The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Discourse of a Method for the Well
Guiding of Reason, by Rene Descartes

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Title: A Discourse of a Method for the Well Guiding of Reason
and the Discovery of Truth in the Sciences

Author: Rene Descartes

Release Date: June 18, 2008 [EBook #25830]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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A Discourse
_OF A_
METHOD
For the well guiding of
REASON,
And the Discovery of _Truth_
In the
SCIENCES.

[Illustration]

LONDON,
Printed by _Thomas Newcombe_.
MDCXLIX.

To the _Understanding READER_.

The Great DESCARTES (who may justly challenge the first place amongst
the Philosophers of this Age) is the Author of this Discourse; which in
the Originall was so well known, That it could be no mans but his own,
that his Name was not affix'd to it: I need say no more either of Him
or It; He is best made known by Himself, and his Writings want nothing
but thy reading to commend them. But as those who cannot compasse the
Originals of _Titian_ and _Van-Dyke_, are glad to adorne their Cabinets
with the Copies of them; So be pleased favourably to receive his Picture
from my hand, copied after his own Designe: You may therein observe the
lines of a well form'd Minde, The hightnings of Truth, The sweetnings
and shadowings of Probabilities, The falls and depths of Falshood; all
which serve to perfect this Masterpiece. Now although my after-draught
be rude and unpolished, and that perhaps I have touch'd it too boldly,
The thoughts of so clear a Minde, being so extremely fine, That as the
choisest words are too grosse, and fall short fully to expresse such
sublime Notions; So it cannot be, but being transvested, it must
necessarily lose very much of its native Lustre: Nay, although I am
conscious (notwithstanding the care I have taken neither to wrong the
Authours Sense, nor offend the Readers Ear) of many escapes which I have
made; yet I so little doubt of being excused, That I am confident, my
endeavour