80 DESCARTES. 



others : and, without flattering myself so much as to 

 expect the public to take a large share of my inter 

 ests, I am yet unwilling to be found so far wanting 

 in the duty I owe to myself, as to give occasion to 

 those who shall survive me to make it matter of 

 reproach against me some day, that I might have 

 left them many things in a much more perfect state 

 than I have done, had I not too much neglected to 

 make them aware of the ways in which they could 

 have promoted the accomplishment of my designs. 

 And I thought that it was easy for me to select 

 some matters which should neither be obnoxious 

 to much controversy, nor should compel me to 

 expound more of my principles than I desired, and 

 which should yet be sufficient clearly to exhibit what 

 I can or cannot accomplish in the Sciences. 

 Whether or not I have succeeded in this it is not for 

 me to say; and I do not wish to forestall the judg 

 ments of others by speaking myself of my writings; 

 but it will gratify me if they be examined, and, to 

 afford the greater inducement to this, I request all 

 who may have any objections to make to them, to 

 take the trouble of forwarding these to my pub 

 lisher, who will give me notice of them, that I may 

 endeavour to subjoin at the same time my reply; 

 and in this way readers seeing both at once will 

 more easily determine where the truth lies ; for I do 

 not engage in any case to make prolix replies, but 

 only with perfect frankness to avow my errors if I 

 am convinced of them, or if I cannot perceive 

 them, simply to state what I think is required for 

 defence of the matters I have written, adding 



