DISCOURSE ON METHOD. 5 



as flourishing, and as fertile in powerful minds as 

 any preceding one. I was thus led to take the 

 liberty of judging of all other men by myself, and of 

 concluding that there was no science in existence 

 that was of such a nature as I had previously been 

 given to believe. 



~"f still continued, however, to hold in esteem the 

 .studies of the Schools. I was aware that the Lan- 

 guages taught in them are necessary to the under- 

 standing of the writings of the ancients ; that the 

 grace of Fable stirs the mind ; that the memorable 

 deeds of History elevate it ; and, if read with dis- 

 cretion, aid in forming the judgment; that the 

 perusal of all excellent books is, as it were, to 

 interview with the noblest men of past ages, who 

 have written them, and even a studied interview, in 

 which are discovered to us only their choicest 

 thoughts; that Eloquence has incomparable force 

 and beauty ; that Poesy has its ravishing graces and 

 delights; that in the Mathematics there are many 

 refined discoveries eminently suited to gratify the 

 inquisitive, as well as further all the arts and lessen 

 the labour of man; that numerous highly useful 

 precepts and exhortations to virtue are contained in 

 treatises on Morals; that Theology points out the 

 path to heaven ; that Philosophy affords the means 

 of discoursing with an appearance of truth on all 

 matters, and commands the admiration of the more 

 simple ; that Jurisprudence, Medicine, and the other 

 Sciences, secure for their cultivators honours and 

 riches ; and, in fine, that it is useful to bestow some 

 attention upon all, even upon those abounding the 



