Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

0880 ~REASON.
mortifying as they may appear to the pretensiols of bolder
theorists, I should be happy to see them generally recognized
as canons of philosophical criticism: "Truth in metaphysics
resembles truth in matters of taste. In both cases, the seeds
of it exist in every mind; though few think of attending to
this latent treasure, till it be pointed out to them by more curious inquirers. It should seem, that every tiing we learn from a
good metaphysical book, is only a sort of reminiscence of what
the mind previously knew. The obscurity of which we are apt
to complain in this science, may be always justly ascribed to
the author; because the information which he professes to communicate, requires no technical language appropriated to itself.
Accordingly, we may apply to good metaphysical authors, what
has been said of those who excel in the art of writing, that, in
reading them, everybody is apt to imagine, that he himself
could have written in the same manner.
" But, in this sort of speculation, if all are qualified to understand, all are not fitted to teach. The merit of accommodating
easily to the apprehension of others, notions which are at once
siimple and just, appears, from its extreme rarity, to be much
greater than is commonly imagined. Sound metaphysical principles, are truths which every one is ready to seize, but which
few men have the talent of unfolding; so difficult is it in this,
as well as in other instances, to appropriate to one's self, what
seems to be the common inheritance of the human race."
I begin with a review of some of those primary truths, a
conviction of which is necessarily implied in all our thoughts,
and in all our actions; and which seem, on that account, rather
to form constituent and essential elements of reason, than
objects with which reason is conversant. The import of this
last remark will appear more clearly afterwards.
The primary truths to which I mean to confine my attention
at present are, 1. Mathematical axioms; 2. Truths, (or more
properly speaking, laws of belief,) inseparably connected with
the exercise of consciousness, perception, memory, and reasoning.
I. Of Mliathematical Axioms. - I have placed this class of