22 FKAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



another occurrence, a cessation would occur as the most 

 natural event to us. But let it continue one hundred times, 

 and we should find no hesitation in inviting persons from a 

 distance to see it ; and if it occurred every day for years, its 

 occurrence would be a certainty to us, its cessation a 

 marvel. . . . What ground of reason can we assign for an 

 expectation that any part of the course of nature will be the 

 next moment what it has been up to this moment, i. e. for our 

 belief in the uniformity of nature ? None. No demonstra- 

 tive reason can be given, for the contrary to the recurrence 

 of a fact of nature is no contradiction. No probable reason 

 can be given; for all probable reasoning respecting the 

 course of nature is founded upon this presumption of like- 

 ness, and therefore cannot be the foundation of it. No rea- 

 son can be given for this belief. It is without a reason. 

 It rests upon no rational grounds, and can be traced to no 

 rational principle.' 



' Everything/ Mr. Mozley, however, adds, ' depends 

 upon this belief, every provision we make for the fu- 

 ture, every safeguard and caution we employ against it, 

 all calculation, all adjustment of means to ends, sup- 

 poses this belief; and yet this belief has no more pro- 

 ducible reason for it than a speculation of fancy 



It is necessary, all-important for the purposes of life, 

 but solely practical, and possesses no intellectual char- 

 acter The proper function/ continues Mr. 



Mozley, ' of the inductive principle, the argument 

 from experience, the belief in the order of nature by 

 whatever phrase we designate the same instinct is to 

 operate as a practical basis for the affairs of life and the 

 carrying on of human society.' To sum up, the belief 

 in the order of nature is general, but it is ' an unintelli- 

 gent impulse, of which we can give no rational ac- 

 count.' It is inserted into our constitution solely to 

 induce us to till our fields, to raise our winter fuel, and 

 thus to meet the future on the perfectly gratuitous 

 supposition that it will be like the past. 



