9 Nov r 1811

Evidence

1. Theoretical

Ch Persuasive Causes

§.3 Reid & Campbel

2

Conformity to the experienced nature of men and things had by other hands been held up to view as the standard of trustworthiness in testimony. If verityon the part of the fact reported be more disconformable to the experienced nature of things, than on the part of the reporting witness or witnesses falshood is to the experienced nature of man, in that case it was said, not belief but disbelief is the proper judgment to be passed—is the sort of judgment required by reason in this case.

But in the case in question what was required and desired was that upon the credit of human testimony delivered by witnesses who were not at hand to be subjected to interrogation belief should be given to facts of which it was the offence[?] not to be conformable to, to be in an [...?] degree disconformable to the experienced nature of things.

Under such circumstances to afford for credence a sufficient warrant, the only resource that seemed to be left was to create a source which, at [...?] partaking of that infallibility which in common intendent has been attributed to the few belonging to the old set, should havesufficient authority to over-rule the judgment and reverse its dictates.