ew and unknown before; and what is in the memory, or
in the mind, whenever it is suggested by the memory, appears not to be
new, but the mind finds it in itself, and knows it was there before.
By this it may be tried whether there be any innate ideas in the mind
before impression from sensation or reflection. I would fain meet with
the man who, when he came to the use of reason, or at any other time,
remembered any of them; and to whom, after he was born, they were never
new. If any one will say, there are ideas in the mind that are NOT in
the memory, I desire him to explain himself, and make what he says
intelligible.

22. Principles not innate, because of little use or little certainty.

Besides what I have already said, there is another reason why I doubt
that neither these nor any other principles are innate. I that am fully
persuaded that the infinitely wise God made all things in perfect
wisdom, cannot satisfy myself why he should be supposed to print upon
the minds of men some universal principles; whereof those that are
pretended innate, and concern SPECULATION, are of no great use; and
those that concern PRACTICE, not self-evident; and neither of them
distinguishable from some other truths not allowed to be innate. For, to
what purpose should characters be graven on the mind by the finger
of God, which are not clearer there than those which are afterwards
introduced, or cannot be distinguished from them? If any one thinks
there are such innate ideas and propositions, which by their clearness
and usefulness are distinguishable from all that is adventitious in the
mind and acquired, it will not be a hard matter for him to tell us WHICH
THEY ARE; and then every one will be a fit judge whether they be so
or no. Since if there be such innate ideas and impressions, plainly
different from all other perceptions and knowledge, every one will find
it true in himself. Of the evidence of these supposed innate maxims, I
have spoken already: of their usefulness I shall have occasion to speak
more hereafter.

23. Difference of Men's Discoveries depends upon the different
Application of their Faculties.

To conclude: some ideas forwardly offer themselves to all men's
understanding; and some sorts of truths result from any ideas, as soon
as the mind puts them into propositions: other truths require a train of
ideas placed in order, a due comparing of them, and deductions made with
attention, before they can be discovere