第8章

[13]\'Naturanenobis，inquit，datumdicam，anerrorequodam，ut，cumealocavideamus，inquibusmemoriadignosvirosacceperimusmultimesseversatos，magismoveamur，quamsiquandoeorumipsorumautfactaaudiamusautscriptumaliquodlegamus？Velutegonuncmoveor。VenitenimmihiPlatoinmentem，quemaccepimusprimumhicdisputaresolitum；cuiusetiamillihortulipropinquinonmemoriamsolummihiafferunt，sedipsumvidenturinconspectumeohicponere。HicSpeusippus，hicXenocrates，hiceiusauditorPolemo；cuiusipsaillasessiofuit，quamvidemus。Equidemetiamcuriamnostram，Hostiliamdico，nonhancnovam，quaemihiminoressevideturpostquamestmaior，solebamintuens，Scipionem，Catonem，Laelium，nostrumveroinprimisavumcogitare。Tantavisadmonitionisestinlocis；utnonsinecausaexhismemopriaedeductasitdisciplina。\'——CicerodeFinibus。Lib。v。

[14]Mr。L/OCKE\\dividesallargumentsintodemonstrativeandprobable。Inthisview，wemustsay，thatitisonlyprobablethatallmenmustdie，orthatthesunwillriseto-morrow。Buttoconformourlanguagemoretocommonuse，weoughttodivideargumentsinto，，and。Byproofsmeaningsuchargumentsfromexperienceasleavenoroomfordoubtoropposition。

[15]SectionII。

[16]Mr。L/OCKE\\，inhischapterofpower，saysthat，findingfromexperience，thatthereareseveralnewproductionsinmatter，andconcludingthattheremustsomewherebeapowercapableofproducingthem，wearriveatlastbythisreasoningattheideaofpower。Butnoreasoningcanevergiveusanew，original，simpleidea；asthisphilosopherhimselfconfesses。This，therefore，canneverbetheoriginofthatidea。

[17]ITmaybepretended，thattheresistancewhichwemeetwithinbodies，obligingusfrequentlytoexertourforce，andcallupallourpower，thisgivesustheideaofforceandpower。Itisthis，orstrongendeavour，ofwhichweareconscious，thatistheoriginalimpressionfromwhichthisideaiscopied。But，first，weattributepowertoavastnumberofobjects，wherewenevercansupposethisresistanceorexertionofforcetotakeplace；totheSupremeBeing，whonevermeetswithanyresistance；tothemindinitscommandoveritsideasandlimbs，incommonthinkingandmotion，wheretheeffectfollowsimmediatelyuponthewill，withoutanyexertionorsummoningupofforce；toinanimatematter，whichisnotcapableofthissentiment。，Thissentimentofanendeavourtoovercomeresistancehasnoknownconnexionwithanyevent:

Whatfollowsit，weknowbyexperience；butcouldnotknowit。Itmust，however，beconfessed，thattheanimal，whichweexperience，thoughitcanaffordnoaccuratepreciseideaofpower，entersverymuchintothatvulgar，inaccurateidea，whichisformedbyit。

[18][ThreeGreekwords]

[19]SectionXII。

[20]IN/EED\\notexamineatlengththe

whichissomuchtalkedofinthenewphilosophy，andwhichisascribedtomatter。Wefindbyexperience，thatabodyatrestorinmotioncontinuesforeverinitspresentstate，tillputfromitbysomenewcause；andthatabodyimpelledtakesasmuchmotionfromtheimpellingbodyasitacquiresitself。Thesearefacts。Whenwecallthisa，weonlymarkthesefacts，withoutpretendingtohaveanyideaoftheinertpower；inthesamemanneras，whenwetalkofgravity，wemeancertaineffects，withoutcomprehendingthatactivepower。ItwasneverthemeaningofSirI/SAAC\\

N/EWTON\\torobsecondcausesofallforceorenergy；thoughsomeofhisfollowershaveendeavouredtoestablishthattheoryuponhisauthority。Onthecontrary，thatgreatphilosopherhadrecoursetoanetherialactivefluidtoexplainhisuniversalattraction；thoughhewassocautiousandmodestastoallow，thatitwas

amerehypothesis，notobeinsistedon，withoutmoreexperiments。Imustconfess，thatthereissomethinginthefateofopinionsalittleextraordinary。D/ES\\C/ARTES\\insinuatedthatdoctrineoftheuniversalandsoleefficacyoftheDeity，withoutinsistingonit。M/ALEBRANCHE\\andotherC/ARTESIANS\\madeitthefoundationofalltheirphilosophy。Ithad，however，noauthorityinE/NGLAND\\。L/OCKE\\，C/LARKE\\，andC/UDWORTH\\，neversomuchasnoticeofit，butsupposeallalong，thatmatterhasareal，thoughsubordinateandderivedpower。Bywhatmeanshasitbecomesoprevalentamongourmodernmetaphysicians？

[21]A/CCORDING\\totheseexplicationsanddefinitions，theideaofpowerisrelativeasmuchasthatof；

andbothhaveareferencetoaneffect，orsomeothereventconstantlyconjoinedwiththeformer。Whenweconsiderthecircumstanceofanobject，bywhichthedegreeorquantityofitseffectisfixedanddetermined，wecallthatitspower:Andaccordingly，itisallowedbyallphilosophers，thattheeffectisthemeasureofthepower。

Butiftheyhadanyideaofpower，asitisinitself，whycouldnottheyMeasureitinitself？Thedisputewhethertheforceofabodyinmotionbeasitsvelocity，orthesquareofitsvelocity；thisdispute，Isay，neednotbedecidedbycomparingitseffectsinequalorunequaltimes；butbyadirectmensurationandcomparison。

Astothefrequentuseofthewords，Force，Power，Energy，&c。，whicheverywhereoccurincommonconversation，aswellasinphilosophy；thatisnoproof，thatweareacquainted，inanyinstance，withtheconnectingprinciplebetweencauseandeffect，orcanaccountultimatelyfortheproductionofonethingtoanother。Thesewords，ascommonlyused，haveveryloosemeaningsannexedtothem；andtheirideasareveryuncertainandconfused。Noanimalcanputexternalbodiesinmotionwithoutthesentimentofa

orendeavour；andeveryanimalhasasentimentorfeelingfromthestrokeorblowofanexternalobject，thatisinmotion。Thesesensations，whicharemerelyanimal，andfromwhichwecandrawnoinference，weareapttotransfertoinanimateobjects，andtosuppose，thattheyhavesomesuchfeelings，whenevertheytransferorreceivemotion。Withregardtoenergies，whichareexerted，withoutourannexingtothemanyideaofcommunicatedmotion，weconsideronlytheconstantexperiencedconjunctionoftheevents；andasweacustomaryconnexionbetweentheideas，wetransferthatfeelingtotheobjects；asnothingismoreusualthantoapplytoexternalbodie

everyinternalsensation，whichtheyoccasion。

[22]T/HE\\prevalenceofthedoctrineoflibertymaybeaccountedfor，fromanothercause，。afalsesensationofseemingexperiencewhichwehave，ormayhave，oflibertyorindifference，inmanyofouractions。Thenecessityofanyaction，whetherofmatterorofmind，isnot，properlyspeaking，aqualityintheagent，butinanythinkingorintelligentbeing，whomayconsidertheaction；anditconsistschieflyinthedeterminationofhisthoughtstoinfertheexistenceofthatactionfromsomeprecedingobjects；asliberty，whenopposedtonecessity，isnothingbutthewantofthatdetermination，andacertainloosenessorindifference，whichwefeel，inpassing，ornotpassing，fromtheideaofoneobjecttothatofanysucceedingone。

Nowwemayobserve，that，though，inonhumanactions，weseldomfeelsuchalooseness，orindifference，butarecommonlyabletoinferthemwithconsiderablecertaintyfromtheirmotives，andfromthedispositionsoftheagent；yetitfrequentlyhappens，that，in

theactionsthemselves，wearesensibleofsomethinglikeit:Andasallresemblingobjectsarereadilytakenforeachother，thishasbeenemployedasademonstrativeandevenintuitiveproofofhumanliberty。Wefeel，thatouractionsaresubjecttoourwill，onmostoccasions；andimaginewefeel，thatthewillitselfissubjecttonothing，because，whenbyadenialofitweareprovokedtotry，wefeel，thatitmoveseasilyeveryway，andproducesanimageofitself(ora，asitiscalledintheschools)evenonthatside，onwhichitdidnotsettle。

Thisimage，orfaintmotion，wepersuadeourselves，could，atthattime，havebeencompleatedintothethingitself；because，shouldthatbedenied，wefind，uponasecondtrial，that，atpresent，itcan。Weconsidernot，thatthefantasticaldesireofshewingliberty，isherethemotiveofouractions。Anditseemscertain，that，howeverwemayimaginewefeelalibertywithinourselves，aspectatorcancommonlyinferouractionsfromourmotivesandcharacter；andevenwherehecannot，heconcludesingeneral，thathemight，wereheperfectlyacquaintedwitheverycircumstanceofoursituationandtemper，andthemostsecretspringsofourcomplexionanddisposition。Nowthisistheveryessenceofnecessity，accordingtotheforegoingdoctrine。

[23]T/HUS\\，ifacausebedefined，，itiseasytoobserve，thatissynonymousto。Inlikemanner，ifacausebedefined，，thisisliabletothesameobjection。Forwhatismeantbythesewords，？Haditbeensaid，thatacauseisafterwhich；weshouldhaveunderstoodtheterms。Forthisis，indeed，allweknowofthematter。Andthisconstantlyformstheveryessenceofnecessity，norhaveweanyotherideaofit。

[24]S/INCE\\allreasoningconcerningfactsorcausesisderivedmerelyfromcustom，itmaybeaskedhowithappens，thatmensomuchsurpassanimalsinreasoning，andonemansomuchsurpassesanother？Hasnotthesamecustomthesameinfluenceonall？

Weshallhereendeavourbrieflytoexplainthegreatdifferenceinhumanunderstandings:Afterwhichthereasonofthedifferencebetweenmenandanimalswilleasilybecomprehended。

1。Whenwehavelivedanytime，andhavebeenaccustomedtotheuniformityofnature，weacquireageneralhabit，bywhichwealwaystransfertheknowntotheunknown，andconceivethelattertoresembletheformer。Bymeansofthisgeneralhabitualprinciple，weregardevenoneexperimentasthefoundationofreasoning，andexpectasimilareventwithsomedegreeofcertainty，wheretheexperimenthasbeenmadeaccurately，andfreefromallforeigncircumstances。Itisthereforeconsideredasamatterofgreatimportancetoobservetheconsequencesofthings；andasonemanmayverymuchsurpassanotherinattentionandmemoryandobservation，thiswillmakeaverygreatdifferenceintheirreasoning。

2。Wherethereisacomplicationofcausestoproduceanyeffect，onemindmaybemuchlargerthananother，andbetterabletocomprehendthewholesystemofobjects，andtoinferjustlytheirconsequences。

3。Onemanisabletocarryonachainofconsequencestoagreaterlengththananother。

4。Fewmencanthinklongwithoutrunningintoaconfusionofideas，andmistakingoneforanother；andtherearevariousdegreesofthisinfirmity。

5。Thecircumstance，onwhichtheeffectdepends，isfrequentlyinvolvedinothercircumstances，whichareforeignandextrinsic。Theseparationofitoftenrequiresgreatattention，accuracy，andsubtility。

6。Theformingofgeneralmaximsfromparticularobservationisaveryniceoperation；andnothingismoreusual，fromhasteoranarrownessofmind，whichseesnotonallsides，thantocommitmistakesinthisparticular。

7。Whenwereasonfromanalogies，theman，whohasthegreaterexperienceorthegreaterpromptitudeofsuggestinganalogies，willbethebetterreasoner。

8。Biasesfromprejudice，education，passion，party，&c。hangmoreupononemindthananother。

9。Afterwehaveacquiredaconfidenceinhumantestimony，booksandconversationenlargemuchmorethesphereofoneman\'sexperienceandthoughtthanthoseofanother。

Itwouldbeeasytodiscovermanyothercircumstancesthatmakeadifferenceintheunderstandingsofmen。

[25]P/LUTARCH\\，invitaCatonis。

[26]N/O\\I/NDIAN\\，itisevident，couldhaveexperiencethatwaterdidnotfreezeincoldclimates。Thisisplacingnatureinasituationquiteunknowntohim；anditisimpossibleforhimtotellwhatwillresultfromit。Itismakinganewexperiment，theconsequenceofwhichisalwaysuncertain。Onemaysometimesconjecturefromanalogywhatwillfollow；butstillthisisbutconjecture。

Anditmustbeconfessed，that，inthepresentcaseoffreezing，theeventfollowscontrarytotherulesofanalogy，andissuchasarationalI/NDIAN\\wouldnotlookfor。Theoperationsofcolduponwaterarenotgradual，accordingtothedegreesofcold；butwheneveritcomestothefreezingpoint，thewaterpassesinamoment，fromtheutmostliquiditytoperfecthardness。Suchanevent，therefore，maybedenominated，andrequiresaprettystrongtestimony，torenderitcredibletopeopleinawarmclimate:Butstillitisnot，norcontrarytouniformexperienceofthecourseofnatureincaseswhereallthecircumstancesarethesame。TheinhabitantsofS/UMATRA\\havealwaysseenwaterfluidintheirownclimate，andthefreezingoftheirriversoughttobedeemedaprodigy:ButtheyneversawwaterinM/USCOVY\\

duringthewinter；andthereforetheycannotreasonablybepositivewhatwouldtherebetheconsequence。

[27]S/OMETIMES\\aneventmaynot，，

tobecontrarytothelawsofnature，andyet，ifitwerereal，itmight，byreasonofsomecircumstances，bedenominatedamiracle；because，in，itiscontrarytotheselaws。Thusifaperson，claimingadivineauthority，shouldcommandasickpersontobewell，ahealthfulmantofalldowndead，thecloudstopourrain，thewindstoblow，inshort，shouldordermanynaturalevents，whichimmediatelyfollowuponhiscommand；thesemightjustlybeesteemedmiracles，becausetheyarereally，inthiscase，contrarytothelawsofnature。Forifanysuspicionremain，thattheeventandcommandconcurredbyaccidentthereisnomiracleandnotransgressionofthelawsofnature。Ifthissuspicionberemoved，thereisevidentlyamiracle，andatransgressionoftheselaws；becausenothingcanbemorecontrarytonaturethanthatthevoiceorcommandofamanshouldhavesuchaninfluence。Amiraclemaybeaccuratelydefined，。Amiraclemayeitherbediscoverablebymenornot。Thisaltersnotitsnatureandessence。Theraisingofahouseorshipintotheairisavisiblemiracle。Theraisingofafeather，whenthewindwantseversolittleofaforcerequisiteforthatpurpose，isasrealamiracle，thoughnotsosensiblewithregardtous。

[28]ItmayperhapsbeobjectedthatIproceedrashlyandfrommynotionsofA/LEXANDER\\merelyfromtheaccountgivenofhimbyLucian，aprofessedenemy。Itwereindeedtobewishedthatsomeoftheaccountspublishedbyhisfollowersandaccompliceshadremained。Theoppositionandcontrastbetwixtthecharacterandconductofthesamemanasdrawnbyafriendoranenemyisasstrong，evenincommonlife，muchmoreinthesereligiousmatters，asthatbetwixtanytomenintheworld；betwixtA/LEXANDER\\andSt。

Paul，forinstance。SeeaLettertoGilbertWest，Esq。，ontheConversionandApostleshipofSt。Paul。[ThisnotewasremovedbyHumefromlatereditionsofthe——

J。F。]

[29]Hist。lib。v。cap。8，S/UETONIUS\\givesnearlythesameaccountinvitaV/ESP\\。

[30]T/HIS\\bookwasbyMons。M/ONTGERON\\，counsellororjudgeoftheparliamentofP/ARIS\\，amanoffigureandcharacter，whowasalsoamartyrtothecause，andisnowsaidtobesomewhereinadungeononaccountofhisbook。

Thereisanotherbookinthreevolumes(calledP/ARIS\\)givinganaccountofmanyofthesemiracles，andaccompaniedwithprefatorydiscourses，whichareverywellwritten。Thereruns，however，throughthewholeofthesearidiculouscomparisonbetweenthemiraclesofourSaviourandthoseofAbbe；

whereinitisasserted，thattheevidenceforthelatterisequaltothatfortheformer:AsifthetestimonyofmencouldeverbeputinthebalancewiththatofGodhimself，whoconductedthepenoftheinspiredwriters。Ifthesewriters，indeed，weretobeconsideredmerelyashumantestimony，theF/RENCH\\authorisverymoderateinhiscomparison；sincehemight，withsomeappearanceofreason，pretend，thattheJ/ANSENIST\\miraclesmuchsurpasstheothersinevidenceandauthority。thefollowingcircumstancesaredrawnfromauthenticpapers，insertedintheabove-mentionedbook。

ManyofthemiraclesofAbbeP/ARIS\\wereprovedimmediatelybywitnessesbeforetheofficialityorbishop\'scourtatP/ARIS\\，undertheeyeofcardinalNoailles，whosecharacterforintegrityandcapacitywasnevercontestedevenbyhisenemies。

HissuccessorinthearchbishopricwasanenemytotheJ/ANSENISTS\\，andforthatreasonpromotedtotheseebythecourt。Yet22rectorsorofP/ARIS\\，withinfiniteearnestness，presshimtoexaminethosemiracles，whichtheyasserttobeknowntothewholeworld，andundisputablycertain:Buthewiselyforbore。

TheM/OLINIST\\partyhadtriedtodiscreditthesemiraclesinoneinstance，thatofMademoiselleleF/RANC\\。

But，besidesthattheirproceedingswereinmanyrespectsthemostirregularintheworld，particularlyincitingonlyafewoftheJ/ANSENIST\\witnesses，whomtheytamperedwith:

Besidesthis，Isay，theysoonfoundthemselvesoverwhelmedbyacloudofnewwitnesses，onehundredandtwentyinnumber，mostofthempersonsofcreditandsubstanceinP/ARIS\\，whogaveoathforthemiracle。thiswasaccompaniedwithasolemnandearnestappealtotheparliament。Buttheparliamentwereforbiddenbyauthoritytomeddleintheaffair。Itwasatlastobserved，thatwheremenareheatedbyzealandenthusiasm，thereisnodegreeofhumantestimonysostrongasmaynotbeprocuredforthegreatestabsurdity:Andthosewhowillbesosillyastoexaminetheaffairbythatmedium，andseekparticularflawsinthetestimony，arealmostsuretobeconfounded。Itmustbeamiserableimposture，indeed，thatdoesnotprevailinthatcontest。

AllwhohavebeeninF/RANCE\\aboutthattimehaveheardofthereputationofMons。H/ERAUT\\，the，whosevigilance，penetration，activity，andextensiveintelligencehavebeenmuchtalkedof。Thismagistrate，whobythenatureofhisofficeisalmostabsolute，wasinvestedwithfullpowers，onpurposetosuppressordiscreditthesemiracles；andhefrequentlyseizedimmediately，andexaminedthewitnessesandsubjectsofthem:Butnevercouldreachanythingsatisfactoryagainstthem。

InthecaseofMademoiselleT/HIBAUT\\hesentthefamousD/E\\S/YLVA\\toexamineher；whoseevidenceisverycurious。Thephysiciandeclares，thatitwasimpossibleshecouldhavebeensoillaswasprovedbywitnesses；becauseitwasimpossibleshcould，insoshortatime，haverecoveredsoperfectlyashefoundher。Hereasoned，likeamanofsense，fromnaturalcauses；buttheoppositepartytoldhim，thatthewholewasamiracle，andthathisevidencewastheverybestproofofit。

TheM/OLINISTS\\wereinasaddilemma。Theydurstnotasserttheabsoluteinsufficiencyofhumanevidence，toproveamiracle。Theywereobligedtosay，thatthesemiracleswerewroughtbywitchcraftandthedevil。Buttheyweretold，thatthiswastheresourceoftheJ/EWS\\ofold。

NoJ/ANSENIST\\waseverembarrassedtoaccountforthecessationofthemiracles，whenthechurch-yardwasshutupbytheking\'sedict。Itwasthetouchofthetomb，whichproducedtheseextraordinaryeffects；andwhennoonecouldapproachthetomb，noeffectscouldbeexpected。God，indeed，couldhavethrowndownthewallsinamoment；butheismasterofhisowngracesandworks，anditbelongsnottoustoaccountforthem。HedidnotthrowdownthewallsofeverycitylikethoseofJ/ERICHO\\，onthesoundingoftheramshorns，norbreakuptheprisonofeveryapostle，likethatofSt。P/AUL\\。

Nolessaman，thantheDucdeC/HATILLON\\，adukeandpeerofF/RANCE\\，ofthehighestrankandfamily，givesevidenceofamiraculouscure，performeduponaservantofhis，whohadlivedseveralyearsinhishousewithavisibleandpalpableinfirmity。

Ishallconcludewithobserving，thatnoclergyaremorecelebratedforstrictnessoflifeandmannersthanthesecularclergyofF/RANCE\\，particularlytherectorsorcuresofP/ARIS\\，whobeartestimonytotheseimpostures。

Thelearning，genius，andprobityofthegentlemen，andtheausterityofthenunsofP/ORT\\-R/OYAL\\，havebeenmuchcelebratedalloverE/UROPE\\。Yettheyallgiveevidenceforamiracle，wroughtonthenieceofthefamousPascal，whosesanctityoflife，aswellasextraordinarycapacity，iswellknown。thefamousR/ACINE\\givesanaccountofthismiracleinhisfamoushistoryofP/ORT\\-R/OYAL\\，andfortifiesitwithalltheproofs，whichamultitudeofnuns，priests，physicians，andmenoftheworld，allofthemofundoubtedcredit，couldbestowuponit。Severalmenofletters，particularlythebishopofT/OURNAY\\，thoughtthismiraclesocertain，astoemployitintherefutationofatheistsandfreethinkers。thequeen-regentofF/RANCE\\，whowasextremelyprejudicedagainsttheP/ORT\\-R/OYAL\\，sentherownphysiciantoexaminethemiracle，whoreturnedanabsoluteconvert。Inshort，thesupernaturalcurewassouncontestable，thatitsaved，foratime，thatfamousmonasteryfromtheruinwithwhichitwasthreatenedbytheJ/ESUITS\\。Haditbeenacheat，ithadcertainlybeendetectedbysuchsagaciousandpowerfulantagonists，andmusthavehastenedtheruinofthecontrivers。Ourdivines，whocanbuildupaformidablecastlefromsuchdespicablematerials；whataprodigiousfabriccouldtheyhaverearedfromtheseandmanyothercircumstances，whichIhavenotmentioned!HowoftenwouldthegreatnamesofP/ASCAL\\，R/ACINE\\，A/RNAUD\\，N/ICOLE\\，haveresoundedinourears？

butiftheybewise，theyhadbetteradoptthemiracle，asbeingmoreworth，athousandtimes，thanalltherestoftheircollection。Besides，itmayserveverymuchtotheirpurpose。Forthatmiraclewasreallyperformedbythetouchofanauthenticholyprickleoftheholythorn，whichcomposedtheholycrown，which，&。

[31]L/UCRET\\。

[32]Nov。Org。lib。ii。aph。29。

[33]L/UCIANI\\，[Greekwords]。

[34]Luciani，[Greekword]。

[35]Id。andDio。

[36]I/N\\general，itmay，Ithink，beestablishedasamaxim，thatwhereanycauseisknownonlybyitsparticulareffects，itmustbeimpossibletoinferanyneweffectsfromthatcause；sincethequalities，whicharerequisitetoproducetheseneweffectsalongwiththeformer，musteitherbedifferent，orsuperior，orofmoreextensiveoperation，thanthosewhichsimplyproducedtheeffect，whencealonethecauseissupposedtobeknowntous。Wecannever，therefore，haveanyreasontosupposetheexistenceofthesequalities。Tosay，thattheneweffectsproceedonlyfromacontinuationofthesameenergy，whichisalreadyknownfromthefirsteffects，willnotremovethedifficulty。Forevengrantingthistobethecase(whichcanseldombesupposed)，theverycontinuationandexertionofalikeenergy(foritisimpossibleitcanbeabsolutelythesame)，Isay，thisexertionofalikeenergy，inadifferentperiodofspaceandtime，isa

veryarbitrarysupposition，andwhattherecannotpossiblybeanytracesofitintheeffects，fromwhichallourknowledgeofthecauseisoriginallyderived。

Letthecausebeexactlyproportioned(asitshouldbe)totheknowneffect；anditisimpossiblethatitcanpossessanyqualities，fromwhichnewordifferenteffectscanbe。

[37]THISargumentisdrawnfromDr。Berkeley；andindeedmostofthewritingsofthatveryingeniousauthorformthebestlessonsofscepticism，whicharetobefoundeitheramongtheancientormodernphilosophers，Baylenotexcepted。Heprofesses，however，inhistitle-page(andundoubtedlywithgreattruth)tohavecomposedhisbookagainstthescepticsaswellasagainsttheatheistsandfree-thinkers。Butthatallhisarguments，thoughotherwiseintended，are，inreality，merelysceptical，appearsfromthis，。Theironlyeffectistocausethatmomentaryamazementandirresolutionandconfusion，whichistheresultofscepticism。

[38]W/HATEVER\\disputestheremaybeaboutthemathematicalpoints，wemustallowthattherearephysicalpoints；thatis，partsofextension，whichcannotbedividedorlessened，eitherbytheeyeorimagination。Theseimages，then，whicharepresenttothefancyorsenses，areabsolutelyindivisible，andconsequentlymustbeallowedbymathematicianstobeinfinitelylessthananyrealpartofextension；andyetnothingappearsmorecertaintoreason，thanthataninfinitenumberofthemcomposesaninfiniteextension。Howmuchmoreaninfinitenumberofthoseinfinitelysmallpartsofextension，whicharestillsupposedinfinitelydivisible。

[39]I/T\\seemstobenotimpossibletoavoidtheseabsurditiesandcontradictions，ifitbeadmitted，thatthereisnosuchthingasabstractorgeneralideas，properlyspeaking；butthatallgeneralideasare，inreality，particularones，attachedtoageneralterm，whichrecalls，uponoccasion，otherparticularones，thatresemble，incertaincircumstances，theidea，presenttothemind。ThuswhenthetermHorseispronounced，weimmediatelyfiguretoourselvestheideaofablackorawhiteanimal，ofaparticularsizeorfigure:Butasthattermisalsousuallyappliedtoanimalsofothercolours，figuresandsizes，theseideas，thoughnotactuallypresenttotheimagination，areeasilyrecalled；andourreasoningandconclusionproceedinthesameway，asiftheywereactuallypresent。Ifthisbeadmitted

(asseemsreasonable)itfollowsthatalltheideasofquantity，uponwhichmathematiciansreason，arenothingbutparticular，andsuchasaresuggestedbythesensesandimagination，andconsequently，cannotbeinfinitelydivisible。Itissufficienttohavedroppedthishintatpresent，withoutprosecutingitanyfarther。Itcertainlyconcernsallloversofsciencenottoexposethemselvestotheridiculeandcontemptoftheignorantbytheirconclusions；andthisseemsthereadiestsolutionofthesedifficulties。

[40]T/HAT\\impiousmaximoftheancientphilosophy，，，bywhichthecreationofmatterwasexcluded，ceasestobeamaxim，accordingtothisphilosophy。NotonlythewillofthesupremeBeingmaycreatematter；but，foraught，weknow，thewillofanyotherbeingmightcreateit，oranyothercause，thatthemostwhimsicalimaginationcanassign。