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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 24, page id 778263916:0040
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No innate practical Principles.
BOOK l.
ally eo bnow, and allo aII these and a thousand ocher such RuleS, aII
irtrich come under these trro general rords made ule ot above, viz. Vir-
rutes (5 Peccata, Vertues and Sins, there ill be more realon for ad
mittins chese, and the like; for common Notions, and practicat Prin-
ciples: Vet alter all; universal Consent (vere there any in Moral Prin-
ciples) to Truchs, the bnomledse whereot misht be attained other-
wise, rould scarce prore them to be innate; Wrhich is ali Icontend
FOr.
5. 20. Nor Will ic he of much moment here, to ofter that verr ready,
but noc very material Anliver, (Viz.) Thac the innate Principles oF MOra-
liey, may, hy Fducation, and Custom, and the general Opinion of thole a-
monestwtiom re converse, be darkened, and at last quite vorn out ol tlIe
Minds oF Men. Which allertion oFtheirs, il true, quite takes arrar the
Argument oF universal Consene, by ertrich this Opinion ot innate Prin-
ciples is endearoured to be proved: unlels thole men will thinke it rea-
Conable, that their oun private Persirasions, or that of their Party, Bould
pass for universal Consene; a thing noc untrequently done, wrhen men
presumine chemselves to be theonly Masters oF righe Realon, cast by tho
Vores and Opinions of the rest ofMlankind, as not worthy the reckon-
ins. And then cheir Argument sands thus: The Principles which alI
manteind allo for true, are innate; those that men of ristt Realon admit,
are the Principles allored by all mankind; re and thole ot our mind, arc
men ofrioht Rcalon; theretore re acrecins, our Principles are innate;
erhrich is a very prects mas oParguins, and a More cut to Infallibiliey.
For ochermise ic will bevery hard to understand, hor there be some Prin:
ciples wtich all men do acknomledse, and agree in; and ret there are
none oFthose Principles erhich are not by depraved Custom and ill F duca-
rion Blorted out ofthe minds of many men: WNtich is to Pay, That all men
adnit, but y et mans men do dens, and dissent trom them. Andindeed the
supposition oE such Arst Principles, Will servo us to very licele purpole;
andire MalI beas much at a lols rith, a5 without them, il ther may by
ans humane Pover, such as is the Will oF our Peachers; or Opinions ot
our Companions, be altered or lost in us; and notwichltandine aM this
boast of sirst Principles, and innate Light, we Ball bC as much in the
darte and uncertainer, as if there vere no such thins at all. IE being aII
one tohavenoRule, and one chat will warp any rray; or amonost va-
rious and contrarr Rules, not to knom wtrich is the riehe. Bur concer-
nins innate Principles, I desire these men to lay, Whether they can, or
cannot, by Fducation and Custom, be blured and blocted out: IF they
CanHOE, e ust And them ie all Ntantind alike, and they must be clear
in every body: And ilthes may sutter variation From adrentitious Nori
ons, re must then find them clearest and most perspicuous, nearest the
Fountain in Children and illiterate People, wrtro have received leale im
prellion trom foreion Opinions. Lec them tale nhuch side thes pleale,
cher ill certainly tindit inconsistene wich visible matrer ol fact, and dai
ls observation.
S. 2F. Tealily grane, chatthere are great numvers ol Opnions, Wnich, 
men ofditterent Conneries, Fducations, and Tempers, are receired and
embracedas first aud unquestionable Principles; many wbereof, Doth For
their ablurditr, as trell as oppoliions one to anocher, it is impossible
Bould he true. But yet allcliole Propositions, ho remote loevertrom
Realon, are (o lacred somerhere or ocher, char Men, even ol g0od Under.
Standins in other matters, ill sooner part rith their Lives, and What-
ever is dearest tothem, than sutter themselres to doubr, or oehers 10
question, che truch oF chem.
5. 22