his reâ—â—nue he Embarqued but with one Man-Serâ—ant for East-Freez-Land when he had examin'd it in a few days as he had done the other Provinces of Germany he put again to sea with a Resolution to go a shore in West-Freez-Land the principal places of which he â—ong'd mightily to see likewise that he might do it with the more freedom he hired a small Boat for himself and so much the rather because it was a short cut from Embden to the first Landing place of West-Freez-Land But this putting things in order the better to provide for his own Convenience was like to have proved fatal to him he had to do with a crew of the most Clownish Barbarous Mariners that ever Man see amongst People of that profession It was not long before he understood that they were a pack of wicked Rogues but after all they were Masters of the Boat M. Des Cartes had no other to converse with but his valet with whom he spoke French The Marriners who took him rather for a foreign Merchant then a Cavallier thought he must have good store of Money about him this made them take a Resolution which was by no means favourable to his pocket and that they might deprive him of means to tell Tails they had thoughts of making him away They perceived he was a Stranger come from some remote Country who had small acquaintance in the Country and that no Body would prosecute them if he chanced to be missing they found him of a very sedate very patient humour and judging by the mildness of Countenance and the Civility he shewed them that he was a person of no Experience in the World from these circumstances they concluded they should have his Life at 〈◊〉 cheaper rate they made no scruple to hold their Counsel before his Face not knowing that he understood any other Language besides that in which he Discourst with his valet de Chambre at last the result of their Deliberation was to knock him on the Head to fling him into the water and divide the Spoil Monsieur Des Cartes seeing they were in earnest starts up all on a suddain puts on another Countenance draws his Sword with that stearness they little expected speaks to them in their own Tongue but with such a Tone that frightned them out of their Wits and withal threatning to run them through if they durst but hold up a finger against him It was upon this occasion that he perceived what resoluteness of a Man may do upon your pittiful Low-spirited Souls Such a resoluteness as is above a Mans power to execute a resoluteness which upon other occasions might pass for a meer Bravado such an one as he shewed upon this occasion produced a wonderful effect upon the Spirits of these wretches the cruel fright they were seized with was followed with amazement that they knew not how to make use of their Advantage but brought him without any more adoe to the â—lace whither he was bound as peaceably as â—e could wish V. From West-Friez-Land he stept into Holland where he past a good part of the Vinter expecting the event of the two Sieges of Juliers and Sluise formed by the Spaniard or Fleming who had taken up Arms again against the Hollanders five Months after the Truce was expired In the Month of February ensuing he past into the Catholick Netherlands whose principal Cities he had a great mind to see from whence getting into France he went straight way to Rennes in Britany to his Fathers House towards the middle of March. He was at that time 26 years of Age Compleat and his Father seeing him present took occasion of his being at Age to settleupon him his Mothers Joynture of which he had given two Portions to Monsieur La Bretailliere and to Madam du Crevis that were elder than he seeing that all his Estate was in Paictou he had the curiosity to go view it on purpose to see how he could improve it to the best advantage he departed for that Province in May and at that time fain would have a good Chapman to have bought it that with that Money he might buy some place suitable to him he returned about the latter end of Summer to his Father the year slipt away before any one of his kindred could make him any overtures concerning what kind of life he should betake himself to Having little or nothing
few of his intimate Acquaintance who knew of his Privacy Mr. Vasseur to whom he judged it not convenient to disclose was a good while troubled at it till such time as by mere chance calling to mind our Philosopher's valet he see five or six Months after he obliged him to inform him concerning his Master's abode and carry him thither it was past Eleven a Clock when he found him just getting up After he had a little observed his way of Studying and Writing in Bed by means of his Valet who had declared to him his Master's Secret XIII Mons Des Cartes finding himself thus discovered it was in vain to regret the sweetness of his Retirement and to seek means to repair the loss of his Liberty he could not divert the course of his ill Fortune and he relapsed again in a few days into the same inconvenience he had freed himself from in absconding His Vexation at the Discovery beat up his Quarters and produc'd in him the desire to go see the Siege of Rochelle He came into the Country d' Aunis towards the latter end of August 1628. only to be an Eye-witness of the Siege which was already far advanced that he might Survey as a Mathematician the famous Ditch of Card. Richelieu with the Line of Communication but he could not handsomly forbear serving in quality of a Voluntier beholding the Activity wherewith the King in Person order'd his Army by Sea and Land In which particular he was soon follow'd by divers Gentlemen of his Age who came only to the Siege out of a Curiosity like his He entred the Town with the King's Army upon All Saints Day which was on a Wednesday he assisted the next day being All Souls at the Solemn Procession of the Host performed in the Streets now there being nothing more to be done after the Consummation of this famous Siege He came back to Paris by Post where he was against Martinmass XIV Some few days after he was at an Assembly of learned curious inquisitive Persons at the Pope's Nuncio's House who was called Monsigneur Bagne created Cardinal shortly after who honoured our Philosopher with his acquaintance a good while ago Monsieur Des Cartes was invited thither and carried along with him Father Mersennus and Mons de Ville Bressieux to hear the Sieur Chandoux who was there to debate concerning some new Opinions in Philosophy Chandox made a long Discourse for to refute the way of teaching Philosophy used in the Schools He proposed moreover a pretty common System of Philosophy which he pretended to introduce and had a mind to make it pass for a new one The Pleasantness wherewith he accompanied his Discourse did so impose upon the Company that he received from it an almost Universal Applause except from Monsieur Des Cartes who was not forward to demonstrate outwardly any signs of Satisfaction which indeed he had not received from the Discourse of the Sieur de Chandeux Cardinal Berulle who was one of the Assembly took special notice of his Silence which put him upon demanding his Opinion touching what he had heard which appear'd so excellent to the Company Monsieur Des Cartes did all that he could to excuse himself from delivering his Mind declaring that he had nothing to say against it after the Approbation of so many knowing Men. This shuffling accompanied with a certain tone which somewhat suspicious made the Cardinal conjecture he did not judge of the Discourse altogether as the others did which mov'd him still the more to urge him to declare what he thought of it Monsieur the Nuncio and other most remarkable Persons in the Assembly joyn'd their Intreaties to those of the Cardinal to urge him to speak his Mind So that not being able to recoil without being incivil he told the Company that the truth of it was he had never yet heard any one that could boast of speaking more to the purpose than Monsieur de Chandoux had done He first of all commended the Eloquence of his Discourse and his great Talent he was endowed with for quaint words and expressions He commended withal that generous Liberty he demonstrated for indeavouring to deliver Philosophy from the Perplexity of the Schoolmen But he took occasion from this Discourse to observe to them the Power of veri similitudo taking the upper hand of Truth which upon this occasion seem'd to have triumphed over the Judgment of so many grave judicious Persons Adding withall that at such time as one has to deal with People easie enough to take up with very similitude or likelihood as the illustrious Assembly before which he had the honour to speak had done it was not difficult to put off false Ware for true and interchangeably make Truth pass for Falshood by means of appearing so For to give them an instance of it upon the spot he demanded of the Assembly that some body in the Company would give himself the trouble to propose to him such a Truth as he pleased that might be in the number of those that appear the most incontestable and irrefragable they did so and with a Dozen Arguments every one more probable than another he proved to the Company that it was False Then he bid them propose to him a Fallacy or Falshood such an one as Men commonly take for a most evident one and by means of another Dozen of probable Arguments he forced the Auditors to acknowledge it to be plausible Truth The Assembly was surprized at the extent of the Genious Monsieur Des Cartes shewed in his Reasoning but it was still more astonishing to see themselves too plainly convinced of the easiness with which our Mind becomes Cully'd by very Similitude Then they asked him If he could think of no infallible Expedient to avoid Sophisms He reply'd That he knew none more certain than that he himself made common use of adding withal That he had fetched it from Mathematicks and that he did not believe that their could be any Truth that he could not clearly demonstrate by this means according to his own Principles This way was nothing else but his Universal Method which he calls otherwise his Natural Method according to which he try'd and squar'd all sorts of Propositions The first benefit of this Method was to demonstrate at the first sight whether the Proposition was possible or no the other benefit consisted in making him infallibly to sound the difficulty of the said Proposition There was not any Person in the Company that did not appear much taken with his Reasonings but no body took greater Satisfaction in them than Cardinal de Berulle who declar'd to Monsieur Des Cartes that he could wish to hear him once more upon the same Subject in private Monsieur Des Cartes very sensible of the Honour a Person of his Dignity did him paid him a visit some days after and discoursed with him concerning the first Notions he conceived about Philosophy
rest till Monsieur Des Cartes should promise him to make a rejoynder to this second Paper he sends it him in April but he took special care to let nothing slip that might move Monsieur Roberval's spleen X. In the mean time Monsieur de Fermat grew weary with disputing and fearing lest Monsieur Roberval's Zeal might not cause him to prolong it he did not only leave that which Monsieur Des Cartes writ against his last Reply touching Dioptriques without a rejoynder but also writ to Father Mersennus to beseech him to comply with Monsieur Des Cartes and withal to procure him his acquaintance On the other hand Monsieur Mydorge and Monsieur Hardy could not abide to see a person of that worth and quality Monsieur Fermat was of should to such little purpose be at odds with Monsieur Des Cartes set all their Wits a work to find a way to reconcile them and to change their Dispute into a perfect amity and correspondence the benefit whereof they might reap in a mutual Communication of their Humours They mentioned it to Father Mersennus who being solicited on the other hand by the Overtures Concessions of Monsieur de Fermat was prevail'd upon to write to Monsieur Des Cartes about it notwithstanding the great desire he might have to see them continue Monsieur Des Cartes received the proposaâ— of it with no small joy and having thanked Monsieur Mydorge and Monsieur Hardy for the good success of their friendly Offices he charged Father Mersennus to signifie to Monsieur de Fermat his esteem for him and his cordial affection towards him Monsieur de Fermat receiving from Father Mersennus all the assurances he could possibly desire on the part of Monsieur Des Cartes gave himself the satisfaction at last to write to him straightways to offer him his friendship and services The Acquisition of such a friend as that might be numbered amongst Monsieur Des Cartes his best Fortunes He perfectly understood the value of so important a friendship he appear'd so sensible of it that there were no expressions passionate enough to thank him for it To the end he might not be satisfied with this Reconciliation by halves he was willing to extend it likewise to the other two friends of Monsieur Fermat who had undertaken the defence of his Geometrical Piece de Maximis Minimis he earnestly entreated Father Mersennus to signifie to them that he desired nothing so much as the friendship of honest persons and upon this consideration he put an high value upon theirs Monsieur Pascal made answerable returns like an honourable person but Monsieur Roberval quickâ—y discovered that he bore no great good-will â—o Monsieur Des Cartes but only from the â—eeth forward but it was not so with Monsieur Fermat But as it is usual amongst friends â—f different humours and designs the truth 〈◊〉 their minds did not always keep pace with â—heir hearts Monsieur Fermat perswaded as before of the rightness of his method that is â—o say of the Rule he had contrived to find â—ut the greatest and least quantities in Geometry found much ado to grant the Exceptions Mons Des Cartes had brought in and to make 〈◊〉 hold water He maintain'd many Contests about it not with Monsieur Des Cartes himself who could not allow precious Time and Talents for Disputation but with young Guillot who had been Monsieur Des Cartes his Domestick with Monsieur de Chauveau who had been his Fellow-Collegian at La Flesche Monsieur des Argues and other Mathematicians who since this bustle declared themselves Cartesians day by day maugre Monsieur Roâ—erval's Jealousie As for Monsieur de Fermat's other Dispute concerning Dioptriques he did not judge it advisable to revive it in Monsieur Des Cartes his life-time but after his death explain'd his meaning about it after such a manner as tho' he had had a mind to make us doubt whether or no the Philosopher had satisfied him Now because he seem'd from time to time to invite some of Monsieur Des Cartes his friends to renew this antient Quarrel Mons Rohault answered immediately after which Monsieur Clersellier offer'd himself and put an end to the Controversie to the glory of Monsieur Des Cartes and to Monsieur Fermat's satisfaction who threw down his Arms and surrendred XI and XII M. Petit did not demur so long upon yielding touching some difficulties 〈◊〉 Dioptriques he had propounded to Monsieur Des Cartes he improved the advantage he 〈◊〉 over Monsieur de Fermat upon the account 〈◊〉 his Experiments which agreeing to a haâ— with the Doctrine of Monsieur Des Cartes were very instrumental to him to get himselfâ— disabused and to seek to procure his friendship before it was too late Yea and he turned some few years after one of the most zealous Proselites to his Philosophy when the perusing of his Metaphysical Meditations haâ— deliver'd him of some difficulties wherewith he labour'd concerning the Existence of God and the difference between Soul and Body in Men. The Controversie that was a foot between him and Monsieur Morinus Regius Professor of Mathematicks in Paris put him harder to it than that he maintain'd with Mons Petit it commenced the 22th of February 1638. with the Objections Mons Morinus made against Light Mons Des Cartes valued them as much as Objections which he lookt upon the most substantial of all those that had been hitherto rais'd against his new Opinions could deserve This esteem of his Objections did so puff up Mons Morinus who must needs shew by a Reply to his Answer that he was altogether unworthy of it Monsieur Des Cartes makes a second Answer wherewith Monsieur Morinus pretended to be fully satisfied but endeavouring to procure the honour to write last he makes a new Reply to which he declares he desired no Answer Monsieur Des Cartes by this instances the Character of Mons Morinus his spirit and what he would be at he did not stick to grant him that satisfaction he desired since it cost him so little The occasion he had about that time to refute a dangerous Book caused him to compile a dissertation of Geostatiques that is to say upon the Query to know whether a body weighs more or less being near the Center of the Earth than when it is at a distance from it The Book that had given occasion to the writing of it had for its Author Mons Beaugrand Secretary to the King indifferently skill'd in Mathematicks but who did not do himself Justice enough in this point He was Mons de Fermat's friend enemy to Mons Des Argues The considerable respect he had for this last had prevail'd with him to render but ill Offices to our Philosopher occasioned by the Zeal wherewith he perceiv'd Mons Des Cartes apply himself to serve him nay and he could not forbear letting slip some strokes of his bitterness and ill-will in his Book Mons Des
and constitution and a particular humour of his The habit of meditation that he had got ever since he left the Colledge made him mighty reserved and sparing of his Tongue But altho' he spoke but very little at any time yet he spoke always to purpose and very naturally His conversing was never starcht or affected never troublesome or uneasie He shunned above all things to appear Learned or a Philosopher in Discourses He was as little inclined to commit his Speculations to writing as to vent them by word of mouth He was pretty much indisposed to write but his small close straight regular way of writing is sufficient evidence that he had conquered this idleness by a long habit yet for all that he relaps't into it from time to time as appears not only from the great repugnance he testified in composing his Works but also from his usual negligence to answer his friends He had not doubtless so much listlessness and aversion for reading as he shewed for writing We must nevertheless grant you that he did not read much and that he had a small parcel of Books Discouraged at the unprofitableness and errours he observed in Bookes he solemnly forsook reading of them but that I may not tell an untruth he did not quite and clean forsake them nay he makes his forsaking even suspected of dissimulation Some believe he made more use of Books than he was willing every body should know and they have been apt to ground this opinion upon the quality of the stile and the multiplicity of matter he treated of in his Works but more particularly in his Letters This is a judgement or rather a conjecture fetched from the elegance of his stile the regularity of phancy and quaintness and exactness of his expressions IV. He had a mind of an almost infinite extent and of a strength in a manner equal to the extent his penetration was prodigious in depth and vivacity This appear'd more especially when the business in debate was to fathom the depth of mans Soul and precisely to determine what is possible for a man to do and what is above his reach or power Never did man under the cope of Heaven manifest that which we call a Geometrical Spirit and an exactness of Wit and Solidity of Judgment in an higher degree He shewed it I say in his not confounding the principles one with another in penetrating all the consequences that may possibly be deduc'd from them and indeed never arguing falsely upon known principles His Memory was neither treacherous nor unhappy but we don't see that it was answerable to the greatness of his parts If he was deficient in any thing upon that score it was abundantly recompenced by that other portion of the Soul which we call Judgment which is the light of the humane Soul He was solid and judicious in all respects He had a shrewd insight into things very exquisite and a most subtil discerning of that which is in common use which your greatest Wits especially Geometricians are wont to pass by and overlook Nothing ever contributed more to bring this excellent quality to perfection in him than his violent passion for Truth that never forsook him all his life long The uprightness of his heart being always attended by the rightness of sense and understanding his continual care was to find out Truth in all his Studies and to make her appear nothing but the truth and the naked truth in all his actions in all his discourses openness and candour were at all times the particular character that made him be differenced from those amongst men who seem'd to resemble him in other respects and all that polite breeding he might receive from his Education and frequenting the Courts of great Persons was never capable to make him double-minded or false-hearted nor to perswade him that fawning counterfeiting and lying ought to be practised Faults that are committed against Truth when they proceed from ignorance or mistake where there is no design at the bottom to injure truth appear'd to him pardonaable but if he had been upon the Bench as a Judge he would have proved inexorable as to those that are committed against Knowledge and Love of Truth Notwithstanding this kindness he bore to Truth pusht him on to pursue her wheresoever he suspected she might lye hid yet he concluded that for finding of her he was to pitch principally upon the Sciences in which he did usually examine what they contained and what solidity was in them to the end he might not lose his time for that which signified nothing and that observe to others what use and benefit they were likely to make of them V. A great many have believed that he was not ignorant in any Science and that he had skill in all the Liberal Arts. But it may suffice us to believe that he might have a competent knowledge in the Nature of all the Sciences without being vers't in every particular kind of them He shewed more docibility and aptness if a man may so say than real Science this vertue in him was a jewel so much the more inestimable as it is very rare in the ring-leaders of a Sect. The Passion he testified to correct his faults was always attended with a grateful acknowledgment to those who let him understand them The Pride and Vanity his Adversaries have taxed him withal upon some occasions are frivolous and superficial because they never took place in his heart But in respect of suspicions of haughtiness and presumption that they have imputed to him they could not hold out long against the brightness of his Modesty that dissipated them in a moment This Modesty accompanied with abundance of politeness as the Noble Cantibrigian Philosopher or More hath it resided much more in his sentiments than in his discourses It was no where affected but appear'd as it were in its proper natural places if you consider the little account he made of himself and his productions and the aversion he shew'd for praise and commendation This vertuous quality lay not dormant nor barren in him one may say without a soelecisme that it begot one pretty like it in Regius a Physician of Vtrecht by that incomparable model of an answer he drew up for him against Voetius the Minister whom he was obliged to refute which is no less a master-piece of meâ—kness and civility than of modesty this sweetness of disposition that was disperst through all his actions and deportment never went under another name amongst his friends but the trial his adversaries made of it changed its name to Moderation in respect to them it was not in its miridian against the turbulent Spirits of Gassendus and Fermats temper there was need of a Roberval to make it shine out But especially there wanted some giddy hair-brain'd Ministers and wild extravagant Philosophers to make it triumph The love he bore all his life long for peace and tranquillity