4^6 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book V.' 



tions, which he makes with refped to the former, viz. betwixt the fen- 

 fation itfelf, and the external object which produces it. 



There have been two anfwers given to Dr Berkeley and Mr Hum^, 

 but neither of which, I muft own, fatisfies me. The firft is of the 

 declamatory kind, fetting forth, with a great deal of wit and ridicule, 

 the abfurdity of fuch an opinion, fhowing, at the fame time, that it 

 leads to univerfal fcepticifm, and a difbelief of the moft importaat 

 truths of religion and morality ; aflerting likewife, what I am perfua- 

 ded is true, that no man ever fincerely believed that matttr does not 

 exift. But a philofopher is not convinced by declamation : Nor is ri- 

 dicule a philnfophical argument, whatever influence it may have up- 

 on the people ; and it no doubt has a great deal. Neither is an opi- 

 nion neceflarily falfe, becaufe it leads to dangerous confequences. And 

 there may be many things true which are believed by nobody. 



The other anfwer Is more philofophical ; but neither is it fatisfylng 

 to me at leaf!. It aflerts, that the perception of every fenfible object 

 is neceflarily accompanied with a belief of its exigence; that this is 

 the conftitution of our nature, and that we are to inquire no more a- 

 bout it. But this belief is a matter of fadl, which cannot be eafily 

 granted without proof. And, that it is conftant and univerfal, I do 

 abfolutely deny. And I aver, that by far the greater part of mankind 

 ad according to the appearances the fenfe prefents to them, without 

 confidering whether thefe appearances are from without or from with- 

 in ; or, in other words, whether the objedt have any real exifteiice. In 

 fhort, they have no opinion upon the fubje<S, any more than the 

 brute-animals have, who a£t in confequence of thefe fenfatlons, as 

 well as we do. And, as to the thinking few, who have formed opi- 

 nions upon this and many other fiibjeds, that the vul,ear never think 

 of, if they fay that they believe that the objedls of fcnie are real ex- 

 iftences, they muft give fome reafon fur their belief j for I have no 



con- 



