The passions of the soule in three books the first, treating of the passions in generall, and occasionally of the whole nature of man. The second, of the number, and order of the passions, and the explication of the six primitive ones. The third, of particular passions. By R. des Cartes. And translated out of French into English.

The 144th Article. Of Desires whose events depend only on our selves.

BUt because these Passions cannot sway us to any actions, but by the interposition of the Desire that they excite, it is Desire which wee ought peculiarly to regulate, and therein consists the principall part of Morality. Now, as I said just now, it is alwayes good when it follows a true knowledge, so it cannot chuse but be bad when it is grounded on an errour; and me thinks, the most ordinary errour committed in Desire, is when a man doth not clearly enough distinguish the things which absolutely depend on our selves, from those which doe not. For, concerning those which depend of us, that is of our free disposition, it is enough to know that they are good, not to desire them with too much vehemence; because it is a following of vertue, to doe the good things that depend of us; and it is certain, he cannot have too ardent a De∣sire after Vertue. Besides, what we thus desire cannot chuse but be accomplished; since it de∣pending only on us, we ever receive the plenary satisfaction wee expect; but the usuall fault herein is, not that we desire too much, but too little, and the soveraigne remedy against that is, as much as in us lies, to ridde the spirit of all kind

of Desires less usefull, then to strive to know clearly, and consider with attention, the goodness of that which is to be desired.