Page:A Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Human Liberty (3rd ed., 1735).djvu/74

 is the proper perfection of an understanding and sensible being. And indeed it seems strange that men should allow that and Angels act more perfectly because they are determin'd by reason; and also allow, that clocks, watches, mills, and other artificial unintelligent beings are the better, the more they are determin'd to go right by weight and measure: and yet that they should deem it a perfection in man not to be determin'd by his reason, but to have liberty to go against it. Would it not be as reasonable to say, it would be a perfection in a clock not to be necessarily determin'd to go right, but to have its motions depend upon chance?

Again, tho' man does, thro' weakness and imperfection, fall into several mistakes both in judging and willing in relation to what is true and good; yet he is still less ignorant and less unhappy by being necessarily determin'd in judging by what seems reasonable, and in willing by what seems best, than if he was capable of judging contrary to his reason and willing against his senses. For, were it not so, what seems false, would be as