PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

Promises 101
you must gu~rd YOt'r expressio~s by ~n add!~iona~
clause, as,." I Intend at present-if I don t ober -or
the like; and after all, as there CaJl be no reason for
communicating your intention, but to excite some degree
of expectation or other, a wanton change of an
intention which is once disclosed, always disappoints
somebody; and is always, for that reason, wrong. _
There is, in some men, an infirmity with regard
to promises, which often betrays them into great
distress. From the confusion, or hesitation, or obscurity,
with which they express themselves, especially
when overawed, or taken by surprise, they
somerinles encourage expectations, and bring upon
themselves demands, which possibly they never
dreamed of. This is a want, not so much of integrity
as of presence of mind.
III. l,! __ what-"lscs 2romises ~re not_ bindl!!g.. ~
1. Promise~_ ~re not -biiiding, where t~e perfortl1~p _____
anc~ ts1iiifoiiible.
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But observe, that the promiser is guilty of alraud~
if he be privately __ a_war~ of the impossibility, at _ the
time_ ~f makjng_th_e_ .. Er6Iiiise~ -FQ-f when any onepromises
a thing, he asserts his belief, at least, of the
possibility of performing it; as no one can accep~ or
understand a promise -under any othe:~ supposition.
Instances of this sort are the following. The minister
promises a place, which he knows to be engaged
or not at his disposal-A father, in settling marriage
articles, promises to leave his daughter an estate,
which he knows to be entailed upon the heir
male of his- family-A merchant promises a ship, or
share of a ship, which he is secretly advised is lost at
sea-An incumbent promises to resign a living, be ..
ing previously assured that his resignation will not
be accepted by the bishop. The promiser, as in these
cases, with knowlecige of the impossibility, is justly
answerable in an equivalent; but otherwise not.
When the promiser himself occasions the impOS~i-1
hility, it i5 neither more nor less than a direct breach