Eloquence，whenatitshighestpitch，leaveslittleroomforreasonorreflection；butaddressingitselfentirelytothefancyortheaffections，captivatesthewillinghearers，andsubduestheirunderstanding。Happily，thispitchitseldomattains。ButwhataT/ULLY\\oraD/EMOSTHENES\\couldscarcelyeffectoveraR/OMAN\\orA/THENIAN\\audience，every，everyitinerantorstationaryteachercanperformoverthegeneralityofmankind，andinahigherdegree，bytouchingsuchgrossandvulgarpassions。
Themanyinstancesofforgedmiracles，andprophecies，andsupernaturalevents，which，inallages，haveeitherbeendetectedbycontraryevidence，orwhichdetectthemselvesbytheirabsurdity，provesufficientlythestrongpropensityofmankindtotheextraordinaryandthemarvellous，andoughtreasonablytobegetasuspicionagainstallrelationsofthiskind。Thisisournaturalwayofthinking，evenwithregardtothemostcommonandmostcredibleevents。Forinstance:Thereisnokindofreportwhichrisessoeasily，andspreadssoquickly，especiallyincountryplacesandprovincialtowns，asthoseconcerningmarriages；insomuchthattwoyoungpersonsofequalconditionneverseeeachothertwice，butthewholeneighbourhoodimmediatelyjointhemtogether。
Thepleasureoftellingapieceofnewssointeresting，ofpropagatingit，andofbeingthefirstreportersofit，spreadstheintelligence。Andthisissowellknown，thatnomanofsensegivesattentiontothesereports，tillhefindthemconfirmedbysomegreaterevidence。Donotthesamepassions，andothersstillstronger，inclinethegeneralityofmankindtobelieveandreport，withthegreatestvehemenceandassurance，allreligiousmiracles？
。Itformsastrongpresumptionagainstallsupernaturalandmiraculousrelations，thattheyareobservedchieflytoaboundamongignorantandbarbarousnations；orifacivilizedpeoplehasevergivenadmissiontoanyofthem，thatpeoplewillbefoundtohavereceivedthemfromignorantandbarbarousancestors，whotransmittedthemwiththatinviolablesanctionandauthority，whichalwaysattendreceivedopinions。Whenweperusethefirsthistoriesofallnations，weareapttoimagineourselvestransportedintosomenewworld；wherethewholeframeofnatureisdisjointed，andeveryelementperformsitsoperationsinadifferentmanner，from
whatitdoesatpresent。Battles，revolutions，pestilence，famineanddeath，arenevertheeffectofthosenaturalcauses，whichweexperience。Prodigies，omens，oracles，judgements，quiteobscurethefewnaturalevents，thatareintermingledwiththem。Butastheformergrowthinnereverypage，inproportionasweadvancenearertheenlightenedages，wesoonlearn，thatthereisnothingmysteriousorsupernaturalinthecase，butthatallproceedsfromtheusualpropensityofmankindtowardsthemarvellous，andthat，thoughthisinclinationmayatintervalsreceiveacheckfromsenseandlearning，itcanneverbethoroughlyextirpatedfromhumannature。