an enquiry concerning human understanding-第42章

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inhabitants　of　S/UMATRA　have　always　seen　water　fluid　in
their　own　climate；　and　the　freezing　of　their　rivers　ought　to
be　deemed　a　prodigy：　But　they　never　saw　water　in　M/USCOVY
during　the　winter；　and　therefore　they　cannot　reasonably　be
positive　what　would　there　be　the　consequence。
　　　　　＇27＇S/OMETIMES　an　event　may　not；　；　
to　be　contrary　to　the　laws　of　nature；　and　yet；　if　it　were
real；　it　might；　by　reason　of　some　circumstances；　be
denominated　a　miracle；　because；　in　；　it　is　contrary　to
these　laws。　Thus　if　a　person；　claiming　a　divine　authority；
should　command　a　sick　person　to　be　well；　a　healthful　man　to
fall　down　dead；　the　clouds　to　pour　rain；　the　winds　to　blow；
in　short；　should　order　many　natural　events；　which
immediately　follow　upon　his　command；　these　might　justly　be
esteemed　miracles；　because　they　are　really；　in　this　case；
contrary　to　the　laws　of　nature。　For　if　any　suspicion　remain；
that　the　event　and　command　concurred　by　accident　there　is　no
miracle　and　no　transgression　of　the　laws　of　nature。　If　this
suspicion　be　removed；　there　is　evidently　a　miracle；　and　a
transgression　of　these　laws；　because　nothing　can　be　more
contrary　to　nature　than　that　the　voice　or　command　of　a　man
should　have　such　an　influence。　A　miracle　may　be　accurately
defined；　。　A　miracle　may　either　be　discoverable　by
men　or　not。　This　alters　not　its　nature　and　essence。　The
raising　of　a　house　or　ship　into　the　air　is　a　visible
miracle。　The　raising　of　a　feather；　when　the　wind　wants　ever
so　little　of　a　force　requisite　for　that　purpose；　is　as　real
a　miracle；　though　not　so　sensible　with　regard　to　us。
　　　　　＇28＇It　may　perhaps　be　objected　that　I　proceed　rashly
and　from　my　notions　of　A/LEXANDER　merely　from　the　account
given　of　him　by　Lucian；　a　professed　enemy。　It　were　indeed　to
be　wished　that　some　of　the　accounts　published　by　his
followers　and　accomplices　had　remained。　The　opposition　and
contrast　betwixt　the　character　and　conduct　of　the　same　man
as　drawn　by　a　friend　or　an　enemy　is　as　strong；　even　in
common　life；　much　more　in　these　religious　matters；　as　that
betwixt　any　to　men　in　the　world；　betwixt　A/LEXANDER　and　St。
Paul；　for　instance。　See　a　Letter　to　Gilbert　West；　Esq。；　on
the　Conversion　and　Apostleship　of　St。　Paul。　＇This　note　was
removed　by　Hume　from　later　editions　of　the　。　
J。F。＇
　　　　　＇29＇Hist。　lib。　v。　cap。　8；　S/UETONIUS　gives　nearly　the
same　account　in　vita　V/ESP。
　　　　　＇30＇T/HIS　book　was　by　Mons。　M/ONTGERON；　counsellor　or
judge　of　the　parliament　of　P/ARIS；　a　man　of　figure　and
character；　who　was　also　a　martyr　to　the　cause；　and　is　now
said　to　be　somewhere　in　a　dungeon　on　account　of　his　book。

　　　　　There　is　another　book　in　three　volumes　（called