To Which end I will suppose, not an _Infinitely perfect God_, the _Fountain_ of _truth_, but that some _Evil Spirit_ which is very _Powerful_ and _crafty_ has used all his endeavours to _deceive_ me; I will conceive, the Heavens, Air, Earth, Colours, Figures, Sounds, and all outward things are nothing else but the delusions of Dreams, by which he has laid snares to catch my easy beleif; I will consider my self as not having hands, Eyes, Flesh, Blood, or Sences, but that _I_ falsely think that _I_ have all these; _I_ will continue firmly in this Meditation; and tho it lyes not in my power to _discover any truth_, yet this is in my power, not to _assent to Falsities_, and with a strong resolution take care that the _Mighty deceiver_ (tho never so _powerful_ or _cunning_) impose not any thing on my beleife. But this is a laborious intention, and a certain sloth reduces me to the usual course of life, and like a Prisoner who in his sleep perhaps enjoy’d an imaginary liberty, and when he begins to suppose that he is asleep is afraid to waken, but is willing to be deceived by the _Pleasant delusion_; so I willingly fall into my opinions, and am afraid to be Roused, least a toilsome waking succeeding a pleasant rest I may hereafter live not in the _light_, but in the confused _darkness_ of the _doubts_ now raised. MEDITAT. II. _~Of the nature of Mans mind~, and that ’tis easier proved to ~be~ then our ~body~._ By yesterdays Meditation I am cast into so great _Doubts_, that I shall never forget them, and yet I know not how to answer them, but being plunged on a suddain into a deep Gulf, I am so amazed that I can neither touch the bottome, nor swim at the top. Nevertheless, I will endeavour once more, and try the way I set on yesterday, by removing from me whatever is in the _least doubtful_, as if I had certainly discover’d it to be _altogether false_, and will proceed till I find out some _certainty_, or if nothing else, yet at least this _certainty, That there is nothing sure_. _Archimedes_ required but a _point_ which was _firm_, and _immoveable_ that he might move the _whole Earth_, so in the perfect undertaking Great things may be expected, if I can discover but the _least thing_ that is _true_ and _indisputable_. Wherefore I suppose all things I see are _false_, and believe that nothing of those things are really existent, which my deceitful memory represents to me; ’tis evident I have no senses, that a Body, Figure, Extension, Motion, Place, _&c._ are meer Fictions; what thing therefore is there that is _true_? perhaps only _this, That there is nothing certain._ [Sidenote: _Doubts and Solutions._]