Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/118

 Cartes recommends to us another Way in his philosophical Method, where he gives this Relation of his own Progress; that after he had run through the usual Studies of Youth, and spent his first Years in an active Life; when he retired to search into Truth, he at once rejected all the Impressions, which he had before received, from what he had heard and read, and wholly gave himself over to a Reflection on the naked Ideas of his own Mind. This he profess'd to do, that he might lay aside all his old Imaginations, and begin anew to write on a white and unblotted Soul. This, perhaps, is more allowable in Matters of Contemplation, and in a Gentleman, whose chief Aim was his own Delight; and To it was in his own Choice, whether or no he would go farther to seek it, than his own Mind: But it can by no means stand with a practical and universal Inquiry. It is impossible, but they, who will only transcribe their own Thoughts, and disdain to measure or strengthen them by the Assistance of others, should be in most of their Apprehensions too narrow, and obscure; by setting down Things for general, which are only peculiar to themselves. It cannot be avoided, but they will commit many gross Mistakes, and bestow much useless Pains by making themselves wilfully ignorant of what is already known, and what concealed. It was tried among the Antients, to find out the pure and primitive Language of the World, by breeding up a Child so, that he might never hear any Man speak. But what was the Event of that Trial? Instead of obtaining that End, the Child was made absolutely dumb thereby. And the like Success will that Philosopher find, who shall expect, that, by the keeping his Mind free from the Tincture of all other Opinions, it will give him the original and Rh