Whoever, therefore, have imbibed wrong principles, are
not, in things inconsistent with these principles, to be moved by
the most apparent and convincing probabilities, till they are so
candid and ingenuous to themselves, as to be persuaded to examine even
those very principles, which many never suffer themselves to do.
11. II. Received hypotheses. Next to these are men whose
understandings are cast into a mould, and fashioned just to the size
of a received hypothesis. The difference between these and the former,
is, that they will admit of matter of fact, and agree with
dissenters in that; but differ only in assigning of reasons and
explaining the manner of operation. These are not at that open
defiance with their senses, with the former: they can endure to
hearken to their information a little more patiently; but will by no
means admit of their reports in the explanation of things; nor be
prevailed on by probabilities, which would convince them that things
are not brought about just after the same manner that they have
decreed within themselves that they are. Would it not be an
insufferable thing for a learned professor, and that which his scarlet
would blush at, to have his authority of forty years, standing,
wrought out of hard rock, Greek and Latin, with no small expense of
time and candle, and confirmed by general tradition and a reverend
beard, in an instant overturned by an upstart novelist? Can any one
expect that he should be made to confess, that what he taught his
scholars thirty years ago was all error and mistake; and that he
sold them hard words and ignorance at a very dear rate.
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