A general collection of discourses of the virtuosi of France, upon questions of all sorts of philosophy, and other natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris, by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent.

Add to bookbag

Author:	Bureau d'adresse et de rencontre (Paris, France)
Title:	A general collection of discourses of the virtuosi of France, upon questions of all sorts of philosophy, and other natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris, by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent.
Rights/Permissions:	The University of Michigan Library provides access to these keyboarded and encoded editions of the works for educational and research purposes. These transcriptions are believed to be in the public domain in the United States; however, if you decide to use any of these transcriptions, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact eebotcp-info@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact LibraryIT-info@umich.edu. This statement does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Print source:	A general collection of discourses of the virtuosi of France, upon questions of all sorts of philosophy, and other natural knowledg made in the assembly of the Beaux Esprits at Paris, by the most ingenious persons of that nation / render'd into English by G. Havers, Gent. Bureau d'adresse et de rencontre (Paris, France), Havers, G. (George), Renaudot, Théophraste, 1586-1653., Renaudot, Eusèbe, 1613-1679., Renaudot, Isaac, d. 1680. London: Printed for Thomas Dring and John Starkey, and are to be sold at their shops ..., 1664.
Alternate titles:	Recueil général des questions traitées és conférences du Bureau d'adresse. 1-100. English
Subject terms:	Philosophy, French -- 17th century. Science -- Early works to 1800.
URL:	https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A70920.0001.001
How to cite:	For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents

View entire text

imprimatur

title page

To the Honourable ANCHITELL GRAY, Esq

The Publisher of the Ensuing Conferences,

THE CONTENTS.

part 1

THE First Conference.

I. Of Method.

II. Of Entity.

CONFERENCE II.

I. Of Principles

II. Of the End of all Things..

CONFERENCE III.

I. Of Causes in General.

II. Whence it is that we are zealous for out own Opinions.

CONFERENCE IV.

I. Of the First Matter.

II. Of Perpetual Motion.

CONFERENCE V.

I. Of Resem∣blance.

II. Whether Let∣ters ought to be joyned with Armes.

CONFERENCE VI.

I. Of Fire.

II Of the Ʋni∣versal Spirit.

CONFERENCE VII.

I. Of the Air.

II. Whether it is best for a State to have Slaves.

CONFERENCE VIII.

I. Of Water.

II. Of Wine, and whether it be necessa∣ry for Soul∣diers.

CONFERENCE IX.

I. Of the Earth.

II. What it is that makes a Man wise.

CONFERENCE X.

I. Of the Mo∣tion, or Rest of the Earth.

II. Of two Mon∣strous Bre∣thren living in the same Body.

CONFERENCE XI.

I. Of the Hairy Girl.

II. Whether it be harder to resist Pleasure then Pain.

CONFERENCE XII.

I. Of three Suns.

II. Whether any Love be without self interest.

CONFERENCE XIII.

I. Whether Me∣lancholy Men are the most ingenious.

II. Whether is more neces∣sary in a State Re∣ward or Pu∣nishment.

CONFERENCE XIV.

I. Of the Seat of Folly.

II. Whether Wo∣men or Men are more in∣clin'd to Love.

CONFERENCE XV.

I. How long a Man may be without Eating.

II. Of the Echo.

CONFERENCE XVI.

I. How Spirits act upon Bodies.

II. Which is more power∣full Love or Hatred.

CONFERENCE XVII.

I. Of the seve∣rall fashions of wearing Mourning, and why Black is us'd to that pur∣pose rather then any other colour.

II. Why Men love Musick.

CONFERENCE XVIII.

I. Of the Origi∣nal of Winds

II. Why none are contenteà with their own condi∣tion.

CONFERENCE XIX.

I. Of the Flux of the Sea.

II. Of the Point of Honour.

CONFERENCE XX.

I. Of the Origi∣nal of Foun∣tains.

II. Whether there is any Ambition commendable.

CONFERENCE XXI.

I. Of Dreams.

II. Why Men are rather in∣clin'd to Vice then to Virtue

CONFERENCE XXII.

I. Of Judiciary Astrology.

II. Whether is less blame∣able, Avarice or Prodiga∣lity.

CONFERENCE XXIII.

I. Of Physiog∣nomy.

II. Of Artificial Memory.

CONFERENCE XXIV.

I. Which of the five Senses is the most Noble.

II. Of Laughter.

CONFERENCE XXV.

I. Of the Di∣versity of Countenances▪

II. Whether is the more noble, Man or Woman.

CONFERENCE XXVI.

I. Whether it be lawful for a Man to commend himself.

II. Of Beauty.

CONFERENCE XXVII.

I. Whether the World grows old.

II. Of Jealousie.

CONFERENCE XXVIII.

I. What is the greatest De∣light of Man.

II. Of Cuckoldry

CONFERENCE XXIX.

I. Whence the Saltness of the Sea pro∣ceeds.

II. Whether is the better Flesh or Fish.

CONFERENCE XXX.

I. Of the Ter∣restrial Para∣dise.

II. Of Embalm∣ings and Mummies.

CONFERENCE XXXI.

I. Whether the Life of a Man may be prolong'd by Art.

II. Whether 'tis better to be without Passions then to moderate them.

CONFERENCE XXXII.

I. Of Sympathy and Antipa∣thy.

II. Whether Love descen∣ding be stronger then ascending.

CONFERENCE XXXIII.

I. Of those that walk in sleep.

II. Which is the most excellent Moral Virtue

CONFERENCE XXXIV.

I. Of Lycan∣thropy.

II. Of the means to acquire Nobility.

CONFERENCE XXXV.

I. Of feign'd Diseases.

II. Of regula∣ting the Poor.

CONFERENCE XXXVI.

I. Of the tying of the Point.

II. Which is the greatest Vice.

CONFERENCE XXXVII.

I. Of the Ca∣bala.

II. Whether Truth is al∣ways to be spoken.

CONFERENCE XXXVIII.

I. Of the Fits of Agues.

II. Of Friend∣ship.

CONFERENCE XXXIX.

I. Why all men naturally de∣sire know∣ledge.

II. Whether ex∣change be more conve∣nient then buying and selling.

CONFERENCE XL.

I. Of Divinati∣on by some Animals.

II. Why Men love more to command then obey.

CONFERENCE XLI.

I. Of Comets.

II. Whether Pardon be better then Revenge.

CONFERENCE XLII.

I. Of the diver∣sity of Lan∣guages.

II. Whether is to be preferr'd a great Stature or a small.

CONFERENCE XLIII.

I. Of the Phil∣sopher's stone.

II. Of a Mont de Pieté or Bank for lending to the Poor.

CONFERENCE XLIV.

I. How Miner∣als grow.

II. Whether it be best to know a little of every thing, or one thing per∣fectly.

CONFERENCE XLV.

I. Whether the Heavens be solid or liquid.

II. Whether is it easier to get or to keep.

CONFERENCE XLVI.

I. Of Vacuum.

II. Of the capri∣cious or ex∣travagant humours of women.

CONFERENCE XLVII.

I. Of the Virtue of Numbers.

II. Of the Visible Species.

CONFERENCE XLVIII.

I. Whether e∣very thing that nourish∣es an Animal ought to have Life.

II. Of Courage.

CONFERENCE XLIX.

I. Whether there be Spe∣cifical reme∣dies to every Disease.

II. Whether Tears proceed from Cow∣ardise.

CONFERENCE L.

I. Whether Co∣lours are real.

II. Whether is better, to speak well, or to write well.

PHILOSOPHICAL CONFERENCES. PART II. Monday, November 6. .

CONFERENCE LI.

I. At what time the year ought to be∣gin.

II. Why the Load-stone draws Iron.

CONFERENCE LII.

I. Of a Point.

II. Whether Brutes have Reason.

CONFERENCE LIII.

I. Whether there be more then five Senses.

II. Whether is better, to be silent or to speak.

CONFERENCE LIV.

I. Of the Touch

II. Of Fortune.

CONFERENCE LV.

I. Of the Taste.

II. Whether Poe∣try be useful.

CONFERENCE LVI.

I. Of the Smel∣ling.

II. Of Eloquence

CONFERENCE LVII.

I. Of the Hearing.

II. Of Harmony.

CONFERENCE LVIII.

I. Of the Sight.

II. Of Painting.

CONFERENCE LIX.

I. Of Light.

II. Of Age.

CONFERENCE LX.

I. Of Quintes∣sence.

II. Which is most in esteem Knowledge or Vertue.

CONFERENCE LXI.

I. Which is hardest to en∣dure, Hunger or Thirst.

II. Whether a General of an Army should endanger his person.

CONFERENCE LXII.

I. Of Time.

II. Whether 'tis best to over∣come by open force or other∣wise.

CONFERENCE LXIII.

I. Of Motion.

II. Of Custome.

CONFERENCE LXIV.

I. Of the Ima∣gination.

II. Which is most power∣ful Hope or Fear.

CONFERENCE LXV.

I. Of the In∣tellect.

II. Whether the Husband and Wife should be of the same humor.

CONFERENCE LXVI.

I. Of Drunken∣ness.

II. Of Dancing.

CONFERENCE LXVII.

I. Of Death.

II. Of the Will.

CONFERENCE LXVIII.

I. Of the Mag∣netical cure of Diseases.

II. Of Anger.

CONFERENCE LXIX.

I. Of Life.

II. Of Fasting.

CONFERENCE LXX.

I. Of Climacte∣rical Years.

II. Of Shame.

CONFERENCE LXXI.

I. Why motion produces heat.

II. Of Chastity.

CONFERENCE LXXII.

I. Of Thunder.

II. Which of all the Arts is the most ne∣cessary.

CONFERENCE LXXIII.

I. Of the Earthquake.

II. Of Envy.

CONFERENCE LXXIV.

I. Whence comes trem∣bling in men.

II. Of Naviga∣tion, and Longitudes.

CONFERENCE LXXV.

I. Of the Le∣prosie.

II. Of the wayes to render a place popu∣lous.

CONFERENCE LXXVI.

I. Of Madness.

II. Of Commu∣nity of goods.

CONFERENCE LXXVII.

I. Of Sorcerers.

II. Of Amorous Madness.

CONFERENCE LXXVIII.

I. Why the Sen∣sitive Appe∣tite rules over Reason.

II. Whether Speech be natural and peculiar to Man.

CONFERENCE LXXIX.

I. What the Soul is.

II. Of the Ap∣parition of Spirits.

CONFERENCE LXXX.

I. Of the Epi∣lepsie or Fal∣ling Sickness.

II. Whether there be any Art of Divi∣nation.

CONFERENCE LXXXI.

I. Of Chiro∣mancy.

II. Which is the noblest part of the Body.

CONFERENCE LXXXII.

I. Which is most power∣ful, Art or Nature.

II. Whether Wine is most to be temper'd in Winter or in Summer.

CONFERENCE LXXXIII.

I. Of Baths.

II. Whether the Wife hath more love for her Hus∣band, or the Husband for his Wife.

CONFERENCE LXXXIV.

I. Of Respirati∣on.

II. Whether there be any certainty in humane Sci∣ences.

CONFERENCE LXXXV.

I. Whether the manners of the Soul fol∣low the tem∣perament of the Body.

II. Of Sights or Shews.

CONFERENCE LXXXVI.

I. Of the Dog∣days.

II. Of the Me∣chanicks.

CONFERENCE LXXXVII.

I. Whether the Soul's Im∣mortality is demonstrable by Natural Reasons.

II. Whether Travel be ne∣cessary to an ingenuous man.

CONFERENCE LXXXVIII.

I. Which is the best Sect of Philosophers.

II. Whence comes the di∣versity of pro∣per names.

CONFERENCE LXXXIX.

I. Of Genii.

II. Whether the Suicide of the Pagans be justifiable.

CONFERENCE XC.

I. Of Hunting.

II. Which is to be prefer'd, the weeping of Heracli∣tus, or the laughing of Democritus.

CONFERENCE XCI.

I. Whether heat or cold be more tolera∣ble.

II. Who are most happy in this world, Wise Men or Fools.

CONFERENCE XCII.

I. Which is most health∣ful, moisture or dryness.

II. Which is to be preferr'd the contem∣plative life, or the active.

CONFERENCE XCIII.

I. Of the spots in the Moon and the Sun.

II. Whether 'tis best to use ∣verity or gen∣tleness to∣wards our dependents.

CONFERENCE XCIV.

I. Of the Eclip∣ses of the Sun and Moon.

II. Whether all Sciences may be profitably reduc'd to one.

CONFERENCE XCV.

I. Of the diver∣sity of Wits.

II. Of New∣years Gifts.

CONFERENCE XCVI.

I. Of Place.

II. Of Hierogly∣phicks.

CONFERENCE XCVII.

I. Of Weights, and the cau∣ses of Gra∣vity.

II. Of Coat-ar∣mour.

CONFERENCE XCVIII.

I. Of the causes of Contagion.

II. Of the wayes of occult writing.

CONFERENCE XCIX.

I. Of Ignes fatui.

II. Of Eunuchs.

CONFERENCE C.

I. Of the Green-sick∣ness.

II. Of Herma∣phrodites.