BOOK I PART IV
self, and draw us back to our former opinion.
Nay she has sometimes such an influence, that
she can stop our progress, even in the midst
of our most profound reflections, and keep us
from running on with all the consequences of
any philosophical opinion. Thus though we
clearly perceive the dependence and interrup-
tion of our perceptions, we stop short in our
career, and never upon that account reject the
notion of an independent and continued exis-
tence. That opinion has taken such deep root
in the imagination, that it is impossible ever to
eradicate it, nor will any strained metaphysi-
cal conviction of the dependence of our percep-
tions be sufficient for that purpose.
But though our natural and obvious princi-
ples here prevail above our studied reflections,
it is certain there must be sonic struggle and op-