102 rouss£au's doctrine 



Metaphyfically poffible miracles may neverthelefs be. 

 This the citizen of Geneva does not deny. He on- 

 ly contends againft the demonftrability of them by 

 human teftimony ; and here he feems actually to have 

 the advantage. 



For, it is not only metaphyfically poffible, but even 

 phylically poffible, and perfectly compatible with the 

 ordinary coutfe of nature, that men mould fay what is 

 not true, or that they Ihould err. 



Mankind are as ealily deceived on matters of fact, 

 as on opinions, fays d'Alembert. 



If, therefore, a lye or a deception of the fenfes be a 

 natural fact, but the tranfmutation of the Milelian pea- 

 fants into frogs be an extra natural fact ; then the ques- 

 tion is fopn decided, which of the two facts is to be 

 believed as infinitely the more probable ? The natural, 

 or the extra natural ? 



The man, fays RoufTeau, that declares this or that 

 effect to be a miracle, implies thereby that all the laws 

 of nature are known to him, and that he knows the 

 faid effect to be an exception to them. 



But who knows all the laws of nature ?~- -all the 

 powers of finite natures ? 



However, let us fuppofe, that I myfelf believe I have 

 feen a miracle. 



In this cafe, returns RoufTeau : au lieu de me rendre 

 credule 5 j'aurois grand peur, qtfil ne me rendit que 

 fou> 



This afTertlon has been taken much amifs of him.- I 

 think with injuftice. 



It feems to me as if RoufTeau would only fay : To 

 fuppofe an unebferved illulion of my fenfes or of my 



imagination^ 



