RELIGIOUS OPINIONS. CCCCxli 



philosophy endeavours to discover the antecedent in the 

 chain of events, (a) and looks up to the first cause, (b) 



is only a sprout from some general or more universal truth pervading 

 different parts of nature. 



That this truth is not confined to the sense of seeing will appear from 

 a few moments consideration. Does not gunpowder produce its effect by 

 the rapidity with which the crude spirit of the nitre avoids and flies from 

 fire, where the impelling force is quicker than the force of resistance ? are 

 not such great masses of matter as an elephant or a whale moved in the 

 same manner by the repeated action of animal spirit ? is not, also, animal 

 spirit itself in the same manner put to flight by the action of opium ? Is 

 it not, therefore, an universal truth, that great effects are produced when 

 the motion of impulse is quicker than the motion of recovery? 



Again, to fall suddenly from a discord upon a concord is agreeable in 

 music ; but this truth is not confined to music : a sudden alteration in tone 

 is often agreeable in public speaking; and it may, perhaps, be said uni 

 versally that there always is delight in breaking the continuity of any 

 painful sensation. 



Again, the quavering upon a stop in music gives delight to the ear ; but 

 this pleasure from quavering is not confined to music : for the playing of 

 light upon the water or the sparkling of a diamond give the same delight 

 to the eyes; and, perhaps, it may be said universally, that gentle and 

 quickly varying excitement, gentle fluctuating undulation, unattended with 

 pain, is pleasant. 



The cause seems to be, either mental indolence, which contents itself 

 with the truth it possesses, without the trouble of inquiring whether it can 

 be extended ; or the never dreaming of the possibility of any extension, 

 from want of the habit of exercising the understanding to its full extent, of 

 giving scope to the understanding to range. 



The errors with respect to cause and effect may be thus exhibited : 



1. From ignorance of the cause, ascribing events 

 ~1. To chance. 



p 



j 2. To a wrong natural cause. 

 U 



.3. To immediate interposition of a superior. 

 2. From knowledge of proximate cause. 

 Abandoning universality. 



(a) See ante, note (a), page 439. 



(6) Hume, in his general corollary at the conclusion of his Essays, says, 

 &quot; Though the stupidity of men, barbarous and uninstructed, be so great, 

 that they may not see a sovereign author in the more obvious works 

 of nature, to which they are so much familiarised, yet it scarce seems 



