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" the lame rule; but when any thing is affirmed utterly 

 " abfurd and miraculous, it rather the more readily admits 

 " fuch a fadt, upon account of that very circumftance which 

 " ought to deftroy all its authority. The paffion of fur- 

 " prife and wonder, arifing from miracles, being an agreeable 

 " emotion, gives a fenfible tendency towards the belief of thofe 

 " events from which it is derived." 



That fuch a retrogreffive difpofition refembling a curve of 

 double inflexion, rejedting a fadl marvellous in a low degree, 

 and readily receiving one marvellous in the highefl degree, 

 fliould exift in the human mind, would indeed be an extraor- 

 dinary phenomenon, and fuch as I am not difpofed to admit 

 on the teftimony of Mr. Hume ; it being contrary to my own 

 obfervation, though I have lived fomewhat longer than he has. 

 The general belief of fecond fight among the vulgar of his 

 country probably fuggefted this notion to him. He fhould 

 however remark, that the ready admiffion of the marvellous 

 never takes place, even among the weakeft men, and the moft 

 ignorant vulgar, except with regard to objedls coincident with, 

 or at leaft not repugnant to their religious belief, fuch as flories 

 of witchcraft, apparitions, magick, &c. and even here that 

 retrograde difpofition does not appear, for the credulity of the 

 moft credulous has its boiuids. Nay all will certainly refift this 

 paffion for the marvellous, if it be oppofed by tendencies much 

 more powerful, as attachment to their rooted prejudices, their 



fixed 



