PREFACE

We have, on the contrary, allowed orthographic differences or uncertain forms to remain as a principle, except for removing those anomalies that were too jarring (such as variations within the same page or a single instance appearing against numerous examples of a different form). However, we have corrected everything that seemed to us, with a fair degree of probability, to be the result of either printing errors, slips of the pen original: "lapsus calami"; a Latin term for an accidental error made while writing., or finally, alterations caused by the copyists employed by Descartes.

In summary, whenever we were in doubt as to whether there had been a conscious departure from standard usage on Descartes' part, or simply an indifference between two forms, we refrained from making any correction. We corrected, on the contrary, only when we did not believe the spelling could be what Descartes would have actually intended if he were writing the word with care ¹.

However, while the principles we have adopted are sufficiently self-justifying, have we always applied them in an irreproachable manner? They leave too large a space for individual judgment to protect us, in every detail, from all criticism. We ourselves, after a final revision of the original text against the already-printed sheets of this edition, feel various scruples regarding a few cases where the evidence did not previously seem at all contestable. For example, extrordinaire An archaic spelling of "extraordinaire" (extraordinary). appears—

1. The corrected forms are limited to the following, aside from actual printing errors:
1° Use of y or i. — Ayt, croire, aussytost Archaic spellings for the words "have," "believe," and "immediately.".
2° Diphthongs. — Ceuillir and receuillir Modern: "cueillir" (to gather/pick). — neuds Modern: "nœuds" (knots).. — transparant Modern: "transparent.".
3° Plural. — Nez (born original: "nés"), difficultéz, esloignez. The form of plurals ending in és is used almost exclusively in the 1637 edition. But at the moment it appeared, Descartes, judging by his errata original: "errata"; a Latin term for a list of corrections for errors found in a printed book., would have specifically preferred the form ending in ez. — Estans (an isolated form, compared to estant The present participle of "to be."). — Toutefoix Modern: "toutefois" (however)..
4° The use of s for accentuation. — Voyage, batissoit, pretast, inegale. — Despendre (the Latin etymology requires dependre To depend; the editor notes that an 's' was often inserted in Old French to indicate vowel length, even if it wasn't in the original Latin root "dependere."), étois. — Cest, cét, cestuy Archaic demonstrative pronouns meaning "this" or "that.".
5° Doubled or silent letters. — Celluy, cella, parfaitte, esclattant, temps, trouts. — Pieres, rons. Archaic versions of "that," "perfect," "bursting," "time," "holes," "stones," and "round."
6° Use of the x. — Reflection.