Page:A discourse upon the origin and foundation of the inequality among mankind (IA discourseuponori00rous).pdf/161

the one hand of deſtroying certain Hypotheſes, if on the other we cannot give them the Degree of Certainty which Facts muſt be allowed to poſſeſs; on its being the Buſineſs of Hiſtory, when two Facts are propoſed, as real, to be connected by a Chain of intermediate Facts which are either unknown or conſidered as ſuch, to furniſh ſuch Facts as may actually connect them; and the Buſineſs of Philoſophy, when Hiſtory is ſilent, to point out ſimilar Facts which may anſwer the ſame Purpoſe; in fine on the Privilege of Similitude, in regard to Events, to reduce Facts to a much ſmaller Number of different Claſſes than is generally imagined. It ſuffices me to offer theſe Objects to the Conſideration of my Judges; it ſuffices me to have conducted my Enquiry in ſuch a Manner as to ſave common Readers the Trouble of conſidering them.