This opinion, however, is merely asurmise, which may or may not be the case.
1721, anonymous [Jonathan Swift], “The Sentiments of a Church of England-man with Respect to Religion and Government. Written in the Year, 1708”, inMiscellanies in Prose and Verse, 4th edition, Dublin: Printed by S. Fairbrother, book-seller, and are to be sold at his shop in Skinner-Row, over against theTholsel,→OCLC,page61:
But ſurely no Man whatſoever ought in Justice or good Manners to be charged with Principles he actually diſowns, unleſs his Practices do openly and without the leaſt Room for Doubt, contradict his Profeſſion: Not upon ſmallSurmiſes, or becauſe he has the Miſfortune to have Ill Men ſometimes agree with him in a few general Sentiments.
The meeting had been devoid of incident. No word had been said to give me anything to think about, and anysurmises I might make were unwarranted. I was intrigued.
1962 April, “Talking of Trains: The future of Princes Street”, inModern Railways, page227:
In short, the chances of the Princes Street terminal's survival seem unsure, though at the moment these views are no more thansurmise.
My Thought, whoſe Murther yet is but fantaſticall, / Shakes ſo my ſingle ſtate of Man, / That Function is ſmother'd inſurmiſe, / And nothing is, but what is not.
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies / When a new planet swims into his ken; / Or like stoutCortez when with eagle eyes / He star'd at the Pacific—and all his men / Look'd at each other with a wildsurmise— / Silent, upon a peak inDarien.
