A Treatise of Human Nature

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BOOK I PART III


we may pronounce, that a person who would
voluntarily repeat any idea in his mind, though
supported by one past experience, would be
no more inclined to believe the existence of its
object, than if he had contented himself with
one survey of it. Beside the effect of design;
each act of the mind, being separate and in-
dependent, has a separate influence, and joins
not its force with that of its fellows. Not being
united by any common object, producing them,
they have no relation to each other; and conse-
quently make no transition or union of forces.
This phaenomenon we shall understand better
afterwards.


My second reflection is founded on those
large probabilities, which the mind can judge
of, and the minute differences it can observe
betwixt them. When the chances or experi-

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