これらを考え合わせた結果，三年前，手もとにあった論文をけつして公表するまいと思い，またわたしの生存中は，ほかのごく一般的な論文も，わたしの自然学の基礎を理解できるもとになるような論文も，世間に知らせまいと決心したのである。しかしその後，ほかの理由が二つ出てきて，ここに何らかの特殊な試論を書き，わたしの行動と計画について公衆に何か報告をしなければならなくなった。第一の理由は，そうしなければ，先に二，三の著書を公刊しようという意図がわたしにあったことを知る多くの人たちは，それをとりやめた原因を実際以上にわたしに不利に想像しかねないことだ。というのも，わたしは極端に栄誉が好きなのではなく，それどころか，何ょりも尊重している平穏に反すると判断するかぎり，憎んでいると言ってもいいほどであるが，それでもやはり，自分の行動を罪悪であるかのように隠そうとしたことは一度もないし，人に知られないよう，むやみに用心したこともない。そうすることは自分を害するようになると考えたからであり，またわたしに一種の不安をあたえることになって，求めている完壁な精神の平穏にまたしても反するようになりかねないからである。そしてこのように，世間に知られるか知られないかという気がかりのなかで，どちらとも思わずずっと過ごしてきたのだが，ある種の評判が立つのは防ぐわけにいかなかったため，とにかく悪評だけは免れるよう最善を尽くさねば，と考えたのだった。わたしにこれらの試論を書かせたもう一つの理由は，次のことである。わたしに必要な，しかも他人の助力なしにはできない実験が無数にあるため，自分を導いていこうという計画が日々ますます遅延するのを見て，公衆が進んでわたしの利益をはかってくれると期待するほど自惚れてはいないものの，しかし，自分より長生きする人たちに後日わたしを次のように非難する口実をあたえるほど，自分自身に不利なことはしたくないからである。どういう点でかれらがわたしの計画に寄与できるか理解させることをわたしがあまりなおざりにしなかったならば，多くのことをわたしがなし遂げるよりもはるかに良くかれらに残しえたであろうに，という非難である。
These considerations taken together were
the reason why, for the last three years,
I have been unwilling to publish the Treatise
I had on hand, and why I even resolved to
give publicity during my life to no other
that was so general, or by which the principles
of my Physics might be understood. But since
then, two other reasons have come into operation
that have determined me here to subjoin some
particular specimens, and give the public
some account of my doings and designs. Of
these considerations, the first is, that
if I failed to do so, many who were cognizant
of my previous intention to publish some
writings, might have imagined that the reasons
which induced me to refrain from so doing,
were less to my credit than they really are;
for although I am not immoderately desirous
of glory, or even, if I may venture so to
say, although I am averse from it in so far
as I deem it hostile to repose which I hold
in greater account than aught else, yet,
at the same time, I have never sought to
conceal my actions as if they were crimes,
nor made use of many precautions that I might
remain unknown; and this partly because I
should have thought such a course of conduct
a wrong against myself, and partly because
it would have occasioned me some sort of
uneasiness which would again have been contrary
to the perfect mental tranquillity which
I court. And forasmuch as, while thus indifferent
to the thought alike of fame or of forgetfulness,
I have yet been unable to prevent myself
from acquiring some sort of reputation, I
have thought it incumbent on me to do my
best to save myself at least from being ill-spoken
of. The other reason that has determined
me to commit to writing these specimens of
philosophy is, that I am becoming daily more
and more alive to the delay which my design
of self-instruction suffers, for want of
the infinity of experiments I require, and
which it is impossible for me to make without
the assistance of others; and, without flattering
myself so much as to expect the public to
take a large share in my interests, I am
yet unwilling to be found so far wanting
in the duty I owe to myself as to give occasion
to those who shall survive me to make it
matter of reproach against me some day, that
I might have left them many things in a much
more perfect state than I have done, had
I not too much neglected to make them aware
of the ways in which they could have promoted
the accomplishment of my designs.