56 
see however, how this affects the question. 
05 The third, fourth, and fifth reasons are founded on a 
similar mistake! I have already conceded that the appetites 
and passions are sufficiently strong to overbear 
sions of the intellect. But many of our assents not onginate 
in the intellect, but in the heart, and from the heart are 
reflected into the intellect. These vary m .intensity accord- 
ing. to the strength of our appetites and affections, e.g., I assent 
of food exactly in proportion as I like it. it reason g 
teaches me that it is injurious to health, my assent will be qua- 
lified in proportion to the cogency of the conclusion. If my 
likins for it is verv great, it will affect my assent exactly in 
proportion as the appetite is stronger than the sense of danger 
wffich the reasoning creates. The facts adduced by Di. 
Newman totally fail to establish his conclusion 
26. Dr. Newman contends that his argument holds good even 
in the purely demonstrative regions of mathematics. He is 
obliged to concede that in demonstrations ol moderate length 
the facts are against him. He contends, however that m 
long and intricate mathematical investigations, inference i 
noTalwavs “Slowed by assent. Of course it is not, because 
we are afl conscious that we are liable to mistakes, ana the 
longer and the more delicate the investigation the greater the 
probability of error. But when the whole processes have been 
fully verified, our assent becomes absolute ; till f 
perfect of Lei “carefully observed 
however that the conclusions of mathematics rarely, if eve , 
principle, good or W, 
Tf thev did, I am quite ready to admit that similar cons 
auencJs might ensue, as in the case of moral or political pro- 
positions But this does not affect the principle m question 
P 27 At p 1 65 I find the following most curious piece of rea- 
soning I think that you will want no commentary of mine 
o”^t out that the "author is 
double sense of the word “conditioned. inference is 
always inference ; even if demonstrative, it is still conditioned , 
it establishes an incontrovertible conclusion on the condition 
i premisses. To tl. «-*.„« l- to, ; , 
assent gives its absolute recognition. In the case or an ae 
monstrations, assent, when given, is unconditiona y g 
