书城公版Of the Conduct of the Understanding
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第43章 Perseverance

Another fruit from this indifferency and the considering things in themselves abstract from our own opinions and other men's notions and discourses on them will be that each man will pursue his thoughts in that method which will be most agreeable to the nature of the thing and to his apprehension of what it suggests to him;in which he ought to proceed with regularity and constancy until he come to a well-grounded resolution wherein he may acquiesce.

If it be objected that this will require every man to be a scholar and quit all his other business and betake himself wholly to study,I answer,I propose no more to anyone than he has time for.Some men's state and condition requires no great extent of knowledge;the necessary provision for life swallows the greatest part of their time.But one man's want of leisure is no excuse for the oscitancy and ignorance of those who have time to spare;and everyone has enough to get as much knowledge as is required and expected of him,and he that does not that is in love with ignorance and is accountable for it.