Leibnitz expresses more than once how much his own metaphysical views agreed with those of Plato. Lettre à M. Bourguet, pp. 723-725. He expresses his belief in the pre-existence of the soul: "Tout ce que je crois pouvoir assurer, est, que l'âme de tout animal a préexisté, et a été dans un corps organique: qui enfin, par beaucoup de changemens, involutions, et évolutions, est devenu l'animal présent" (Lettre à M. Bourguet, p. 731). And in the Platonic doctrine of reminiscence to a certain point: "II y a quelque chose de solide dans ce que dit Platon de la réminiscence" (p. 137, b. 10). Also Leibnitz's Nouveaux Essais sur l'Entendement Humain, p. 196, b. 28; and Epistol. ad Hanschium, p. 446, a. 12. See the elaborate account of the philosophy of Leibnitz by Dr. Kuno Fischer--Geschichte der neueren Philosophie, vol. ii. pp. 226-232.] [Footnote 41: Plato, Menon, p. 81 D. [Greek: e)a/n tis a)ndrei=os ê)=|, kai\ mê\ a)poka/mnê| zêtô=n.] Compare also p. 86 B.] [Side-note: Plato's view of the immortality of the soul--difference between the Menon, Phædrus, and Phædon.] In various other dialogues of Plato, the same hypothesis is found repeated. His conception of the immortality of the soul or mind, includes pre-existence as well as post-existence: a perpetual succession of temporary lives, each in a distinct body, each terminated by death, and each followed by renewed life for a time in another body. In fact, the pre-existence of the mind formed the most important part of Plato's theory about immortality: for he employed it as the means of explaining how the mind became possessed of general notions. As the doctrine is stated in the Menon, it is made applicable to all minds (instead of being confined, as in Phædrus, Phædon, and elsewhere, to a few highly gifted minds, and to commerce with the intelligible substances called Ideas). This appears from the person chosen to illustrate the alleged possibility of stimulating artificial reminiscence: that person is an unlettered youth, taken at hazard from among the numerous slaves of Menon.[42] [Footnote 42: Plato, Menon, pp. 82 A, 85 E. [Greek: proska/leson tô=n pollô=n a)kolou/thôn toutôni\ tô=n sautou= e(/na, o(/ntina bou/lei, i(/na e)n tou/tô| soi e)pidei/xômai.] Stallbaum says that this allusion to the numerous slaves in attendance is intended to illustrate conspicuously the wealth and nobility of Menon. In my judgment, it is rather intended to illustrate the operation of pure accident--the perfectly ordinary character of the mind worked upon--"one among many, which you please".] [Side-note: Doctrine of Plato, that new truth may be elicited by skilful examination out of the unlettered mind--how far correct?]