CANTO iv. OF GOOD AND EVIL. 153 



Which in one changeful sound suggests the fact 

 At once to be, to suffer, or to act; 

 And marks on rapid wing o'er every clime 

 The viewless flight of evanescent Time. 



" Call'd by thy voice contiguous thoughts embrace 

 In endless streams arranged by Time or Place; 300 

 The Muse historic hence in every age 

 Gives to the world her interesting page; 

 While in bright landscape from her moving pen 

 Rise the fine tints of manners and of men. 



CalTd by thy voice, 1. 299- The numerous trains of associated ideas 

 are divided by Mr. Hume into three classes, which he has termed 

 contiguity, causation, and resemblance. Nor should we wonder to 

 find them thus connected together, since it is the business of our 

 lives to dispose them into these three classes; and we become valu- 

 able to ourselves and our friends as we succeed in it. Those who 

 have combined an extensive class of ideas by the contiguity of time 

 or place, are men learned in the history of mankind, and of the 

 sciences they have cultivated. Those who have connected a great 

 class of ideas of resemblances, possess the source of the ornaments of 

 poetry and oratory, and of all rational analogy. While those who 

 have connected great classes of ideas of causation, are furnished with 

 the powers of producing effects. These are the men of active wisdom 

 who lead armies to victory, and kingdoms to prosperity; or discover 

 and improve the sciences which meliorate and adorn the condition 

 of humanity. 



X 



