BOOK I PART III
inferior degree, when we discover such as are
similar; and though the habit loses somewhat
of its force by every difference, yet it is seldom
entirely destroyed, where any considerable cir-
cumstances remain the same. A man, who has
contracted a custom of eating fruit by the use of
pears or peaches, will satisfy himself with mel-
ons, where he cannot find his favourite fruit; as
one, who has become a drunkard by the use of
red wines, will be carried almost with the same
violence to white, if presented to him. From
this principle I have accounted for that species
of probability, derived from analogy, where we
transfer our experience in past instances to ob-
jects which are resembling, but are not exactly
the same with those concerning which we have
had experience. In proportion as the resem-
blance decays, the probability diminishes; but
still has some force as long as there remain any