DESCARTES. 



most in superstition and error, that we may be in a 

 position to determine their real value, and guard 

 against being deceived. 



But I believed that I had already given sufficient 

 time to Languages, and likewise to the reading of 

 the writings of the ancients, to their Histories and 

 Fables. \ For to hold converse with those of other 

 ages and to travel, are almost the same thing. It is 

 useful to know something of the manners of differ- 

 ent nations, that we may be able to form a more 

 correct judgment regarding our own, and be pre- 

 vented from thinking that everything contrary to 

 our customs is ridiculous and irrational, a con- 

 clusion usually come to by those whose experience 

 has been limited to their own country. On the 

 other hand, when too much time is occupied in 

 e ^ m ^> we become strangers to our native 

 f country ; and the over curious in the customs of the 

 past are generally ignorant of those of the present. 

 Besides, fictitious narratives lead us to imagine the 

 possibility of many events that are impossible ; and 

 even the most faithful histories, if they do not 

 wholly misrepresent matters, or exaggerate their 

 importance to render the account of them more 

 worthy of perusal, omit, at least, almost always the 

 meanest and least striking of the attendant circum- 

 stances ; \hence it happens that the remainder does 

 not represent the truth, and that such as regulate 

 their conduct by examples drawn from this source, 

 are apt to fall into the extravagances of the knight- 

 errants of Romance, and to entertain projects that 

 exceed their powers. 



