Descartes: A Biography

end CUNYB/Clarke     December, :

Notes to Pages– 

.Elizabeth wrote to Descartes,August,asking for ‘rules for the preservation

of my health’ (iv.). Descartes is now writing, onMay,toexplain that

Pollot had promised to keep him informed about her health and, since he had

heard nothing further from him, he had assumed that all was well. Descartes to

Elizabeth,May(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth, May or June(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth, May or June(iv.).

.Henricus Bornius to Gassendi,June(quoted in iv., note).

.Elizabeth to Descartes,June(iv.). Descartes refers to his garden studies

in reply, June(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,July(iv.–).

.PartIII of theDiscourse(vi.–) includes four maxims as a provisional personal

code, the last three of which are: once decided on a certain course of action, not to

change direction in midcourse; to accept that there is nothing that is completely

in his control except himself, and to change himself and adjust his desires rather

than attempt to change the world; and finally, to pursue the search for truth as

muchas possible as his primary vocation in life.

.Descartes to Elizabeth,September(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,September(iv.).

.This is repeated in his next letter ofSeptember: ‘All our passions represent

the goods that they incite us to pursue as much greater than they really are’

(iv.–).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,September:‘Iwas uncertain whether Your Highness

was at The Hague or at Rhenen’ (iv.).

.Elizabeth to Descartes,September(iv.).

.Elizabeth to Descartes,September: ‘How can one measure the evils that

onecauses to the public, in comparison with the good that one would derive from

it, without the latter appearing greater since one has a much more distinct idea

of it? And what measure shall we use to compare things that are not equally well

known to us, such as what we deserve and what those with whom we live deserve?’

(iv.)

.Descartes to Elizabeth,October(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,Novemberand January(iv.,). Eliza-

beth’s letter ofNovember(iv.)continues the discussion.

.Descartes to Elizabeth,October(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,November(iv.).

.Elizabeth to Descartes,November(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth, January(iv.).

.These suggestions are found in Descartes’ letters of June(iv.);Septem-

ber(iv.);November(iv.); May(iv.).

.Descartes to Elizabeth,October(iv.).

.Ibid., (iv.).

.Descartes to Chanut,June, mentions that while he was growing plants

to assist research in natural philosophy, he took time to ponder some questions