BOOK I PART III
judgment; and yet its influence is different, be-
cause of the different manner, in which it is pre-
sented.
Now if we compare these two cases, of the
open and concealed violations of the laws of
honour, we shall find, that the difference be-
twixt them consists in this, that in the first
ease the sign, from which we infer the blame-
able action, is single, and suffices alone to be
the foundation of our reasoning and judgment;
whereas in the latter the signs are numerous,
and decide little or nothing when alone and
unaccompanyed with many minute circum-
stances, which are almost imperceptible. But
it is certainly true, that any reasoning is al-
ways the more convincing, the more single and
united it is to the eye, and the less exercise it
gives to the imagination to collect all its parts,