BOOK II PART III
creased by the nature of the objects, which be-
ing sensible, and of a narrow compass, are en-
tered into with facility, and are agreeable to the
imagination.
The same theory, that accounts for the love
of truth in mathematics and algebra may be ex-
tended to morals, politics, natural philosophy,
and other studies, where we consider not the
other abstract relations of ideas, but their real
connexions and existence. But beside the love
of knowledge, which displays itself in the sci-
ences, there is a certain curiosity implanted in
human nature, which is a passion derived from
a quite different principle. Some people have
an insatiable desire of knowing the actions and
circumstances of their neighbours, though their
interest be no way concerned in them, and they
must entirely depend on others for their in-