DISCOURSE ON METHOD. 73 



the first thoughts which occur to me, yet the experi- 

 ence I have had of possible objections to my views 

 prevents me from anticipating any profit from 

 them. For I have already had frequent proof of 

 judgments, as well of those I esteemed friends, as f^ 

 of some others to whom I thought I was an object 

 of indifference, and even of some whose malignity 

 and envy would, I knew, determine them to 

 endeavour to discover what partiality concealed 

 from the eyes of my friends. But it has rarely hap- 

 pened that anything has been objected to me which 

 I had myself altogether overlooked, unless it were 

 something far removed from the subject: so that I 

 have never met with a single critic of my opinions J 

 who did not appear to me either less rigorous or less 

 equitable than myself. And further, I have never 

 observed that any truth before unknown has been 

 brought to light by the disputations that are prac- 

 tised in the Schools ; for while each strives for the 

 victory, each is much more occupied in making the 

 best of mere verisimilitude, than in weighing the 

 reasons on both sides of the question; and those 

 who have been long good advocates are not after- 

 wards on that account the better judges. 



As for the advantage that others would derive 

 from the communication of my thoughts, it could 

 not be very great; because I have not yet so far 

 prosecuted them as that much does not remain to be 

 added before they can be applied to practice. And 

 I think I may say without vanity, that if there is 

 any one who can carry them out that length, it must 

 be myself rather than another : not that there may 





