I • [ 163 ] 



whofe attributes Involve no'contradifllon, would adually exifl, 

 and exift from all eternity. What fliould prevent them ? Then 

 we fhould have golden mountains, flying horfes and every other 

 chimera realized. 



Section If. 

 Of the Source of our Knowledge of the Relation of Caufe and EffeEl. 



The next aflertion of Mr Hume which I now mean to examine, 

 is that the connexion between caufes and their effedls can in no 

 cafe be difcovered a priori or by reafoning, but is folely colleded 

 from experience. There is no principle on which he more firmly 

 relies, or repeats oftener. Thus, in the i 5 5th page of the firft volume 

 of his Treatife on Human Nature, he tells us " that the inference 

 " we draw from caufe to effedl is not derived from a furvey of 

 " thefe particular objedis, and fuch a penetration into their 

 " effences as may difcover the dependance of the one upon the 

 " other. Such inference would amount to knowledge, and would 

 " imply the abfolute contradidion of any thing different." And, 

 page 299 of the 4°. edition of his Eflays, he fays, " I fhall venture 

 "• to affirm as a general propofition which admits of no exception^ 

 " that the knowledge of this relation (of caufe and effed) is not in 

 " any inftance attained by reafonings a priori, but arifes entirely 

 " from experience, when we find any particular objeds are con- 

 " ftantly conjoined with each other." And, page 300, " We 



X 2 *' fancy 



