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The Principles of Philosophy

()

Since all natural phenomena can be explained in this way...Idonot think that

any other principles of physics should be accepted or even desired.

(Principles: viii-.)

D

’ correspondence during the two years prior to publishing

thePrinciplesis almost silent about the wider political and mili-

tary turmoil within which he conducted his own intellectual war. Charles

I had been king of England since.Hewas formally challenged by

Parliament in June,inadocument called the ‘Nineteen Proposi-

tions’, because of the arrogance and arbitrariness with which he allegedly

exercised his royal powers. His formal reply,June, did little to

satisfy his critics.The civil war that resulted brought Cromwell to power

and, in January, led to the public execution of the king by order of

Parliament. During these tumultuous years, a number of royalist intellec-

tuals emigrated to France and subsequently became correspondents with

Descartes and, in some cases, supporters of his philosophy. They included

Kenelm Digby and the two Cavendish brothers, William (marquis

of Newcastle) and Charles.

The situation in the United Provinces was politically more stable than

in England but, militarily, was just as unpredictable. TheStadtholderwas

constantly under pressure, both at home and on the battlefield, because he

failed to synchronize military successes with political support, especially

in the largest and most economically powerful province, Holland, as he

carried on an increasingly stalled campaign against the Spanish Nether-

lands in the south. Descartes made minimal reference to this wider world

as he lived in relative seclusion in the north of Holland.

He had moved from the castle of Endegeest (near Leiden) to a small

village on the North Sea coast called Egmond aan den Hoef, in the early

