Re: Goh!

is custom that makes so many men
Christians; custom that makes them Turks, heathens, artisans, soldiers, etc.
(Faith in baptism is more received among Christians than among Turks.)
Finally, we must have recourse to it when once the mind has seen where the
truth is, in order to quench our thirst, and steep ourselves in that belief,
which escapes us at every hour; for always to have proofs ready is too much
trouble. We must get an easier belief, which is that of custom, which,
without violence, without art, without argument, makes us believe things and
inclines all our powers to this belief, so that our soul falls naturally
into it. It is not enough to believe only by force of conviction, when the
automaton is inclined to believe the contrary. Both our parts must be made
to believe, the mind by reasons which it is sufficient to have seen once in
a lifetime, and the automaton by custom, and by not allowing it to incline
to the contrary. Inclina cor meum, Deus.36

The reason acts slowly, with so many examinations and on so many principles,
which must be always present, that at every hour it falls asleep, or
wanders, through want of having all its principles present. Feeling does not
act thus; it acts in a moment, and is always ready to act. We must then put
our faith in feeling; otherwise it will be always vacillating.

253. Two extremes: to exclude reason, to admit reason only.

254.