Descartes: A Biography

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 Descartes: A Biography

and a significant improvement on the strategies that he had preferred in

, when he had used new compasses to tackle such problems.

Descartes lodged initially with one of his father’s friends, Nicolas le

Vasseur, who had a royal appointment in the central tax office in Paris.

However, the number of visitors at the house was such that the lodger

could make little progress with his research, and he moved to a quieter

and more private house elsewhere in Paris – an evasive pattern that he

repeated throughout his life. On this occasion he moved to an address in

the Faubourg St. Germain, at a lodging house called Les Trois Chapelets,

in rue du Four. His plans for solitude were compromised when his valet

accidentally met M. le Vasseur on the street, and felt obliged to show him

where Descartes was living. According to Baillet’s account, Descartes was

accustomed to remain in bed during the morning while his valet went

shopping for his daily needs. Le Vasseur went to Les Trois Chapelets,

looked through the keyhole and saw Descartes, sitting up in bed with

the window open and the shutters raised, thinking and writing at his

leisure. Having watched him for about half an hour, the two uninvited

observers left quietly, without disturbing the unsuspecting philosopher’s

privacy.

Among those who became his friends during his Paris stay were Jean

Louis Guez de Balzac, who was author of a number of literary works

and collections of letters addressed to eminent people in France, includ-

ing Richelieu.Father Goulu, the head of the Feuillant friary in Paris,

criticized Balzac publicly – although he concealed his identity under the

pseudonym ‘Phyllarque’ – and charged him with narcissism, religious

insincerity, temerity, lack of judgment, stupidity, ineptitude, and much

more besides.Descartes came to Balzac’s defence and wrote a short

apology on his behalf that was sent to an unidentified common friend,

possibly Jean Silhon (i.–). Descartes praised Balzac’s natural display

of the ancient art of eloquence, and his truthfulness and fearlessness in

commending or reproaching the mighty for their virtues or vices. Balzac’s

undying gratitude for this moral support is obvious from subsequent let-

ters. For example, he wrote to Descartes in Amsterdam,April:‘I

did not then live but in the hope I had to go see you at Amsterdam; and to

embrace that dear Head, which is so full of reason and understanding....It

is now three years, that my imagination goes in quest after you; and that

Ievendie with longing to be united to you, and never to part from you

again.’