LONDON,
Printed by Thomas Newcombe
MDCXLIX.
The Great DESCARTES (who may justly challenge the first place amongstthe Philosophers of this Age) is the Author of this Discourse; which inthe Originall was so well known, That it could be no mans but his own,that his Name [ii]was not affix’d to it: I need say no more either of Him or It; He isbest made known by Himself, and his Writings want nothing but thyreading to commend them. But as those who cannot compasse the Originalsof Titian and Van-Dyke, are glad to adorne their Cabinets with theCopies of them; So be pleased favourably to receive his Picture from myhand, copied after his own Designe: You may therein observe the lines ofa well form’d Minde, The hightnings of Truth, The sweetnings andshadowings of Probabilities, The falls and depths of Falshood; all whichserve to perfect this Masterpiece. [iii]Now although my after-draught be rude and unpolished, and that perhaps Ihave touch’d it too boldly, The thoughts of so clear a Minde, being soextremely fine, That as the choisest words are too grosse, and fallshort fully to expresse such sublime Notions; So it cannot be, but beingtransvested, it must necessarily lose very much of its native Lustre:Nay, although I am conscious (notwithstanding the care I have takenneither to wrong the Authours Sense, nor offend the Readers Ear) of manyescapes which I have made; yet I so little doubt of being excused, ThatI am confident, my endeavour [iv]cannot but be gratefull to all Lovers of Learning; for whose benefit Ihave Englished, and to whom I addresse this Essay, which contains aMethod, by the Rules whereof we may Shape our better part, Rectifie our Reason, Form our Mannersand Square our Actions, Adorn our Mindes, and making a diligent Enquiryinto Nature, wee may attain to the Knowledge of the Truth, which is themost desirable union in the World.
Our Authour also invites all letterd men to his assistance in theprosecution of this Search; That for the good of Mankinde, They wouldpractise and communicate [v]Experiments, for the use of all those who labour for the perfection ofarts and sciences: every man now being obliged to the furtherance of sobeneficiall an undertaking, I could not but lend my hand to open thecurtain, and discover this new model of philosophy; which I now publish,neither to humour the present, nor disgust former times; but rather thatit may serve for an innocent divertisement to those, who would ratherreform themselves, then the rest of the world; and who, having the sameseeds and grounds, and knowing that there is nothing new under the sun;that novelty is but oblivion, [vi]and that knowledge is but remembrance, will study to finde out inthemselves, and restore to posterity those lost arts, which renderantiquity so venerable; and strive (if it be possible) to go beyond themin other things, as well as time: who minde not those things which areabove, beyond, or without them; but would rather limit their desires bytheir power, then change the course of nature; who seek the knowledge,and labour for the conquest of themselves; who have vertue enough tomake their own fortune; and who prefer the culture of the minde beforethe adorning of the body; [vii]...