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mind to be absolutely and irresistibly influenced and determined by motives : whereas , if this were the fact , violence could never Consistently be resorted to by them , ftjs they must know ( if any persons
do ) that argument has so much greater effect on rational beings ; and , therefore , practically , thete could be no such thing as a violent necessarian ; but in this , I suppose , my informant was also mistaken .
Your correspondent E . N . having read Hume on the subject of necessity , does not appear to be Convinced * but has , like myself .
frtillsome very formidable difficulties oh his mind ; and no wonder lie has , after perusing this doubting philosopher . I would have refcfred him to jDr . Beaitie for
relief , and if that had failed , I am informed , it is probable , Dr . Hartley y Dr . Priestley , or Dr . Crpmb £ e might have afforded it to him ; but he has applied to you , Sir , and I hope through your means he will obtain satis , faction .
A similar motive , Sir , that of being relieved from my difficulties , has led me also to apply to you ; for though I have read Drm Beat fie itihh all the attention he deserves , t must confess I am not so far convinced by his arguments
of the truth of the doctiihe of philosophical liberty , a * to have ho doubts remaining ; hor , indeed , am I without my fears for the consequences of that doctrine . ? But this iiiAy be frote my fgnoraiice : I theitefotfc speak tinder correc
ttfcnu My doubts find itiy feits 1 ifhatl briefly state , hoping , as * I before Ifcentlcmefd , that yoti , or sortie o&tt Of V 0 mr rtetiphyrf < -al friends ,
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will be able to set my nund at rest I * am informed , Sir , that a philosophical libertarian possesses within him a self-existing , selfdetermining will ; which enables him to do whatever he pleases , eu ther with a motive or without a
motive ; when motives are equal , or contrary to all motives , be they ever so strong . This will , I understand , is subject to no con * trol , neither divine nor human ; and is , therefore , regulated by no laws either of God or man , but
exists perfectly free and mdepen * dent of every being and of every thing . Though I received this information from good authority , yet I must own I have my doubts ,
whether any person be in possession of such a faculty or power , because , if he were , I imagine his attention would be directed by nothing but chance , and his character would be formed by nothing but caprice ;
for , as he could at his pleasure refuse to be acted upon by motives , though ever so strong or so properly applied , so nothing could with even the very lowest degree of probability be predicated of his
actions in any given situation ;—thui I doubt whether such a capricious and anomalous being would be a proper subject either
of divine or of human government ; and so far from his being suited to the society of rational j ^ eings , I much qiiestion whether even Mr . Wafburtohdr Mr . L ' Homme
would hot refuse to take him un » der bis care , li j however ^ , it can be satis * fatftorily shewn , that there are p ersons of ijiis descriptioix , it may l > e &s well for me to inquire now $ ttiiher than ttduble you again oo
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150 Doubts on the Subject of Tree-Will . > > . . ¦
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1810, page 290, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2405/page/18/
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