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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 19, page id 778263916:0035
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Nomnate practical Principas
Chastier: Or, irtere is that universal Consent, that actures us there are
fuch inbred Rules: Murders in Duels, When Fathion has made them ho
nourable, are commirted ichout remorle oF Conscience: Nay, in manr
Places, Innocence inthis Casc is thegreatest Tgnominy. And il we will
look abroad, to take a view oEMen, as they arc, We Mall find, that they
have a remorie, in one Place, For doins or omitring chat. Wrhich otters, in
another Place, think they merit bY.
6. 20. HC that Will caresully peruse the Ftistory oF Mankind, and I00K
abroad intothe several Fribes orNlen, and With indilerener survey cheir
Actions, Will beable eo satissiehimsel(, Thac there is scarce that Principle
ot Moraliey to be named, or Rule of Verrue tobethoughe on (those onty
excepted, that are absolutels necellarr to hold Sociery togettier, nhich
commonly cocare neglected betwixt distinct Societies) hichis nOE, (ome.
Wrtrere or other, sichied and condemned by the general Falhion ot whole
Socieries ofMen, Governed by practical Opinions, and Rules of livins quite
OppOsite tO OEHeTS.
5. TT. Elere, Perhaps, Twill be objected, chat it is nO ArgumenF, FhaFthC
Rule is not tenoon, because ie is broken. P grant the Objection rood, Wrhere
Blen, though ther transeress, yet dilorn noc the Lar; Where tear of
Strame, Censure, or Punistimene, carries the Mark oF Lome aWre it has up.
on them. Buc it is impossibleto conceive, that a wbole Nation ot Men
Bould alI publickly reject andrenounce, Whrat every one of them, certainty
and intallibls, lener to be a Lair: For lo thes must, Wrho have it natu-
rally imprinced on cheir Minds.Tis possible, Men may Pometimes omn
Rales of Morality, Whrich in cheir prirate Thoushes, thes do not beliere
tobe true, ouly eo lcep chemselres in Repuration, and FAcem amonost
those, whoare persraded os their Obligation. But ris not to be imagin d.
That a whole society oF Nen, Mould, publicky and prosessear, disown,
and cast of a Rulo, trhich ther could. noc, in their omn Mincs, Dut be in-
falliblr certain, as a Lar; nor be ignorant, That aIl Men, they Mould
have io do rich, hneu it to be such: And theretore must everr one ot
them apprehend trom others, all the Contempe and Abhorrence due t0
onc, uho protesses himself roid of trumanier; andonc, who contound.
ins the known and natural measures of RigHE and WVTOBS, CanNOF buFBC
lookd on, as the professed Finems of their Peace and Elappiness. Whato
ever practical Principle is innate, cannor bur be knomn to everr onc, to
be just and sood. It is theretore licele lels than a contradiction, 1o sup-
pose, That Wholo Narions of Men Bould both in their Profestions, and
Cractice unanimous) and univer(ally givo theLycto, Wrhat, by the most
invincible Fvidence, everr one of them kner to be truo, right, and good.
This is enough eo larissie us, That no practical Rule, Which is any irhere
univerlallr, and with publicte Approbation, or Allorvance, transgrested,
can be supposed innate. But Phare lomethins Farther to add, in Ansiver
eo this Objection.
5. T2. Thebreakins ot a Rule, lay jou, is no Argument, chat it is un-
RnOrn. P SranE IC: But the generally alloved breach of it any Wvhere,
CaY, is a Proof that it is not innate. ForExample, L etus take any of these
Rules; Wrtich beins che most obrious deductions oF FTumane ReasOn, and
contormable eo the natural Tnelination oE the greatest part OF Men, SCWeA
People hare had theimpudence to denr, or Inconsideration to doubt ol.
IF any can be choughe eo be naturally imprinced, none, lchinke, can have
a Fairer Pretence to beinnate, than this; Parenis preserve and cheriss jour
Children. Vrhen cheretore you Cay, Thac tuis is an innate Rule, Nhatdo
Vou mean? Ficher, that it is an innate Principle; Wtich uxon all Oc-
CaliONS,