BOOK I PART IV
are neither unavoidable to mankind, nor nec-
essary, or so much as useful in the conduct of
life; but on the contrary are observed only to
take place in weak minds, and being opposite
to the other principles of custom and reason-
ing, may easily be subverted by a due contrast
and opposition. For this reason the former are
received by philosophy, and the latter rejected.
One who concludes somebody to be near him,
when he hears an articulate voice in the dark,
reasons justly and naturally; though that con-
clusion be derived from nothing but custom,
which infixes and inlivens the idea of a human
creature, on account of his usual conjunction
with the present impression. But one, who is
tormented he knows not why, with the appre-
hension of spectres in the dark, may, perhaps,
be said to reason, and to reason naturally too:
But then it must be in the same sense, that a