ix THE DOCTRINE OF IMMORTALITY 



to-morrow, and all are connected by the links of 

 cause and effect. 



". . . . as the same individual republic may not only 

 change its members, but also its laws and constitutions ; in 

 like manner the same person may vary his character and 

 disposition, as well as his impressions and ideas, without 

 losing his identity. Whatever changes he endures, his 

 several parts are still connected by the relation of causa- 

 tion. And, in this view, our identity with regard to the 

 passions serves to corroborate that with regard to the im- 

 agination, by the making our distant perceptions influence 

 each other, and by giving us a present concern for our past 

 or future pains or pleasures. 



" As memory alone acquaints us with the continuance 

 and extent of this succession of perceptions, 'tis to be con- 

 sidered, upon that account chiefly, as the source of personal 

 identity. Had we no memory we never should have any 

 notion of causation, nor consequently of that chain of causes 

 and effects which constitute our self or person. But hav- 

 ing once acquired this notion of causation from the memory^ 

 we can extend the same chain of causes, and consequently 

 the identity of our persons, beyond our memory, and can 

 comprehend times, and circumstances, and actions, which 

 we have entirely forgot, but suppose in general to have ex- 

 isted. For how few of our past actions are there of which 

 we have any memory ? Who can tell me, for instance, what 

 were his thoughts and actions on the first of January, 1715, 

 the eleventh of March, 1719, and the third of August, 1733? 

 Or will he affirm, because he has entirely forgot the inci- 

 dents of those days, that the present self is not the same 

 person with the self of that time, and by that means over- 

 turn all the most established notions of personal identity I 

 In this view, therefore, memory does not so much produce 

 as discover personal identity, by showing us the relation 

 of cause and effect among our different perceptions. 'Twill 

 be incumbent on those who affirm that memory produces 



