It is true,indeed,as regards the experiments which may conduce to this end,that one man is not equal to the task of making them all;but yet he can advantageously avail himself,in this work,of no hands besides his own,unless those of artisans,or parties of the same kind,whom he could pay,and whom the hope of gain (a means of great efficacy)might stimulate to accuracy in the performance of what was prescribed to them.For as to those who,through curiosity or a desire of learning,of their own accord,perhaps,offer him their services,besides that in general their promises exceed their performance,and that they sketch out fine designs of which not one is ever realized,they will,without doubt,expect to be compensated for their trouble by the explication of some difficulties,or,at least,by compliments and useless speeches,in which he cannot spend any portion of his time without loss to himself.And as for the experiments that others have already made,even although these parties should be willing of themselves to communicate them to him (which is what those who esteem them secrets will never do),the experiments are,for the most part,accompanied with so many circumstances and superfluous elements,as to make it exceedingly difficult to disentangle the truth from its adjuncts-besides,he will find almost all of them so ill described,or even so false (because those who made them have wished to see in them only such facts as they deemed conformable to their principles),that,if in the entire number there should be some of a nature suited to his purpose,still their value could not compensate for the time what would be necessary to make the selection.So that if there existed any one whom we assuredly knew to be capable of making discoveries of the highest kind,and of the greatest possible utility to the public;and if all other men were therefore eager by all means to assist him in successfully prosecuting his designs,I do not see that they could do aught else for him beyond contributing to defray the expenses of the experiments that might be necessary;and for the rest,prevent his being deprived of his leisure by the unseasonable interruptions of any one.But besides that I neither have so high an opinion of myself as to be willing to make promise of anything extraordinary,nor feed on imaginations so vain as to fancy that the public must be much interested in my designs;I do not,on the other hand,own a soul so mean as to be capable of accepting from any one a favor of which it could be supposed that I was unworthy.
These considerations taken together were the reason why,for the last three years,I have been unwilling to publish the treatise I had on hand,and why I even resolved to give publicity during my life to no other that was so general,or by which the principles of my physics might be understood.But since then,two other reasons have come into operation that have determined me here to subjoin some particular specimens,and give the public some account of my doings and designs.Of these considerations,the first is,that if I failed to do so,many who were cognizant of my previous intention to publish some writings,might have imagined that the reasons which induced me to refrain from so doing,were less to my credit than they really are;for although I am not immoderately desirous of glory,or even,if I may venture so to say,although I am averse from it in so far as I deem it hostile to repose which I hold in greater account than aught else,yet,at the same time,I have never sought to conceal my actions as if they were crimes,nor made use of many precautions that I might remain unknown;and this partly because I should have thought such a course of conduct a wrong against myself,and partly because it would have occasioned me some sort of uneasiness which would again have been contrary to the perfect mental tranquillity which I court.
And forasmuch as,while thus indifferent to the thought alike of fame or of forgetfulness,I have yet been unable to prevent myself from acquiring some sort of reputation,I have thought it incumbent on me to do my best to save myself at least from being ill-spoken of.The other reason that has determined me to commit to writing these specimens of philosophy is,that I am becoming daily more and more alive to the delay which my design of self-instruction suffers,for want of the infinity of experiments Irequire,and which it is impossible for me to make without the assistance of others:and,without flattering myself so much as to expect the public to take a large share in my interests,I am yet unwilling to be found so far wanting in the duty I owe to myself,as to give occasion to those who shall survive me to make it matter of reproach against me some day,that Imight have left them many things in a much more perfect state than I have done,had I not too much neglected to make them aware of the ways in which they could have promoted the accomplishment of my designs.
And I thought that it was easy for me to select some matters which should neither be obnoxious to much controversy,nor should compel me to expound more of my principles than I desired,and which should yet be sufficient clearly to exhibit what I can or cannot accomplish in the sciences.
