46 LECTURE I. 



Why these sceptics try to ridicule what 

 they cannot refute ? and whence arises the 

 irritabihty they have displayed ? The na- 

 ture of this kind of irritability is, indeed, 

 well known to Physiologists, it is but the 

 common consequence of debility when ex- 

 cited. But what is the exciting cause, 

 what provocation has been given to them ? 

 It must be as I surmised ; they have opi- 

 nions and are irritated at any thing contra- 

 dictory which they cannot oppugn. The 

 very term of superaddition is discordant to 

 their ears ; the supposition that there may 

 be any thing which is not an object of 

 sense, or actual demonstration, torments 

 them ; they themselves perceive, that the 

 superaddition of life to structure may, in- 

 deed, warrant the supposition of a substance 

 having the properties of perception, and 

 volition being superadded to life ; and that 

 there may be " more things in heaven and 

 earth, than they in their philosophy dreamt 

 of." Should such opinions gain ground, 

 the privileges of scepticism seem endan- 

 gered ; their proselytes may no longer rcT 



