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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 25, page id 778263916:0041
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dinnale practical Principa.
8. 22. This, horeres urange ic may seem, is chat erhich evers daye
Experience contirins; and will noc, perhaps, appear so mondertul, it WC
Consider FhC ways, and Ceps By whichie is broushE about; and ho reall
it mas come to pass, chat Doctrines, that have Deen derived trom no ber-
ter original, than the Superstition of a Nurse, or the Authority oF an old
Woman, may, by lensch oftime, and consent ol Neishbours, croW up 10
the dienier of Principles in Relision or Moraliey. For such, Who are care.
sul (a5 ther call it) to principle Children well, (and ser chere be Who
have noc a set of those Principles for them, Which ther beliere in) instii
intotheunwarr, and, as vet, unprejudiced Onderstandins. (For WhitePa-
perreceires any Characters) chose Doctrines ther mould have them re.
tain and prosels. These beins taughe them as Loon as ther have anY aD
prehension; and still as they gro up, contirmed ro them, citter by ehe
open Profestion, or tacit Consent, ot allthes haveto dowith; or at least
bychole, oPwhose Wildom, Hnomledse, and Diety, thexhave an Opinion,
ertro never sufter those Propolitionsto be ocherrilementioned, but as the
Basisand Foundation, on rtrich ther build cither thoir Religion or Man.
ners, comc by thele means ro hare theReputation ot unqueltionable, selF.
evident, and innate TrutHs.
8. 23. FoWhichre mar add, That Wten Men, Co instructec, are grOWVN
up, and reflect on their omn Minds, ther cannoc And any thino more an
cient there, than thole Opinions erhich vere taushe them, betore their
Nlemory Besan to keep a Resister ot their Actions, or date the time
Wrten any nem chins appearedto them; and theretore makre no seruple to
conclude, That chose Propositions, of whose tenouledee they can find in them-
Selves no orisinal, vere certainty the impress of 60d and Nature upontheir
Minds; and noc taushechem by any onc elle. These ther entertain and
Subnit to, as many do to their Parents, ith Veneration; not becaule
it is natural; nor do Children do it, Wrhero ther are not (0 tavoHt, but BC-
caule, harins beenalrays (0 educated, and havins no remembrance os the
beginnins olthis Respect, ther think it is natural.
6. 24. This illappear verr likelr, and almost unavoidable tocome to
pals, itie consider the Nature oF Mantrind, and the Constitution ol FTu-
mane ACairs: Wherein most Men cannot live, without employine their time
in the daity Labours of ebeir Callines; nor be at quiet in their Minds
without (ome Foundation or Principles torest their Thouchls on. Phere is
scarce any onc (0 Aoatins and superticial in his Vnderstandine, that hath
noc lome reverenced Propositions, Which are to trim the Principles on
Wrhich he bottoms his Reasonings; and by erhich he judgeth of Truth
and Falsood, Righeand WVrons; thich Come, rrantine still and leiture,
and others the inclination, and some beins tauslut, Thes oushe not 10
examine; there are terr to De found, rrho are nor expoled by cheir Tono
rance, Lazinels, Education, or Precipitaner, to take them upon trust.
5. 25. Thisis eridently the case of all Children and rouno Folk; and
Custom, a greater porver than Nature, seldom failine to matce them Wor-
Mix For Dirine, What Me hath inured them to bo cheir Minds, and sub.
mit cheir Onderstandings to; it is no monder, that gromn Men, cither
perplexed in the necessary altairs of Lile, or hot in the purtuit of Piea.
Tures, Mould nos Perioussy sic domn to examine their oon Tenets; e(pe-
cially wrhen one oftheir Principles is, That Principles ougHt nOL LO DC
questioned. Andhad Nen leiture, parrs, and will, Who is there alnoct
that darestostrake the toundations ot aHI his past Fhougies and ACtiONS,
and endure to bring upon himsels, the Phame oF harins been a long time
ntrolls in mistalie and CTOE. Wo is chere hardy enoush to contend