6; 



the number of witneffes, not fuch pretended witnefles, as appear to vouch 

 the rumours of the day. With regard to fuch rumours, we mufl con- 

 fider, that every remove from the fountain head diminifhes the force of 

 the evidence, and renders the credit due to the ftory more queftion- 

 able ; fince it encreafes the chances of our being deceived, both through 

 the fallibility of our fenfes, and the poffibility, that, in every tranfmif- 

 fion, the report may be more or lefs falfified, by addition or fubtrac- 

 tion of fome material circumftance. All that the augmented number of 

 reporters {hews is, that there are many perfons, who believe the re- 

 port to be true ; but, when we come to refleft, how anxious men ufually 

 are to perfuade others of the truth of what they themfelves ftrongly 

 believe ; how many interefted motives may exift, to render others ex- 

 tremely zealous in the propagation of the flory ; and, in fine, how the 

 fpirit of credulity flies about among the vulgar, like an epidemic ma- 

 lady, and fpreads by contagion. We fhall not give much weight to the 

 number of reporters ; and we Ihall always remember to diftinguilh 

 between reporters, and witneflTes. In faft, the integrity of the reporter 

 is chiefly to be confidercd, in an examination of the credit due to 

 popular rumours. 



Section hi. 



Grounds of dijfent'mg from popular Rumour. 



Although the grounds of popular credulity are fluftuating and various, 

 often inconfiftent with each other ; various as the pafllons, prejudices, 

 difpoCtions, and tempers of men ; and, even on thefe grounds often 

 inexplicable: the motives of our inclining to doubt and difbelief are 

 more rational and certain ; nor is it difficult, to eflablifli certain falutary 

 tefts of diflfent, by which we may, for the moil part, appreciate the 

 demerits of popular rumour. 



( 1 2 ) The 



