130 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
plete, and reviews so general, that I might be assured that 
nothing was omitted." 
Descartes may be said to have so used the Deductive form of 
reasoning rather than the Inductive. Bacon proposed from effects 
to infer the cause. Descartes, although he does not reject ex- 
periment and observation, says: "We employ experiment, but not 
as a reason by which anything is proved ; for we wish to deduce 
effects from their causes, and not causes from their effects. We 
appeal to experience only, in order that we may be able, out of 
the innumerable effects which may be produced by the same 
cause, to direct our attention to one rather than the other. " 
"As it is not enough," he says, "before commencing to rebuild 
the house in which we live, that it be pulled down and materials 
and builders provided, but we must have some temporary place of 
accommodation during the operation;" so he lays down for himself 
a provisory code of morals, consisting of three principal maxims : 
"The first was to obey the laws and customs of any country, 
adhering firmly to the faith in which, by the grace of God, I had 
been educated from my childhood, and regulating my conduct in 
every other matter, according to the most moderate opinion and 
the farthest removed from extremes, which should happen to be 
adopted in practice with general consent of the most judicious of 
those among whom I might be living." He adds, "I ought 
rather to take cognizance of what they practised than of what 
they said, not only because in the corruption of our manners 
are few disposed to speak exactly as they believe, but also because 
very many are not aware of what it is they really believe ; for 
as the act of mind by which a thing is believed is different from 
that by which we know that we believe it, the one act is often 
found without the other." Probably he refers here to the fear 
men were under in expressing their real opinions on some subjects, 
such as religion, owing to the persecution which was prevalent 
at that time. He wisely also observes that "it is better to adopt 
moderate opinions rather than extreme ones, as in the event of 
falling into error I might be at a less distance from the truth 
than if, having chosen one of the extremes, it should turn out 
to be the other I should have adopted." He evidently believed 
in the old Latin proverb — "In medias res tutissima via." 
The second maxim was : "To be as firm and resolute in my 
actions as I was able, and not to adhere less steadfastly to the 
