82 DESCARTES. 



words to them on the subject; or who are the more 

 liable to error and the less capable of perceiving 

 truth in very proportion as they are more subtle and 

 lively. As to the opinions which are truly and 

 wholly mine, I offer no apology for them as new, 

 persuaded as I am that if their reasons be well con- 

 sidered they will be found to be so simple and so 

 conformed to common sense as to appear less 

 extraordinary and less paradoxical than any others 

 which can be held on the same subjects ; nor do I 

 even boast of being the earliest discoverer of any of 

 them, but only of having adopted them, neither 

 because they had nor because they had not been held 

 by others, but solely because Reason has convinced 

 me of their truth. 



Though artisans may not be able at once to 

 execute the invention which is explained in the 

 Dioptrics, I do not think that any one on that 

 account is entitled to condemn it , for since address 

 and practice are required in order so to make and 

 adjust the machines described by me as not to over- 

 look the smallest particular, I should not be less 

 astonished if they succeeded on the first attempt 

 than if a person were in one day to become an 

 accomplished performer on the guitar, by merely 

 having excellent sheets of music set up before him. 

 And if I write in French, which is the language of 

 my country, in preference to Latin, which is that of 

 my preceptors, it is because I expect that those who 

 make use of their unprejudiced natural Reason will 

 be better judges of my opinions than those who give 

 heed to the writings of the ancients only ; and as for 



