EXPLANATION OF THE NEW SYSTEM OF THE 

 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SUBSTANCES, 

 BY WAY OF REPLY TO WHAT IS SAID 

 ABOUT IT IN THE JOURNAL OF SEPTEM- 

 BER 12, I695 1 . 1696. 



PREFATORY NOTE. 



IN the Journal des Savants for September, 1695, there 

 appeared a letter to Leibniz from Foucher in which various 

 objections to the New System were stated. Simon Foucher 

 (1644-1696) was a Canon of Dijon, who professed philosophical 

 scepticism and endeavoured to restore the teaching of the later 

 Academics, somewhat as Gassendi sought to interpret anew 

 the doctrines of Epicurus. Between 16/6 and 1695 Leibniz 

 corresponded with Foucher, discussing in the earlier letters 

 questions regarding the theory of knowledge and in the later 

 letters questions of Physics. Foucher's comparatively early 

 death was to some extent due to overwork. In 1697 Leibniz 

 writes to Nicaise (G. ii. 566) : ' I am grieved at the death of 

 M. Foucher. His curiosity was limited, and was directed only 

 to certain somewhat dry matters, and even these he did not 

 treat with the accuracy they required. Perhaps his aim was 

 merely to be the resuscitator of the Academics, as M. Gassendi 

 has resuscitated the Sect of Epicurus. But he ought not to 

 have confined himself to generalities. Plato, Cicero, Sextua 

 Empiricus and others might have enabled him to make a real 

 advance. And under pretext of doubting, he might have 

 established good and useful truths. I took the liberty of giving 



1 The reference is of course to the letter of Foucher in the Journal 

 des Savants. 



