And finally, as it is not enough,
before commencing to rebuild
the house in which we live, that
it be pulled down, and materials
and builders provided, or that
we engage in the work ourselves,
according to a plan which we
have beforehand carefully drawn
out, but as it is likewise necessary
that we be furnished with some
other house in which we may live
commodiously during the operations,
so that I might not remain irresolute
in my actions, while my reason
compelled me to suspend my judgement,
and that I might not be prevented
from living thenceforward in
the greatest possible felicity,
I formed a provisory code of
morals, composed of three or
four maxims, with which I am
desirous to make you acquainted.
The first was to obey the laws
and customs of my country, adhering
firmly to the faith in which,
by the grace of God, I had been
educated from my childhood and
regulating my conduct in every
other matter according to the
most moderate opinions, and the
farthest removed from extremes,
which should happen to be adopted
in practice with general consent
of the most judicious of those
among whom I might be living.
For as I had from that time begun
to hold my own opinions for nought
because I wished to subject them
all to examination, I was convinced
that I could not do better than
follow in the meantime the opinions
of the most judicious; and although
there are some perhaps among
the Persians and Chinese as judicious
as among ourselves, expediency
seemed to dictate that I should
regulate my practice conformably
to the opinions of those with
whom I should have to live; and
it appeared to me that, in order
to ascertain the real opinions
of such, I ought rather to take
cognizance of what they practised
than of what they said, not only
because, in the corruption of
our manners, there are few disposed
to speak exactly as they believe,
but also because very many are
not aware of what it is that
they really believe; for, as
the act of mind by which a thing
is believed is different from
that by which we know that we
believe it, the one act is often
found without the other. Also,
amid many opinions held in equal
repute, I chose always the most
moderate, as much for the reason
that these are always the most
convenient for practice, and
probably the best (for all excess
is generally vicious), as that,
in the event of my falling into
error, I might be at less distance
from the truth than if, having
chosen one of the extremes, it
should turn out to be the other
which I ought to have adopted.
And I placed in the class of
extremes especially all promises
by which somewhat of our freedom
is abridged; not that I disapproved
of the laws which, to provide
against the instability of men
of feeble resolution, when what
is sought to be accomplished
is some good, permit engagements
by vows and contracts binding
the parties to persevere in it,
or even, for the security of
commerce, sanction similar engagements
where the purpose sought to be
realized is indifferent: but
because I did not find anything
on earth which was wholly superior
to change, and because, for myself
in particular, I hoped gradually
to perfect my judgments, and
not to suffer them to deteriorate,
I would have deemed it a grave
sin against good sense, if, for
the reason that I approved of
something at a particular time,
I therefore bound myself to hold
it for good at a subsequent time,
when perhaps it had ceased to
be so, or I had ceased to esteem
it such.
My second maxim was to be as
firm and resolute in my actions
as I was able, and not to adhere
less steadfastly to the most
doubtful opinions, when once
adopted, than if they had been
highly certain; imitating in
this the example of travelers
who, when they have lost their
way in a forest, ought not to
wander from side to side, far
less remain in one place, but
proceed constantly towards the
same side in as straight a line
as possible, without changing
their direction for slight reasons,
although perhaps it might be
chance alone which at first determined
the selection; for in this way,
if they do not exactly reach
the point they desire, they will
come at least in the end to some
place that will probably be preferable
to the middle of a forest. In
the same way, since in action
it frequently happens that no
delay is permissible, it is very
certain that, when it is not
in our power to determine what
is true, we ought to act according
to what is most probable; and
even although we should not remark
a greater probability in one
opinion than in another, we ought
notwithstanding to choose one
or the other, and afterwards
consider it, in so far as it
relates to practice, as no longer
dubious, but manifestly true
and certain, since the reason
by which our choice has been
determined is itself possessed
of these qualities. This principle
was sufficient thenceforward
to rid me of all those repentings
and pangs of remorse that usually
disturb the consciences of such
feeble and uncertain minds as,
destitute of any clear and determinate
principle of choice, allow themselves
one day to adopt a course of
action as the best, which they
abandon the next, as the opposite.
My third maxim was to endeavor
always to conquer myself rather
than fortune, and change my desires
rather than the order of the
world, and in general, accustom
myself to the persuasion that,
except our own thoughts, there
is nothing absolutely in our
power; so that when we have done
our best in things external to
us, all wherein we fail of success
is to be held, as regards us,
absolutely impossible: and this
single principle seemed to me
sufficient to prevent me from
desiring for the future anything
which I could not obtain, and
thus render me contented; for
since our will naturally seeks
those objects alone which the
understanding represents as in
some way possible of attainment,
it is plain, that if we consider
all external goods as equally
beyond our power, we shall no
more regret the absence of such
goods as seem due to our birth,
when deprived of them without
any fault of ours, than our not
possessing the kingdoms of China
or Mexico, and thus making, so
to speak, a virtue of necessity,
we shall no more desire health
in disease, or freedom in imprisonment,
than we now do bodies incorruptible
as diamonds, or the wings of
birds to fly with. But I confess
there is need of prolonged discipline
and frequently repeated meditation
to accustom the mind to view
all objects in this light; and
I believe that in this chiefly
consisted the secret of the power
of such philosophers as in former
times were enabled to rise superior
to the influence of fortune,
and, amid suffering and poverty,
enjoy a happiness which their
gods might have envied. For,
occupied incessantly with the
consideration of the limits prescribed
to their power by nature, they
became so entirely convinced
that nothing was at their disposal
except their own thoughts, that
this conviction was of itself
sufficient to prevent their entertaining
any desire of other objects;
and over their thoughts they
acquired a sway so absolute,
that they had some ground on
this account for esteeming themselves
more rich and more powerful,
more free and more happy, than
other men who, whatever be the
favors heaped on them by nature
and fortune, if destitute of
this philosophy, can never command
the realization of all their
desires.
In fine, to conclude this code
of morals, I thought of reviewing
the different occupations of
men in this life, with the view
of making choice of the best.
And, without wishing to offer
any remarks on the employments
of others, I may state that it
was my conviction that I could
not do better than continue in
that in which I was engaged,
viz., in devoting my whole life
to the culture of my reason,
and in making the greatest progress
I was able in the knowledge of
truth, on the principles of the
method which I had prescribed
to myself. This method, from
the time I had begun to apply
it, had been to me the source
of satisfaction so intense as
to lead me to, believe that more
perfect or more innocent could
not be enjoyed in this life;
and as by its means I daily discovered
truths that appeared to me of
some importance, and of which
other men were generally ignorant,
the gratification thence arising
so occupied my mind that I was
wholly indifferent to every other
object. Besides, the three preceding
maxims were founded singly on
the design of continuing the
work of self- instruction. For
since God has endowed each of
us with some light of reason
by which to distinguish truth
from error, I could not have
believed that I ought for a single
moment to rest satisfied with
the opinions of another, unless
I had resolved to exercise my
own judgment in examining these
whenever I should be duly qualified
for the task. Nor could I have
proceeded on such opinions without
scruple, had I supposed that
I should thereby forfeit any
advantage for attaining still
more accurate, should such exist.
And, in fine, I could not have
restrained my desires, nor remained
satisfied had I not followed
a path in which I thought myself
certain of attaining all the
knowledge to the acquisition
of which I was competent, as
well as the largest amount of
what is truly good which I could
ever hope to secure Inasmuch
as we neither seek nor shun any
object except in so far as our
understanding represents it as
good or bad, all that is necessary
to right action is right judgment,
and to the best action the most
correct judgment, that is, to
the acquisition of all the virtues
with all else that is truly valuable
and within our reach; and the
assurance of such an acquisition
cannot fail to render us contented.
Having thus provided myself
with these maxims, and having
placed them in reserve along
with the truths of faith, which
have ever occupied the first
place in my belief, I came to
the conclusion that I might with
freedom set about ridding myself
of what remained of my opinions.
And, inasmuch as I hoped to be
better able successfully to accomplish
this work by holding intercourse
with mankind, than by remaining
longer shut up in the retirement
where these thoughts had occurred
to me, I betook me again to traveling
before the winter was well ended.
And, during the nine subsequent
years, I did nothing but roam
from one place to another, desirous
of being a spectator rather than
an actor in the plays exhibited
on the theater of the world;
and, as I made it my business
in each matter to reflect particularly
upon what might fairly be doubted
and prove a source of error,
I gradually rooted out from my
mind all the errors which had
hitherto crept into it. Not that
in this I imitated the sceptics
who doubt only that they may
doubt, and seek nothing beyond
uncertainty itself; for, on the
contrary, my design was singly
to find ground of assurance,
and cast aside the loose earth
and sand, that I might reach
the rock or the clay. In this,
as appears to me, I was successful
enough; for, since I endeavored
to discover the falsehood or
incertitude of the propositions
I examined, not by feeble conjectures,
but by clear and certain reasonings,
I met with nothing so doubtful
as not to yield some conclusion
of adequate certainty, although
this were merely the inference,
that the matter in question contained
nothing certain. And, just as
in pulling down an old house,
we usually reserve the ruins
to contribute towards the erection,
so, in destroying such of my
opinions as I judged to be Ill-founded,
I made a variety of observations
and acquired an amount of experience
of which I availed myself in
the establishment of more certain.
And further, I continued to exercise
myself in the method I had prescribed;
for, besides taking care in general
to conduct all my thoughts according
to its rules, I reserved some
hours from time to time which
I expressly devoted to the employment
of the method in the solution
of mathematical difficulties,
or even in the solution likewise
of some questions belonging to
other sciences, but which, by
my having detached them from
such principles of these sciences
as were of inadequate certainty,
were rendered almost mathematical:
the truth of this will be manifest
from the numerous examples contained
in this volume. And thus, without
in appearance living otherwise
than those who, with no other
occupation than that of spending
their lives agreeably and innocently,
study to sever pleasure from
vice, and who, that they may
enjoy their leisure without ennui,
have recourse to such pursuits
as are honorable, I was nevertheless
prosecuting my design, and making
greater progress in the knowledge
of truth, than I might, perhaps,
have made had I been engaged
in the perusal of books merely,
or in holding converse with men
of letters.
These nine years passed away,
however, before I had come to
any determinate judgment respecting
the difficulties which form matter
of dispute among the learned,
or had commenced to seek the
principles of any philosophy
more certain than the vulgar.
And the examples of many men
of the highest genius, who had,
in former times, engaged in this
inquiry, but, as appeared to
me, without success, led me to
imagine it to be a work of so
much difficulty, that I would
not perhaps have ventured on
it so soon had I not heard it
currently rumored that I had
already completed the inquiry.
I know not what were the grounds
of this opinion; and, if my conversation
contributed in any measure to
its rise, this must have happened
rather from my having confessed
my Ignorance with greater freedom
than those are accustomed to
do who have studied a little,
and expounded perhaps, the reasons
that led me to doubt of many
of those things that by others
are esteemed certain, than from
my having boasted of any system
of philosophy. But, as I am of
a disposition that makes me unwilling
to be esteemed different from
what I really am, I thought it
necessary to endeavor by all
means to render myself worthy
of the reputation accorded to
me; and it is now exactly eight
years since this desire constrained
me to remove from all those places
where interruption from any of
my acquaintances was possible,
and betake myself to this country,
in which the long duration of
the war has led to the establishment
of such discipline, that the
armies maintained seem to be
of use only in enabling the inhabitants
to enjoy more securely the blessings
of peace and where, in the midst
of a great crowd actively engaged
in business, and more careful
of their own affairs than curious
about those of others, I have
been enabled to live without
being deprived of any of the
conveniences to be had in the
most populous cities, and yet
as solitary and as retired as
in the midst of the most remote
deserts. |