will in turn be connected with others, and thus our instruments
for proceeding with our investigation will increase. (4) This is
what we were endeavoring to prove.

[42] (1) Further, from what has just been said - namely, that an
idea must, in all respects, correspond to its correlate in the
world of reality, - it is evident that, in order to reproduce in
every respect the faithful image of nature, our mind must deduce
all its ideas from the idea which represents the origin and source
of the whole of nature, so that it may itself become the source
of other ideas.

[43] (1) It may, perhaps, provoke astonishment that, after having
said that the good method is that which teaches us to direct our
mind according to the standard of the given true idea, we should
prove our point by reasoning, which would seem to indicate that it
is not self-evident. (2) We may, therefore, be questioned as to
the validity of our reasoning. (3) If our reasoning be sound, we
must take as a starting-point a true idea. (4) Now, to be certain
that our starting-point is really a true idea, we need proof.
(5) This first course of reasoning must be supported by a second,
the second by a third, and so on to infinity.

[44] (1) To this I make answer that, if by some happy chance anyone
had adopted this method in his investigations of nature - that is,
if he had acquired new ideas in the proper order, according to the
standard of the original true idea, he would never have doubted [q]
of the truth of his knowledge, inasmuch as truth, as we have shown,
makes itself manifest, and all things would flow, as it were,
spontaneously towards him. (44:2) But as this never, or rarely,