The vanity of dogmatizing: or confidence in opinions

The Epistle

though the Pedant may be angry with me, for shaking his endeared Opinions; yet he cannot but approve of this appeal to one, whose very name would convince even a Sceptick skeptic. If you give your vote against Dogmatizing stating opinions as if they are absolute facts: it is time for the opinionated world, to lay down their proud pretensions: and if such known accomplishments acknowledge ignorance; confidence will be embarrassed; and the Sciolist one who has only a superficial knowledge will write on his most presumed certainty; This is also vanity. Whatever in this Discourse is less agreeable to your stricter understanding, I beg it may be the object of your charity, and kindness. I commit myself to the protection of your cleverness, away from the pursuit of your wise judgment. And were there not a kind warmth, as well

Dedicatory.

as light following you, it would be a bold venture to come within your rays. Could I guess where you differ from me; I would be strongly moved to mark that with a Deleatur let it be deleted; and punish the presumption, by differing from my current self. If any thing seems to you to favor too much of the Pyrrhonian an extreme form of skepticism: I hope you will consider, that Skepticism is less blameworthy in years of inquiry, and no crime in a youthful exercise original: "Juvenile exercitation". But I have no design against Science: my effort is to promote it. Confidence in uncertainties is the greatest enemy to what is certain; and were I a Skeptic, I would plead for Dogmatizing: For the way to bring men to stick to nothing, is to confidently persuade them to believe everything.

The Treatise in your hands is a fortui-