232 THOUGHTS ON BELIEF AND EVIDENCE. 



to convey to a Eoman mind the idea involved in the native term 

 gegend, coined some such word as contrata or contrada, "the 

 things which are contra, over against you." The complaisant 

 Eoman is then supposed to have afterwards employed the barbariam 

 of his master, to the neglect of patria, or whatever other Latin 

 expression he would naturally have used. Thus the word from 

 which we get our pregnant English term country became established 

 in the Italian, Proven9al and i'rench. — It is curious to observe how 

 contra has Anglicised itself into countrxj — in country- dance '^ and 

 into counter^ in counteract, counterblast, &c. 

 {To he continued.) 



THOUGHTS ON BELIEF AND EVIDENCE. 



BY THE REV. WILLIAM HINCKS, F.L.S., F.B.S., EDIN. 



HOH. MKMBER OV THE LIVERPOOL LIT. AND PHIL. SOC, TOBKSH. PHIL. 80C., BOT. 800. 



OF CANADA, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ESSEX CO INSTITUTE AND THB 



BUFFALO NAT. HIST. SOC, PROFESSOR OF NAT. HIST. UNIV. COLL., TORONTO. 



If I had any idea of treating this subject in such a manner as to 

 attempt both to establish just principles, and to derive from them 

 practical rules, I should need a considerable volume instead of a short 

 essay ; but all that I now propose is a summary view of theoretical 

 principles. Some thirty years ago, when my professorial duties obliged 

 me to give close attention to questions in the philosophy of mind 

 and the science of evidence, and when what had then been written 

 on the subject was frequently in my hands, I was persuaded that the 

 sensational philosophy, as it has been termed, in the form in whicli 

 I held it, cleared away difficulties, and enabled me to present the 

 whole subject in a peculiarly satisfactory manner. During the greater 

 part of the time which has since elapsed, I have ceased to read much 

 on the subject, and have but a slight acquaintance witH the great 

 works which have since been produced; but my attention having been 

 recently strongly directed to past speculations, of which the loss of 

 all my papers has left me no record but what memory furnishes, I 

 ask the indulgence of this meeting to a few remarks, which, I hope. 



