an enquiry concerning human understanding-第20章

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witnesses；　gives　us　also；　in　this　case；　another　degree　of
assurance　against　the　fact；　which　they　endeavour　to
establish；　from　which　contradiction　there　necessarily　arises
a　counterpoize；　and　mutual　destruction　of　belief　and
authority。

　　　　　
C/ATO；　was　a　proverbial　saying　in　R/OME；　even　during　the
lifetime　of　that　philosophical　patriot。＇25＇　The
incredibility　of　a　fact；　it　was　allowed；　might　invalidate　so
great　an　authority。

　　　　　The　I/NDIAN　prince；　who　refused　to　believe　the　first
relations　concerning　the　effects　of　frost；　reasoned　justly；
and　it　naturally　required　very　strong　testimony　to　engage
his　assent　to　facts；　that　arose　from　a　state　of　nature；　with
which　he　was　unacquainted；　and　which　bore　so　little　analogy
to　those　events；　of　which　he　had　had　constant　and　uniform
experience。　Though　they　were　not　contrary　to　his　experience；
they　were　not　conformable　to　it。＇26＇

　　　　　But　in　order　to　encrease　the　probability　against　the
testimony　of　witnesses；　let　us　suppose；　that　the　fact；　which
they　affirm；　instead　of　being　only　marvellous；　is　really
miraculous；　and　suppose　also；　that　the　testimony　considered
apart　and　in　itself；　amounts　to　an　entire　proof；　in　that
case；　there　is　proof　against　proof；　of　which　the　strongest
must　prevail；　but　still　with　a　diminution　of　its　force；　in
proportion　to　that　of　its　antagonist。

　　　　　A　miracle　is　a　violation　of　the　laws　of　nature；　and　as
a　firm　and　unalterable　experience　has　established　these
laws；　the　proof　against　a　miracle；　from　the　very　nature　of
the　fact；　is　as　entire　as　any　argument　from　experience　can
possibly　be　imagined。　Why　is　it　more　than　probable；　that　all
men　must　die；　that　lead　cannot；　of　itself；　remain　suspended
in　the　air；　that　fire　consumes　wood；　and　is　extinguished　by
water；　unless　it　be；　that　these　events　are　found　agreeable
to　the　laws　of　nature；　and　there　is　required　a　violation　of
these　laws；　or　in　other　words；　a　miracle　to　prevent　them？
Nothing　is　esteemed　a　miracle；　if　it　ever　happen　in　the
common　course　of　nature。　It　is　no　miracle　that　a　man；
seemingly　in　good　health；　should　die　on　a　sudden：　Because
such　a　kind　of　death；　though　more　unusual　than　any　other；
has　yet　been　frequently　observed　to　happen。　But　it　is　a
miracle；　that　a　dead　man　should　come　to　life；　because　that
has　never　been　observed　in　any　age　or　country。　There　must；
therefore；　be　a　uniform　experience　against　every　miraculous
event；　otherwise　the　event　would　not　merit　that　appellation。
And　as　a　uniform　experience　amounts　to　a　proof；　there　is
here　a　direct　and　full　；　from　the　nature　of　the　fact；
against　the　existence　of　any　miracle；　nor　can　such　a　proof
be　destroyed；　or　the　miracle　rendered　credible；　but　by　an
opposite　proof；　which　is　superior。＇27＇

　　　　　The　plain　consequence　is　（and　it　is　a　general　maxim
worthy　of　our　attention）；　〃that　no　testimony　is　sufficient
to　establish　a　miracle；　unless　the　testimony　be　of　such　a
kind；　that　its　falsehood　would　be　more　miraculous；　than　the
fact；　which　it　endeavors　to　establish；　and　even　in　that　case
there　is　a　mutual　destruction　of　arguments；　and　the　superior
only　gives　us　an　assurance　suitable　to　that　degree　of　force；
which　remains；　after　deducting　the　inferior。〃　When　anyone
tells　me；　that　he　saw　a　dead　man　restored　to　life；　I
immediately　consider　with　myself；　whether　it　be　more
probable；　that　this　person　should　either　deceive　or　be
deceived；　or　that　the　fact；　which　he　relates；　should　really
have　happened。　I　weigh　the　one　miracle　against　the　other；
and　according　to　the　superiority；　which　I　discover；　I
pronounce　my　decision；　and　always　reject　the　greater
miracle。　If　the　falsehood　of　his　testimony　would　be　more
miraculous；　than　the　event　which　he　relates；　then；　and　not
till　then；　can　he　pretend　to　command　my　belief　or　opinion。

PART　II。

　　　　　I/N　the　foregoing　reasoning　we　have　supposed；　that　the
testimony；　upon　which　a　miracle　is　founded；　may　possibly
amount　to　an　entire　proof；　and　that　the　falsehood　of　that
testimony　would　be　a　real　prodigy：　But　it　is　easy　to　shew；
that　we　have　been　a　great　deal　too　liberal　in　our
concession；　and　that　there　never　was　a　miraculous　event
established　on　so　full　an　evidence。

　　　　　For　；　there　is　not　to　be　found；　in　all　history；
any　miracle　attested　by　a　sufficient　number　of　men；　of　such
unquestioned　good…sense；　education；　and　learning；　as　to
secure　us　against　all　delusion　in　themselves；　of　such
undoubted　integrity；　as　to　place　them　beyond　all　suspicion
of　any　design　to　deceive　others；　of　such　credit　and
reputation　in　the　eyes　of　mankind；　as　to　have　a　great　deal
to　lose　in　case　of　their　being　detected　in　any　falsehood；
and　at　the　same　time；　attesting　facts　performed　in　such　a
public　manner　and　in　so　celebrated　a　part　of　the　world；　as
to　render　the　detection　unavoidable：　All　which　circumstances
are　requisite　to　give　us　a　full　assurance　in　the　testimony
of　men。

　　　　　。　We　may　observe　in　human　nature　a　principle
which；　if　strictly　examined；　will　be　found　to　diminish
extremely　the　assurance；　which　we　might；　from　human
testimony；　have　in　any　kind　of　prodigy。　The　maxim；　by　which
we　commonly　conduct　ourselves　in　our　reasonings；　is；　that
the　objects；　of　which　we　have　no　experience；　resembles
those；　of　which　we　have；　that　what　we　have　found　to　be　most
usual　is　always　most　probable；　and　that　where　there　is　an
opposition　of　arguments；　we　ought　to　give　the　preference　to
such　as　are　founded　on　the　greatest　number　of　past
observations。　But　though；　in　proceeding　by　this　rule；　we
readily　reject　any　fact　which　is　unusual　and　incredible　in
an　ordinary　degree；　yet　in　advancing　farther；　the　mind
observes　not　always　the　same　rule；　but　when　any　thing　is
affirmed　utterly　absurd　and　miraculous；　it　rather　the　more
readily　admits　of　such　a　fact；　upon　account　of　that　very
circumstance；　which　ought　to　destroy　all　its　authority。　The
passion　of　　and　；　arising　from　miracles；
being　an　agreeable　emotion；　gives　a　sensible　tendency
towards　the　belief　of　those　events；　from　which　it　is
derived。　And　this　goes　so　far；　that　even　those　who　cannot
enjoy　this　pleasure　immediately；　nor　can　believe　those
miraculous　events；　of　which　they　are　informed；　yet　love　to
partake　of　the　satisfaction　at　second…hand　or　by　rebound；
and　place　a　pride　and　delight　in　exciting　the　admiration　of
others。

　　　　　With　what　greediness　are　the　miraculous　accounts　of
travellers　received；　their　descriptions　of　sea　and　land
monsters；　their　relations　of　wonderful　adventures；　strange
men；　and　uncouth　manners？　But　if　the　spirit　of　religion　join
itself　to　the　love　of　wonder；　there　is　an　end　of　common
sense；　and　human　testimony；　in　these　circumstances；　loses
all　pretensions　to　authority。　A　religionist　may　be　an
enthusiast；　and　imagine　he　sees　what　has　no　reality：　He　may
know　his　narrative　to　be　false；　and　yet　persevere　in　it；
with　the　best　intentions　in　the　world；　for　the　sake　of
promoting　so　holy　a　cause：　Or　even　where　this　delusion　has
not　place；　vanity；　excited　by　so　strong　a　temptation；
operates　on　him　more　powerfully　than　on　the　rest　of　mankind
in　any　other　circumstances；　and　self…interest　with　equal
force。　His　auditors　may　not　have；　and　commonly　have　not；
sufficient　judgement　to　canvass　his　evidence：　What　judgement
they　have；　they　renounce　by　principle；　in　these　sublime　and
mysterious　subjects：　Or　if　they　were　ever　so　willing　to
employ　it；　passion　and　a　heated　imagination　disturb　the
regularity　of　its　operations。　Their　credulity　increases　his
impudence：　And　his　impudence　overpowers　their　credulity。

　　　　　Eloquence；　when　at　its　highest　pitch；　leaves　little
room　for　reason　or　reflection；　but　addressing　itself
entirely　to　the　fancy　or　the　affections；　captivates　the
willing　hearers；　and　subdues　their　understanding。　Happily；
this　pitch　it　seldom　attains。　But　what　a　T/ULLY　or　a
D/EMOSTHENES　could　scarcely　effect　over　a　R/OMAN　or
A/THENIAN　audience；　every　；　every　itinerant　or
stationary　teacher　can　perform　over　the　generality　of
mankind；　and　in　a　higher　degree；　by　touching　such　gross　and
vulgar　passions。

　　　　　The　many　instances　of　forged　miracles；　and　prophecies；
and　supernatural　events；　which；　in　all　ages；　have　either
been　detected　by　contrary　evidence；　or　which　detect
themselves　by　their　absurdity；　prove　sufficiently　the　strong
propensity　of　mankind　to　the　extraordinary　and　the
marvellous；　and　ought　reasonably　to　beget　a　suspicion
against　all　relations　of　this　kind。　This　is　our　natural　way
of　thinking；　even　with　regard　to　the　most　common　and　most
credible　events。　For　instance：　There　is　no　kind　of　report
which　rises　so　easily；　and　spreads　so　quickly；　especially　in
country　places　and　provincial　towns；　as　those　concerning
marriages；　insomuch　that　two　young　persons　of　equal
condition　never　see　each　other　twice；　but　the　whole
neighbourhood　immediately　join　them　together。　The　pleasure
of　telling　a　piece　of　news　so　interesting；　of　propagating
it；　and　of　being　the　first　reporters　of　it；　spreads　the
intelligence。　And　this　is　so　well　known；　that　no　man　of
sense　gives　attention　to　these　reports；　till　he　find　them
confirmed　by　some　greater　evidence。　Do　not　the　same
passions；　and　others　still　stronger；　incline　the　generality
of　mankind　to　believe　and　report；　with　the　greatest
vehemence　and　assurance；　all　religious　miracles？

　　　　　。　It　forms　a　strong　presumption　against　all
supernatural　and　miraculous　relations；　that　they　are
observed　chiefly　to　abound　among　ignorant　and　barbarous
nations；　or　if　a　civilized　people　has　ever　given　admission
to　any　of　them；　that　people　will　be　found　to　have　received
them　from　ignorant　and　barbarous　ancestors；　who　transmitted
them　with　that　inviolable　sanction　and　authority；　which
always　attend　received　opinions。　When　we　peruse　the　first
histories　of　all　nations；　we　are　apt　to　imagine　ourselves
transported　into　some　new　world；　where　the　whole　frame　of
nature　is　disjointed；　and　every　element　performs　its
operations　in　a　different　manner；　from　what　it　does　at
present。　Battles；　revolutions；　pestilence；　famine　and　death；
are　never　the　effect　of　those　natural　causes；　which　we
experience。　Prodigies；　omens；　oracles；　judgements；　quite
obscure　the　few　natural　events；　that　are　intermingled　with
them。　But　as　the　former　grow　thinner　every　page；　in
proportion　as　we　advance　nearer　the　enlightened　ages；　we
soon　learn；　that　there　is　nothing　mysterious　or　supernatural
in　the　case；　but　that　all　proceeds　from　the　usual　propensity
of　mankind　towards　the　marvellous；　and　that；　though　this
inclination　may　at　intervals　receive　a　check　from　sense　and
learning；　it　can　never　be　thoroughly　extirpated　from　human
nature。

　　　　　；　a　judicious　reader　is　apt　to　say；　upon
the　perusal　of　these　wonderful　historians；　。　But　it　is
nothing　strange；　I　hope；　that　men　should　lie　in　all　ages。
You　must　surely　have　seen　instances　enough　of　that　frailty。
You　have　yourself　heard　many　such　marvellous　relations
started；　which；　being　treated　with　scorn　by　all　the　wise　and
judicious；　have　at　last　been　abandoned　even　by　the　vulgar。
Be　assured；　that　those　renowned　lies；　which