[ ii8 ] 



fhould declare, that a celeftial phenomenon, even fuch as we 

 had never feen, had appeared in a certain region of the heavens, 

 on a certain day, hour, and fecond ; had run over a particular 

 tradt, and laftly difappeared with circumftances peculiar and 

 minutely detailed ; we niufr perceive, that our belief would not 

 be founded on an enquiry into the charaflers of the witnefTes, 

 but folely into the chances of their concurrence in thefe contin,- 

 gent circumftances. 



