And finally, as it is not enough, before commencing to rebuild th house in which we live, that it be pulled down, and materials an builders provided, or that we engage in the work ourselves, accordin to a plan which we have beforehand carefully drawn out, but as it i likewise necessary that we be furnished with some other house in whic we may live commodiously during the operations, so that I might no remain irresolute in my actions, while my reason compelled me t suspend my judgement, and that I might not be prevented from livin thenceforward in the greatest possible felicity, I formed a provisor code of morals, composed of three or four maxims, with which I a desirous to make you acquainted

The first was to obey the laws and customs of my country, adherin firmly to the faith in which, by the grace of God, I had been educate from my childhood and regulating my conduct in every other matte according to the most moderate opinions, and the farthest removed fro extremes, which should happen to be adopted in practice with genera consent of the most judicious of those among whom I might be living For as I had from that time begun to hold my own opinions for nough because I wished to subject them all to examination, I was convince that I could not do better than follow in the meantime the opinions o the most judicious; and although there are some perhaps among th Persians and Chinese as judicious as among ourselves, expediency seeme to dictate that I should regulate my practice conformably to th opinions of those with whom I should have to live; and it appeared t me that, in order to ascertain the real opinions of such, I ough rather to take cognizance of what they practised than of what the said, not only because, in the corruption of our manners, there are fe disposed to speak exactly as they believe, but also because very man are not aware of what it is that they really believe; for, as the ac of mind by which a thing is believed is different from that by which w know that we believe it, the one act is often found without the other Also, amid many opinions held in equal repute, I chose always the mos moderate, as much for the reason that these are always the mos convenient for practice, and probably the best (for all excess i generally vicious), as that, in the event of my falling into error, might be at less distance from the truth than if, having chosen one o the extremes, it should turn out to be the other which I ought to hav adopted. And I placed in the class of extremes especially all promise by which somewhat of our freedom is abridged; not that I disapproved o the laws which, to provide against the instability of men of feebl resolution, when what is sought to be accomplished is some good, permi engagements by vows and contracts binding the parties to persevere i it, or even, for the security of commerce, sanction similar engagement where the purpose sought to be realized is indifferent: but because did not find anything on earth which was wholly superior to change, an because, for myself in particular, I hoped gradually to perfect m judgments, and not to suffer them to deteriorate, I would have deeme it a grave sin against good sense, if, for the reason that I approve of something at a particular time, I therefore bound myself to hold i for good at a subsequent time, when perhaps it had ceased to be so, o I had ceased to esteem it such

My second maxim was to be as firm and resolute in my actions as I wa able, and not to adhere less steadfastly to the most doubtful opinions when once adopted, than if they had been highly certain; imitating i this the example of travelers who, when they have lost their way in forest, ought not to wander from side to side, far less remain in on place, but proceed constantly towards the same side in as straight line as possible, without changing their direction for slight reasons although perhaps it might be chance alone which at first determined th selection; for in this way, if they do not exactly reach the point the desire, they will come at least in the end to some place that wil probably be preferable to the middle of a forest. In the same way since in action it frequently happens that no delay is permissible, i is very certain that, when it is not in our power to determine what i true, we ought to act according to what is most probable; and eve although we should not remark a greater probability in one opinion tha in another, we ought notwithstanding to choose one or the other, an afterwards consider it, in so far as it relates to practice, as n longer dubious, but manifestly true and certain, since the reason b which our choice has been determined is itself possessed of thes qualities. This principle was sufficient thenceforward to rid me o all those repentings and pangs of remorse that usually disturb th consciences of such feeble and uncertain minds as, destitute of an clear and determinate principle of choice, allow themselves one day t adopt a course of action as the best, which they abandon the next, a the opposite

My third maxim was to endeavor always to conquer myself rather tha fortune, and change my desires rather than the order of the world, an in general, accustom myself to the persuasion that, except our ow thoughts, there is nothing absolutely in our power; so that when w have done our best in things external to us, all wherein we fail o success is to be held, as regards us, absolutely impossible: and thi single principle seemed to me sufficient to prevent me from desirin for the future anything which I could not obtain, and thus render m contented; for since our will naturally seeks those objects alone whic the understanding represents as in some way possible of attainment, i is plain, that if we consider all external goods as equally beyond ou power, we shall no more regret the absence of such goods as seem due t our birth, when deprived of them without any fault of ours, than ou not possessing the kingdoms of China or Mexico, and thus making, so t speak, a virtue of necessity, we shall no more desire health i disease, or freedom in imprisonment, than we now do bodie incorruptible as diamonds, or the wings of birds to fly with. But confess there is need of prolonged discipline and frequently repeate meditation to accustom the mind to view all objects in this light; an I believe that in this chiefly consisted the secret of the power o such philosophers as in former times were enabled to rise superior t the influence of fortune, and, amid suffering and poverty, enjoy happiness which their gods might have envied. For, occupie incessantly with the consideration of the limits prescribed to thei power by nature, they became so entirely convinced that nothing was a their disposal except their own thoughts, that this conviction was o itself sufficient to prevent their entertaining any desire of othe objects; and over their thoughts they acquired a sway so absolute, tha they had some ground on this account for esteeming themselves more ric and more powerful, more free and more happy, than other men who whatever be the favors heaped on them by nature and fortune, i destitute of this philosophy, can never command the realization of al their desires

In fine, to conclude this code of morals, I thought of reviewing th different occupations of men in this life, with the view of makin choice of the best. And, without wishing to offer any remarks on th employments of others, I may state that it was my conviction that could not do better than continue in that in which I was engaged, viz. in devoting my whole life to the culture of my reason, and in makin the greatest progress I was able in the knowledge of truth, on th principles of the method which I had prescribed to myself. Thi method, from the time I had begun to apply it, had been to me th source of satisfaction so intense as to lead me to, believe that mor perfect or more innocent could not be enjoyed in this life; and as b its means I daily discovered truths that appeared to me of som importance, and of which other men were generally ignorant, th gratification thence arising so occupied my mind that I was wholl indifferent to every other object. Besides, the three preceding maxim were founded singly on the design of continuing the work o self-instruction. For since God has endowed each of us with some ligh of reason by which to distinguish truth from error, I could not hav believed that I ought for a single moment to rest satisfied with th opinions of another, unless I had resolved to exercise my own judgmen in examining these whenever I should be duly qualified for the task Nor could I have proceeded on such opinions without scruple, had supposed that I should thereby forfeit any advantage for attainin still more accurate, should such exist. And, in fine, I could not hav restrained my desires, nor remained satisfied had I not followed a pat in which I thought myself certain of attaining all the knowledge to th acquisition of which I was competent, as well as the largest amount o what is truly good which I could ever hope to secure Inasmuch as w neither seek nor shun any object except in so far as our understandin represents it as good or bad, all that is necessary to right action i right judgment, and to the best action the most correct judgment, tha is, to the acquisition of all the virtues with all else that is trul valuable and within our reach; and the assurance of such an acquisitio cannot fail to render us contented

Having thus provided myself with these maxims, and having placed the in reserve along with the truths of faith, which have ever occupie the first place in my belief, I came to the conclusion that I migh with freedom set about ridding myself of what remained of my opinions And, inasmuch as I hoped to be better able successfully to accomplis this work by holding intercourse with mankind, than by remaining longe shut up in the retirement where these thoughts had occurred to me, betook me again to traveling before the winter was well ended. And during the nine subsequent years, I did nothing but roam from one plac to another, desirous of being a spectator rather than an actor in th plays exhibited on the theater of the world; and, as I made it m business in each matter to reflect particularly upon what might fairl be doubted and prove a source of error, I gradually rooted out from m mind all the errors which had hitherto crept into it. Not that in thi I imitated the sceptics who doubt only that they may doubt, and see nothing beyond uncertainty itself; for, on the contrary, my design wa singly to find ground of assurance, and cast aside the loose earth an sand, that I might reach the rock or the clay. In this, as appears t me, I was successful enough; for, since I endeavored to discover th falsehood or incertitude of the propositions I examined, not by feebl conjectures, but by clear and certain reasonings, I met with nothing s doubtful as not to yield some conclusion of adequate certainty although this were merely the inference, that the matter in questio contained nothing certain. And, just as in pulling down an old house we usually reserve the ruins to contribute towards the erection, so, i destroying such of my opinions as I judged to be Ill-founded, I made variety of observations and acquired an amount of experience of which availed myself in the establishment of more certain. And further, continued to exercise myself in the method I had prescribed; for besides taking care in general to conduct all my thoughts according t its rules, I reserved some hours from time to time which I expressl devoted to the employment of the method in the solution of mathematica difficulties, or even in the solution likewise of some question belonging to other sciences, but which, by my having detached them fro such principles of these sciences as were of inadequate certainty, wer rendered almost mathematical: the truth of this will be manifest fro the numerous examples contained in this volume. And thus, without i appearance living otherwise than those who, with no other occupatio than that of spending their lives agreeably and innocently, study t sever pleasure from vice, and who, that they may enjoy their leisur without ennui, have recourse to such pursuits as are honorable, I wa nevertheless prosecuting my design, and making greater progress in th knowledge of truth, than I might, perhaps, have made had I been engage in the perusal of books merely, or in holding converse with men o letters

These nine years passed away, however, before I had come to an determinate judgment respecting the difficulties which form matter o dispute among the learned, or had commenced to seek the principles o any philosophy more certain than the vulgar. And the examples of man men of the highest genius, who had, in former times, engaged in thi inquiry, but, as appeared to me, without success, led me to imagine i to be a work of so much difficulty, that I would not perhaps hav ventured on it so soon had I not heard it currently rumored that I ha already completed the inquiry. I know not what were the grounds o this opinion; and, if my conversation contributed in any measure to it rise, this must have happened rather from my having confessed m Ignorance with greater freedom than those are accustomed to do who hav studied a little, and expounded perhaps, the reasons that led me t doubt of many of those things that by others are esteemed certain, tha from my having boasted of any system of philosophy. But, as I am of disposition that makes me unwilling to be esteemed different from wha I really am, I thought it necessary to endeavor by all means to rende myself worthy of the reputation accorded to me; and it is now exactl eight years since this desire constrained me to remove from all thos places where interruption from any of my acquaintances was possible and betake myself to this country, in which the long duration of th war has led to the establishment of such discipline, that the armie maintained seem to be of use only in enabling the inhabitants to enjo more securely the blessings of peace and where, in the midst of a grea crowd actively engaged in business, and more careful of their ow affairs than curious about those of others, I have been enabled to liv without being deprived of any of the conveniences to be had in the mos populous cities, and yet as solitary and as retired as in the midst o the most remote deserts