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Of this Mr. Hume feems to have been afterwards fenfible, for he 

 tells us, p. 314. " that the operation by which we infer like efFedts 

 " from like caufes is too eflential to the fubfiftence of mankind 

 " to be left to the flow dedudions of reafon ; and that it is 

 " more conformable to the ordinary wifdom of nature to fecure 

 " fo neceffary an ad of the mind by fome inJlinS, which may 

 " be infallible in its operation, independently of all dedudions 

 ♦' of the underftanding." And in this I perfedly agree with 

 him; but furely it is unreafonable to pretend that, even on re- 

 fledion, no other principle can be found for inferring fimilar ^ 

 effeds from fimilar caufes in fimilar circumflances. A refleding 

 mind muft foon difcover that the whole fyftem of nature has 

 hitherto been governed by general laws. As long as thefe fub- 

 lift, it is evident that events conformable to them may with 

 certainty be expeded. The only doubt which can by any pof- 

 •fibility be entertained, but which in fad never occurs, is whe- 

 ther thefe laws will hereafter exift as they have heretofore ex- 

 ifled. But a fufpicion of this kind, fuppofing it ever harboured 

 by any man in his fenfes, is eafily removed by refleding on 

 the attributes of the author of nature. As the ceflation of 

 thefe laws mufl be attended vn\h the deftrudion of the whole 

 fyftem, it may rationally be inferred that, whenever that is to 

 happen, it will be announced by precedfng Cgns, or otherwife; 

 thus that difaftrous fubverffon of the general law to which 

 liquids are fubjcdcd, in confequence of which nearly the whole 



animal 





