particular conduct in such particular circumstances; it is
still supposed imperfect, without the assistance of experience,
which is alone able to give stability and certainty to the
maxims, derived from study and reflection.

But notwithstanding that this distinction be thus universally
received, both in the active speculative scenes of life, I
shall not scruple to pronounce, that it is, at bottom,
erroneous, at least, superficial.

If we examine those arguments, which, in any of the sciences
above mentioned, are supposed to be the mere effects of
reasoning and reflection, they will be found to terminate, at
last, in some general principle or conclusion, for which we can
assign no reason but observation and experience. The only
difference between them and those maxims, which are vulgarly
esteemed the result of pure experience, is, that the former
cannot be established without some process of thought, and some
reflection on what we have observed, in order to distinguish
its circumstances, and trace its consequences: Whereas in the
latter, the experienced event is exactly and fully familiar to
that which we infer as the result of any particular situation.
The history of a TIBERIUS or a NERO makes us dread a like
tyranny, were our monarchs freed from the restraints of laws
and senates: But the observation of any fraud or cruelty in
private life is sufficient, with the aid of a little thought,
to give us the same apprehension; while it serves as an
instance of the general corruption of human nature, and shows
us the danger which we must incur by reposing an entire
confidence in mankind. In both cases, it is experience which is