31 & NEW SYSTEM 



also that it is the most reasonable hypothesis and that 

 it gives a wonderful idea of the harmony of the universe 

 and the perfection of the works of God. 



1 6. There is also this great advantage in our hypo- 

 thesis, that instead of saying that we are free only 

 apparently and enough for practical purposes, as several 

 clever people have held, we must rather say that we are 

 only apparently constrained, and that, to use strict meta- 

 physical language, we possess a perfect independence as 

 regards the influence of all other created things 73 . This 

 also throws a wonderful light upon the immortality of 

 our soul and the ever unbroken preservation of our 

 individuality, which is perfectly well-ordered by its own 

 nature and independent of all external contingencies, 

 whatever appearance there may be to the contrary. 

 Never has any system more completely shown our high 

 calling. Every spirit [esprit] being like a world apart, 

 sufficient to itself, independent of eveiy other created 

 thing, involving the infinite, expressing the universe, is 

 as lasting, as continuous in its existence and as absolute 

 as the very universe of created things. Thus we should 

 hold that each spirit should always play its part \_faire 

 figure] in the universe in the way that is most fitted to 

 contribute to the perfection of the society of all spirits, 

 which constitutes their moral union in the City of God. 

 There is also here a new and surprisingly clear proof of 

 the existence of God. For this perfect agreement of so 

 many substances which have no communication with 

 one another can come only from their common cause 74 . 



17. In addition to all these advantages which this 



correspondence' (G-. iv. 476). He is still feeling for the name 

 ' Pre-established Harmony,' which he uses for the first time in 

 the First Explanation of the New System (1696). 



73 See Introduction, Part iii. pp. 141 sqq. 



74 In the First Draft, Leibniz says : ' It is true that this is only 

 by a participation, though limited, in the Divine perfections ; for 

 the agreement among the effects arises from their expressing the 

 common cause' (G-. iv. 475). Cf. Principles of Nature and of Grace, 

 n, note 49. 



