DISCOURSE ON METHOD. 79 



tion that have determined me here to subjoin some 

 particular specimens, and give the public some 

 account of my doings and designs. Of these con- 

 siderations, the first is, that if I failed to do so, 

 many who were cognizant of my previous intention 

 to publish some writings, might have imagined that 

 the reasons which induced me to refrain from so 

 doing, were less to my credit than they really are ; 

 for although I am not immoderately desirous of 

 glory, or even, if I may venture so to say, although 

 I am averse from it in so far as I deem it hostile to 

 repose which I hold in greater account than aught 

 else, yet, at the same time, I have never sought to 

 conceal my actions as if they were crimes, nor made 

 use of many precautions that I might remain 

 unknown; and this partly because I should have 

 thought such a course of conduct a wrong against 

 myself, and partly because it would have occasioned 

 me some sort of uneasiness which would again have 

 been contrary to the perfect mental tranquillity 

 which I court. And forasmuch as, while thus 

 indifferent to the thought alike of fame or of forget - 

 fulness, I have yet been unable to prevent myself 

 from acquiring some sort of reputation, I have 

 thought it incumbent on me to do my best to save 

 myself at least from being ill-spoken of. The other 

 reason that has determined me to commit to writing 

 these specimens of philosophy is, that I am becom- 

 ing daily more and more alive to the delay which my 

 design of self-instruction suffers, for want of the 

 infinity of experiments I require, and which it is 

 impossible for me to make without the assistance of 



