A Treatise of Human Nature

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BOOK I PART III


the latter is impossible, it is certain the for-
mer can never exist. Now nothing is more ev-
ident, than that the human mind cannot form
such an idea of two objects, as to conceive any
connexion betwixt them, or comprehend dis-
tinctly that power or efficacy, by which they are
united. Such a connexion would amount to a
demonstration, and would imply the absolute
impossibility for the one object not to follow, or
to be conceived not to follow upon the other:
Which kind of connexion has already been re-
jected in all cases. If any one is of a contrary
opinion, and thinks he has attained a notion of
power in any particular object, I desire he may
point out to me that object. But till I meet with
such-a-one, which I despair of, I cannot forbear
concluding, that since we can never distinctly
conceive how any particular power can possi-
bly reside in any particular object, we deceive

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