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once more repeat it, the experience which attests the uniformity of the course of nature, does not in the least prove, that its course may not be altered or modified.*

* Vide the French translation of Campbell on miracles, and especially the notes of the translator.

CHAP. VIII.

I

REFLECTIONS ON MORAL CERTAINTY.

T is plain, therefore, that moral ought not to be confounded with physical certainty. This last may be reduced to an exact calculation, whenever all the cases pos sible are known, as at games of hazard, &c.; or to approximations, when all the possible cases are not known, or the experiences are not sufficiently multiplied, as in those things which concern the duration or accidents of human life, &c.

But those things which we call moral, cannot be reduced to calculation; in this case, the unknown so far exceed in numbce the known circumstances, that there is a want of data to proceed upon.

In the composition of man, the moral and physical are mixed together, and hence arises a greater complication. Of all terrestrial beings, man is the most complicated. How then can the algebraic expression of a moral character be given? Are we sufficiently ac, quainted with the soul? with the body? with their mysterious union? Can we, with any precision, estimate the various effects of so many circumstances acting continually on that compound being? Can we --but let me rather request the reader to re-consider what I have said in Chap. v. and vi. of Part xiii. of the Phil. Pal. concerning the imperfection of morals.

Shall I however conclude, from what has been said, that there is no moral certainty 2: Because the secret of man's composition is unknown to me, shall I conclude, that I am. wholly unacquainted with man? Because I cannot discover the cause why the vibration of certain fibres in the brain is accompanied with certain ideas, shall I deny the. existence of those ideas? It would be: denying the existence of my own ideas.. Because I do not see those infinitely delicate

fibres, the actions of which seem to influence the understanding and will, shall I doubt whether there is an understanding and will? This would be doubting whether I myself have an understanding and will, &c. &c.

I am well acquainted with certain general facts, the result of the constitution of man, and I clearly perceive that moral certainty is built on these results. I know well enough what, and how far, my senses can or cannot effect concerning matters of fact, to be well assured that certain facts may have been seen and felt. I am sufficiently conversant with the faculties and affections of man, to be morally certain, that, in such or such given circumstances, witnesses may have attested the truth. I am even obliged to confess, that if I refused adher. ing to these principles, I should renounce the most common maxims of reason, and that I should controvert the civil order of all ages and all nations.

If then I seek after truth with an honest heart, I shall not subtilize a question plain enough in itself, and of the highest impor

tance." I shall endeavour to reduce it to its true limits. I shall grant that testimony may prove miracles; but I shall carefully examine, whether the testimony unites in itself such conditions as are requisite to establish such facts, or at least to render them very probable.

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