But such is the temper and genius of infidels; they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they a?irm and so betray their own ignorance, ra ther than acknowledge the force of divine truth; and assert things without the least shadow or colour of proof, rather than admit the strongest proofs of di vine revelation.~ It betrays ignorance indeed, alto gether unworthy of persons of liberal education, not to know when such and such authors ?ourished, and such and such remarkable events happened; and it must be something worse than ignorance to assert things without the least shadow or colour of proof, contrary to all the marks and characters by which We judge of the truth and genuineness of ancient au thors, contrary to the whole tenor of history, both sacred and profane, which in this respect give won derful light and assistance to each other; and yet these are the men, who would be thought to see far ther and to know more than other people, and will believe nothing without evident proof and demon stration.