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# Title: An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding (shelfmarks Leibn. Marg. 38; ZEN Leibn. Marg. 38)
# Folio 36, page id 778263916:0052
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Noinnate Principle.
addition to his Aock, wrho sathers them. Such borromed Wealth, like
Fairy. money, thoush it ere Gold in the hand trom whichhe reccired Ht,
Will bebut Leares and Dust when it comes to ulc.
6. 23. When Men have Found some general Propositions that could not
De doubted ot, as loon asunderitood, it WaS, Lknou, a sort and easie may
to conclude them innate. This beins once received, it cased the lazy trorri
the pains oF search, and sopp d the enquiry of the doutetul, concernins
alI that as once stiled innate: And it iras of no (mall advantare tothole
tio aftected eo be Plasters and Teachers, to mathe this ehe Principle ot
Principles, Thar Principles must not be queltioned: For liavins once
eHtablished this Tenet, Thatthere are innate Principles, it put their Fol.
lovers upon a necessier ot receiving some Doctrines a5 Such, Whicl ras
totalce them off trom the usec ot their own Reason and judement, and
put them uxon belierins and talcins them uxon trust, rithout Carther ex-
armination: In Wtich posture of blind Credulier, ther might be more
easily governed by, and made ulesul to lome sort ot Men, Wvho had the
still and oftice to principle and ouide them. Nor is it a (maii porver ic
sivesone Manoveranorher, to have the Authoriey to be the Dictator ot
Principles, and Feacher ot unquestionable Truchs; and eo matie a mar
svallon thac for an innare Principle, irtrich mas serve to his purpole who
ceacheth them. Whereas had ther examined the wazs, Whereby men
came to the lnowledse ot mans universal Fruths, they vould have found
them to resule in the Minds ot men, Tromchebeins ot chinss chemlolves,
erhen duelr considered; arid that ther ivere discovered by the applicari.
on ofthole Faculties, thar vere Cired by Nature to reccire and judgc ol
chem, wtien duels emplor d about chem.
5. 29. Foseu how tbe Onderstandine proceeds berein, is the desien of
ehe Follovine Discourse; Wtrich I Ball proccedto, Wtien l have tuct pre-
miled, that hicherro to clear my vaz tothose Poundations, Wrhich, I con-
ceire are tlie onls true ones, Whercon to citablith thole Notions ive can
have ot our omn Rnomledse, it hath been neceltary tor meto sire rou
an account of the ReasonsI had to doubr ofinnate Principles: And Lince
the Arguments wrhich are against them, do, lome of them, rise trom com
mon receired Opinions. I have been torced io tale several chines tor
granted, whichis hardly avoidable toans onc, whole Taste it is to Bew
chetalhood, er improbabilier, ot ans Penet; it happenins in C ontro
verlial Dilcourles, as it does in astaultins of Porns; irhere, it the pround
be but trm, Whercon the Batreries are crected, there is no farther enqui
ry oF erhom ic is borromed, nor whom it belonssto, lo it aHtords bue 2
fic rise for che present purpose. But in the future part of this Dilcourse,
delionine ca raile an liditice unitorm, and conlistent rith it selt, a5 tar a5
my oon Experience and Obserration rill asit me, I hope, to lay thie
Foundation (o, that the rest will casils depend upon ic: And PMaII nOL
necd to Miore ic up wich props and buccrices, leanins on borrowed or
beso d Toundations: Or at least, it mine prove à Castle in the Air, I will
endeavour it Malt be all oFa piece, and hans rogether. Wherein ltelI
rou betorehand, rou are not to exveci undeniable, cogent demonstra-
tions, unlels rou will sutter me, as others hrave donc, to cahe my Princi
ples For granted; and chen, l doube not, but I can demonstrate 100. AII
chat PMalI Cay For the Principles l proceed on, is, that I can onls appeat
to mens omn unpreiudiced sxperience, and Obserrations, Whether cher be
true, ox no; aud chis is enoush for a man who protessesno more, chanto
las donncandidy and treely his oon Conjectures, concernins a Subject
noc vers obrious, wirtiout anx orher delisu, cham an unbials d enquirs
ater TrutI.
BOOF