every day presented to me by my senses。 And I ought to set
aside all the doubts of these past days as hyperbolical and
ridiculous； particularly that very mon uncertainty
respecting sleep； which I could not distinguish from the
waking state； for at present I find a very notable difference
between the two； inasmuch as our memory can never connect our
dreams one with the other； or with the whole course of our
lives； as it unites events which happen to us while we are
awake。 And； as a matter of fact； if someone； while I was
awake； quite suddenly appeared to me and disappeared as fast
as do the images which I see in sleep； so that I could not
know from whence the form came nor whither it went； it would
not be without reason that I should deem it a spectre or a
phantom formed by my brain ＇and similar to those which I form
in sleep＇； rather than a real man。 But when I perceive things
as to which I know distinctly both the place from which they
proceed； and that in which they are； and the time at which
they appeared to me； and when； without any interruption； I can
connect the perceptions which I have of them with the whole
course of my life； I am perfectly assured that these
perceptions occur while I am waking and not during sleep。 And
I ought in no wise to doubt the truth of such matters； if；
after having called up all my senses； my memory； and my
understanding； to examine them； nothing is brought to evidence
by any one of them which is repugnant to what is set forth by
the others。 For because God is in no wise a deceiver； it
follows that I am not deceived in this。 But because the
exigencies of action often oblige us to make up our minds
before having leisure to examine matters carefully； we must
confess that the life of man is very frequently subject to
error in respect to individual objects； and we must in the end
acknowledge the infirmity of our nature。
Notes：
2For convenience sake the 〃Objections and Replies〃 are
published in the second volume of this edition。
3The French version is followed here。
4The French version is followed here。
5When it is thought desirable to insert additional readings
from the French version this will be indicated by the use of
square brackets。
6Between the Praefatio ad Lectorem and the Synopsis； the Paris
Edition （1st Edition） interpolates an Index which is not found
in the Amsterdam Edition （2nd Edition）。 Since Descartes did
not reproduce it； he was doubtless not its author。 Mersenne
probably posed it himself； adjusting it to the paging of
the first Edition。 （Note in Adam and Tannery's Edition。）
7intellectio。
8imaginatio。
9In place of this long title at the head of the page the first
Edition had immediately after the Synopsis； and on the same
page 7； simply 〃First Meditation。〃 （Adam's Edition。）
10Or 〃form an image〃 （effingo）。
11Sentire。
12entendement F。； mens L。
13inspectio。
14sensus munis。
15Percipio； F。 nous concevons。
16The French version is followed here as being more explicit。
In it 〃action de mon esprit〃 replaces 〃mea cogitatio。〃
17In the Latin version 〃similitudinem。〃
18Not in the French version。
19percipio。
20perceptio。
21〃In the idea of whom alone necessary or eternal existence is
prised。〃 French version。
22〃From the moment that。〃 French version。
23〃Conception；〃 French version。 〃intellectionem；〃 Latin
version。
24intueor。
25acie mentis。
26intellectionem。
27sensus munis。
28Latin version only。
29spini dorsae medullam。