The Remaining Works of Benedictus de Spinoza

This rather seems to happen only when those who use the intellect theoretically take the law of the intellect, or formal thinking, as the sole law, also constituting existence indicated by thought. In this matter as well, I would like to freely profess—as much as I am conscious of my own insignificance in philosophizing—that it is not Philosophy that should be blamed, but Philosophers. And I foresee that those who are less friends to themselves than they are to philosophy itself will not take this indignantly.

Regarding the literary history of the writings of Spinoza, which are presented in this volume, far fewer things occur that are worthy of note than were mentioned for the first part.

They were only published once under the title already mentioned. In the same form exists a portrait of the Philosopher engraved on copper, which consequently is not infrequently found prefixed to copies of this edition. Often, however, it is missing, nor is it indicated in the preface that it belongs to it. Enclosed in a double circle on a square base, it bears the name: BENEDICTUS DE SPINOZA along with three distichs, worthy of neither the Poet nor the Philosopher:

To whom Nature, God, and the order of things were known,
In this state, Spinoza was to be beheld.
They expressed the man's face, but to paint his mind
The hands of Zeuxis could not suffice.
It flourishes in his writings: there he treats of the sublime.
Whoever you are who wishes to know him, read his writings.