218 HUME x 



of business or of politics, involves the acknowledg- 

 ment that we base our expectation of what men 

 will do, upon our observation of what they have 

 done; and, that we are as firmly convinced of the 

 fixed order of thoughts as we are of that of things. 

 And, if it be urged that human actions not un- 

 frequently appear unaccountable and capricious, 

 his reply is prompt: 



" I grant it possible to find some actions which seem to 

 have no regular connexion with any known motives, and 

 are exceptions to all the measures of conduct which have 

 ever been established for the government of men. But if 

 one could willingly know what judgment should be formed 

 of such irregular and extraordinary actions, we may con- 

 sider the sentiments commonly entertained with regard to 

 those irregular events which appear in the course of na- 

 ture, and the operations of external objects. All courses 

 are not conjoined to their usual effects with like uniformity. 

 An artificer, who handles only dead matter, may be dis- 

 appointed in his aim, as well as the politician who directs 

 the conduct of sensible and intelligent agents. 



" The vulgar, who take things according to their first 

 appearance, attribute the uncertainty of events to such an 

 uncertainty in the causes as make the latter often fail of 

 their usual influence, though they meet with no impedi- 

 ment to their operation. But philosophers, observing that, 

 almost in every part of nature, there is contained a vast 

 variety of springs and principles, which are hid, by reason 

 of their minuteness or remoteness, find that it is at least 

 possible the contrariety of events may not proceed from any 

 contingency in the cause, but from the secret operation of 

 contrary causes. This possibility is converted into certainty 

 by further observation, when they remark that, upon an ex- 

 act scrutiny, a contrariety of effects always betrays a con- 

 trariety of causes, and proceeds from their mutual oppo- 



