BOOK I PART III
SECTIONX. OF THEINFLUENCE OFBELIEF
But though education be disclaimed by phi-
losophy, as a fallacious ground of assent to any
opinion, it prevails nevertheless in the world,
and is the cause why all systems are apt to
be rejected at first as new and unusual. This
perhaps will be the fate of what I have here
advanced concerning belief, and though the
proofs I have produced appear to me perfectly
conclusive, I expect not to make many pros-
elytes to my opinion. Men will scarce ever
be persuaded, that effects of such consequence
can flow from principles, which are seemingly
faculty, excluding only our demonstrative and probable
reasonings. When I oppose it to neither, it is indifferent
whether it be taken in the larger or more limited sense,
or at least the context will sufficiently explain the mean-
ing.