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elegant and modious than those which several have attempted to
improve； by making old walls serve for purposes for which they were not
originally built。 Thus also； those ancient cities which； from being at first
only villages； have bee； in course of time； large towns； are usually but
ill laid out pared with the regularity constructed towns which a
professional architect has freely planned on an open plain； so that although
the several buildings of the former may often equal or surpass in beauty
those of the latter； yet when one observes their indiscriminate
juxtaposition； there a large one and here a small； and the consequent
crookedness and irregularity of the streets； one is disposed to allege that
chance rather than any human will guided by reason must have led to such
an arrangement。 And if we consider that nevertheless there have been at
all times certain officers whose duty it was to see that private buildings
contributed to public ornament； the difficulty of reaching high perfection
with but the materials of others to operate on； will be readily
acknowledged。 In the same way I fancied that those nations which；
starting from a semi…barbarous state and advancing to civilization by slow
degrees； have had their laws successively determined； and； as it were；
forced upon them simply by experience of the hurtfulness of particular
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DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD OF RIGHTLY CONDUCTING THE REASON； AND
SEEKING TRUTH IN THE SCIENCES
crimes and disputes； would by this process e to be possessed of less
perfect institutions than those which； from the mencement of their
association as munities； have followed the appointments of some wise
legislator。 It is thus quite certain that the constitution of the true religion；
the ordinances of which are derived from God； must be inparably
superior to that of every other。 And； to speak of human affairs； I believe
that the pre…eminence of Sparta was due not to the goodness of each of its
laws in particular； for many of these were very strange； and even opposed
to good morals； but to the circumstance that； originated by a single
individual； they all tended to a single end。 In the same way I thought that
the sciences contained in books （such of them at least as are made up of
probable reasonings； without demonstrations）； posed as they are of the
opinions of many different individuals massed together； are farther
removed from truth than the simple inferences which a man of good sense
using his natural and unprejudiced judgment draws respecting the matters
of his experience。 And because we have all to pass through a state of
infancy to manhood； and have been of necessity； for a length of time；
governed by our desires and preceptors （whose dictates were frequently
conflicting； while neither perhaps always counseled us for the best）； I
farther concluded that it is almost impossible that our judgments can be so
correct or solid as they would have been； had our reason been mature from
the moment of our birth； and had we always been guided by it alone。
It is true； however； that it is not customary to pull down all the houses
of a town with the single design of rebuilding them differently； and
thereby rendering the streets more handsome； but it often happens that a
private individual takes down his own with the view of erecting it anew；
and that people are even sometimes constrained to this when their houses
are in danger of falling from age； or when the foundations are insecure。
With this before me by way of example； I was persuaded that it would
indeed be preposterous for a private individual to think of reforming a
state by fundamentally changing it throughout； and overturning it in order
to set it up amended； and the same I thought was true of any similar
project for reforming the body of the sciences； or the order of teaching
them established in the schools： but as for the opinions which up to that
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DISCOURSE ON THE METHOD OF RIGHTLY CONDUCTING THE REASON； AND
SEEKING TRUTH IN THE SCIENCES
time I had embraced； I thought that I could not do better than resolve at
once to sweep them wholly away； that I might afterwards be in a position
to admit either others more correct； or even perhaps the same when they
had undergone the scrutiny of reason。 I firmly believed that in this way I
should much better succeed in the conduct of my life； than if I built only
upon old foundations； and leaned upon principles which； in my youth； I
had taken upon trust。 For although I recognized various difficulties in
this undertaking； these were not； however； without remedy； nor once to be
pared with such as attend the slightest reformation in public affairs。
Large bodies； if once overthrown； are with great difficulty set up again； or
even kept erect when once seriously shaken； and the fall of such is always
disastrous。 Then if there are any imperfections in the constitutions of
states （and that many such exist the diversity of constitutions is alone
sufficient to assure us）； custom has without doubt materially smoothed
their inconveniences； and has even managed to steer altogether clear of； or
insensibly corrected a number which sagacity could not have provided
against with equal effect； and； in fine； the defects are almost always more
tolerable than the change necessary for their removal； in the same manner
that highways which wind among mountains； by being much frequented；
bee gradually so smooth and modious； that it is much better to
follow them than to seek a straighter path by climbing over the tops of
rocks and descending to the bottoms of precipices。
Hence it is that I cannot in any degree approve of those restless and
busy meddlers who； called neither by birth nor fortune to take part in the
management of public affairs； are yet always projecting reforms； and if I
thought that this tract contained aught which might justify the suspicion
that I was a victim of such folly； I would