第32章 Resignation

Contrary to these,but by a like dangerous excess on the other side,are those who always resign their judgment to the last man they heard or read.Truth never sinks into these men's minds nor gives any tincture to them,but,chameleon-like,they take the colour of what is laid before them and as soon lose and resign it to the next that happens to come in their way.The order w herein opinions are proposed or received by us is no rule of their rectitude nor ought to be a cause of their preference.First or last in this case is the effect of chance and not the measure of truth or falsehood.

This everyone must confess and therefore should in the pursuit of truth keep his mind free from the influence of any such accidents.A man may as reasonably draw cuts for his tenets,regulate his persuasion by the cast of a die,as take it up for its novelty or retain it because it had his first assent and he was never of another mind.

Well weighed reasons are to determine the judgment;those the mind should be always ready to hearken and submit to and by their testimony and suffrage entertain or reject any tenet indifferently,whether it be a perfect stranger or an old acquaintance.