" of the world, as to render detedlion (if falfe) unavoidable." 

 1 he teftimony of witnefTes, otherwife duly qualified, and 

 adling under the terror of punlfliment, if found to prevaricate, 

 does not appear to me to require much publicity to be intitled 

 to credit : but this depends on various collateral confiderations ; 

 for unlefs the faliehood of the teftimony were itfelf miraculous, 

 that is out of nature, I fhould give it no credit in fuch cafes as 

 we now difcufs, whether the event were public or private. 

 Neither do I fee the neceflity that the miracle fliould be per- 

 formed in a celebrated part of the world ; for, if falfe, its 

 falfehood may eafily be detedled, or at leaft it may eafily be ren- 

 dered fufpicious by thofe that are interefted in difcrediting it, 

 whether performed in the country, or in a celebrated capital. 

 Nay the fcene of fome of the grofleft impoftures of this nature 

 has been laid in celebrated capitals, as Alexandria, Naples, 

 Paris, &c. 



After enumerating fome of the circumftances that fhould 

 attend the atteftation of a miracle, our author pafTes to thofe 

 that, in his opinion, generally promote its reception and credit : 

 Ifayyowze; for the circumftances that have preceded, accompanied, 

 and fucceeded the atteftation of real miracles, are much more 

 numerous and cogent. 



Ibid. He tells us, that " though we readily rejedt any 

 " fadl that is unufual and incredible in an ordinary degree, 

 " yet in advancing farther, the mind obferves not always 



" the 



