BOOK I PART III
still acquire a new degree of evidence.
First, It is obvious, that in reasonings of this
kind, it is not the object presented to us, which,
considered in itself, affords us any reason to
draw a conclusion concerning any other ob-
ject or event. For as this latter object is sup-
posed uncertain, and as the uncertainty is de-
rived from a concealed contrariety of causes in
the former, were any of the causes placed in the
known qualities of that object, they would no
longer be concealed, nor would our conclusion
be uncertain.
But, secondly, it is equally obvious in this
species of reasoning, that if the transference
of the past to the future were founded merely
on a conclusion of the understanding, it coued
never occasion any belief or assurance. When
we transfer contrary experiments to the future,