This method, from the time I had
begun to apply it, had been to me the source of satisfaction so intense as
to lead me to, believe that more perfect or more innocent could not be
enjoyed in this life; and as by its means I daily discovered truths that
appeared to me of some importance, and of which other men were generally
ignorant, the gratification thence arising so occupied my mind that I was
wholly indifferent to every other object. Besides, the three preceding
maxims were founded singly on the design of continuing the work of self-
instruction. For since God has endowed each of us with some light of
reason by which to distinguish truth from error, I could not have believed
that I ought for a single moment to rest satisfied with the opinions of
another, unless I had resolved to exercise my own judgment in examining
these whenever I should be duly qualified for the task. Nor could I have
proceeded on such opinions without scruple, had I supposed that I should
thereby forfeit any advantage for attaining still more accurate, should
such exist. And, in fine, I could not have restrained my desires, nor
remained satisfied had I not followed a path in which I thought myself
certain of attaining all the knowledge to the acquisition of which I was
competent, as well as the largest amount of what is truly good which I
could ever hope to secure Inasmuch as we neither seek nor shun any object
except in so far as our understanding represents it as good or bad, all
that is necessary to right action is right judgment, and to the best
action the most correct judgment, that is, to the acquisition of all the
virtues with all else that is truly valuable and within our reach; and the
assurance of such an acquisition cannot fail to render us contented.
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