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BODLEIANLIBRARY
The
gift
of
MissEmma
.
I. Dunston
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I .
JiL
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FOUR
DISSERTATIONS
I.
THENATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION,
n.
OF
THE
PASSIONS.
Ill
OF
TRAGEDY.
IV.
OF
THESTANDARD
OFTASTE.
' \ < ' . f - i U
.
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WrittenbythesameAuthor,
andPrinted forA.Millar.
I. Essays and Treatises on several Subjects, la
4Volumes, Duodecimo.
Containing
in
Vol. I. EssaysMoralandPolitical.
Vol.II. Philosophical
Essays
concerningHuman
Understanding.
.
Vol.
III.
AnEnquiry concerning
the Principle*
ofMorals.
Vol.
IV.
Political
Discourses.
II. TheHistory
ofGreat
Britain.
In
z
Vol.Quarto
Containing in
Vol.
I. TheReigns
of
JamesI,
and
Charles I.
Vol.
II.
TheCommonwealth,andtheReignsof
Charles
II.
and
James
II.
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*
DISSERTATION
.
NATURALHISTORY
OF
RELIGION
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FOUR
DISSERT TIONS
I. THENATURALHISTORYOF
RELIGION.
II. OFTHEPASSIONS.
III.
OFTRAGEDY.
IV.OF
THE
STANDARDOFTASTE*
BY
DAVIDHU.ME,sq;
LONDON
Printed for
A.
Millar,
in
the Strand,
mdcclvii.
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DISSERTATION
.
TheNatural History ofReligion.
INTRODUCTION
AS
very
enquiry, whichregardsReligion,
is
of
theutmostimportance,
there
aretwo
questions
in
particular, which challenge our
principalattention,
to wit, that
concerning
it's
foundation
in
reason,
and
that
concerning
its
origin in humannature. Happily, the first
question, which is themost important, admits
ofthemostobvious, at least, theclearest solu
tion. The
whole
frame
ofnaturebespeaksan
intelligent
author
;
and
no
rational
enquirer
can,
after
serious
reflexion,
suspend
his
belief a
mo
ment
withregard
to theprimary principles
of
genuineTheismand Religion. But theother
question,
concerning
the origin of
religion in
human
nature,
admits
of
some
more
dissiculty.
Thebelief
of
invisible, intelligent power
has
beenvery
generallydiffused
over
thehumanrace,
inallplaces
andin all
ages; but it has
neither
perhapsbeen
so
universal
as to
admitofnoex-
B
ceptions,
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2 DISSERTATIONt
ceptions, norhasit
been,
in
anydegree,
uni
form
in
the
ideas,
which
it
has
suggested.
Some
nationshavebeen
discovered,
whoentertained
no
sentiments
of
Religion,
if travellers
and
hi
storiansmaybecredited ; and no
two nations,
andscarce
any
twomen, haveever
agreed
pre
ciselyin the
famesentiments.
It
would
appear,
therefore, that this preconceptionsprings not
from anoriginal instinct or primaryimpression
of
nature,
suchas gives rise to
self-love,
affecti
on
betwixt
the sexes, love of
progeny,
gratis
tude, resentment; since every instinct ofthis
kindhas been foundabsolutely universal in
all
nationsandages, andhasalwaysaprecise, de
terminate object, whichit
inflexibly
pursues.
Thesirst religious principlesmustbesecondary;
suchas
may
easilybe
perverted
byvariousacci
dents
and
causes,
and
whose
operation
too,
in
some cases, may,byanextraordinary
concur
renceofcircumstances, bealtogether
prevent
ed. What
those
principles
are, which give
rise to theoriginal belief, andwhatthose acci
dents
and
causes
are,
which
direct
its
operation,
is thesubject ofour
present
enquiry.
I.It
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION, 3
E.
ITappearstome,
that
if weconsider the
improvement of human
society,
from rude
beginningsto a
state of
greater persection,
po
lytheismor
idolatry
was,
and
necessarily must
havebeen,thefirst
and
most
antient religion
of
mankind. Thisopinion I shall endeavourto
confirmbythefollowing
arguments.
'Tis
a
matterof
factuncontestable,
that
about
1700
years
ago
all
mankind
were
idolaters.
The
doubtful
and
sceptical principles
of a sew
philosophers, or
thetheism, andthat toonot
entirely
pure,
ofoneortwonations, form
no
objection worth regarding. Behold then the
clear
testimony
of
history.
The
farther
we
mount
up
into antiquity,
themoredo
wefind
mankindplunged
into
idolatry. Noarks,no
symptoms
of
any
more
persect religion.
The
most
antient
recordsofhumanrace still present
uswith
polytheilm
as
the
popular
and
established
system. Thenorth, the south, theeast, the
west,
give
their unanimous testimony to the
famefact. Whatcan
be
opposed to so full
anevidence?
B As
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DISSERTATION
.
Asfaras writing
or
history reaches, man
kind,
in
antient times,
appear
universally
to
have beenpolytheists. Shall we
assert,
that,
in more antient times,
before
the knowledge
of
letters,
or
thediscovery
of
anyart
or
science,
menentertained
the principles
ofpure theism?
Thatis, while
theywereignorant
andbarba
rous, they
discoveredtruth
: But
sell into error,
as
soon
as
they acquired learning and polite
ness.
But
in this
assertion
younot
onlycontradict
all
appearance
of
probability,
but
also
our
pre
sent experience
concerning
theprinciples and
opinions of barbarous nations. Thesavage
tribes
of
America, Africa, and
Asia
areall ido
laters. Nota
single
exception
to this
rule.
Insomuch,
that,
were
a
traveller
to
transport
himself into
anyunknownregion; if hefound
inhabitants cultivated
with
arts
and
sciences,
tho'
evenupon
that supposition there are
odds
againsttheir
beingtheists, yetcouldhenotsasely,
till
farther
enquiry,
pronounce
any
thing
on
that head
: But if
he found
themignorant
andbarbarous, he might beforehand declare
them idolaters ; andthere scarce is apossibility
of
his
beingmistaken.
2
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.
It
seems
certain,
that,
according
to
the
natu
ral progress of humanthought, the ignorant
multitude must first entertain some
groveling
andfamiliarnotionofsuperior powers, before
they
stretch
their
conceptionto that
persect be
ing, who
bestowed
orderon
the
whole frame
of
nature. Wemayas
reasonably imagine,
that
meninhabitedpalacesbeforehutsandcot
tages,
or
studied
geometry
beforeagriculture;
as assert that the deity
appeared
to
them
a
pure
spirit, omniscient,
omnipotent,
and omnipre .
sent,
btfore
he
was
apprehended
to
be
a
power
ful, tho'
limited being, with human
paisions
and
appetites, limbsandorgans.
Themind
rises
gradually,
from
inserior
to superior:
By
ab
stractingfromwhat
is
impersect,
it
forms an
idea
of
persection
:
And
slowly
distinguishing
thenoblerparts
of
its frame
from
thegrosser, it
learns to transser
only
theformer, muchele
vated
and refined,
to
its divinity. Nothing
could
disturb this
natural progress of thought,
but
some
obvious
and
invincible
argument,
which
might immediately leadthemind
into
thepureprinciples oftheism, andmakeit over
leap, at onebound, thevast
interval,
which is
interposedbetwixtthehumanandthe
divine
na-
B
ture.
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6
DISSERTATION
E
ture.
But
tho'
I allow,
that
the order and
frame
of
the
universe,
when
accurately
examin
ed,
affords
suchanargument ; yet
I
cannever
think
that this
considerationcouldhaveaninflu
enceon
mankind
whenthey'formed their first,
rude
notions
of
religion.
Theauses
of
objects,
which
are quite
fami
liar to
us, neverstrike ourattentionorcuriosity ;
andhoweverextraordinary or surprizing these
objectsmaybe
in
themselves,theyare
past
over,
by the
raw
and ignorant multitude, without
much
examination
orenquiry.
Adam, rising
at
once,
in
paradise, and
in
the
full
persection
of his faculties, wouldnaturally, as represented
byMilton, beastonished
at
theglorious appear
ances of nature, the heavens, the
air,
the
earth,
his
ownorgans
and
members
and
would
be
led
to
ask, whencethis wonderful
scene
arose.
But a barbarous,
necessitous animal
(such as
manis on thefirst origin of
society)
pressed
by such
numerous
wants and
passions,
has
no
leisure
to
admire
theregularface
ofna
ture,
ormakeenquiriesconcerning
the cause
ofobjects, towhich, from
his
infancy, hehas
been
gradually
accustomed. Onthe contrary,
themoreregularanduniform,
that
is, themore
persect
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION, f
persect,
nature
appears, the
more is hefami
liarized to it,
andthe
less inclined to
scrutinize
andexamine
it.
A
onstrous
birth
excites his
curiosity, and is deemeda
prodigy.
It alarms
himfrom its novelty ; and
immediately sets
himatrembling ,
and
fieri/icing, and praying.
But
ananimal
compleatin all its limbsand
or
gans,
is
to
him
an
ordinary
spectacle,
and
pro
duces no
religious opinion or
affection. Ask
him,
whencethat
animal
arose
; he
will tell
you,
from the
copulation
ofits parents.
Andthese,
whence? Fromthe copulation
of
theirs. A
sew
removes
satisfy
his curiosity,
and
sets
(he
objects
at
sucha distance, thathe
entirely
loses
fight
of
them. Imagine not, that
he
will so
much
as start
the
question, whence
thefirst
ani
mal
much
less,
whencethe
whole
systemor
united
fabric
of
the
universe
arose.
Or,
if
you
start suchaquestion
to
him, expectnot,
that.
iie
will
employ
his
mindwith
any
anxietyabout
a
subject, so
remote,
so
uninteresting,
and
whichso
muchexceedstheboundsof
his
capa
city..
Butfarther,
if
menwere
at
first
led into
the;
belief
of
onesupremebeing, byreasoningfrom
the frameofnature, theycould never possibly
B. leave
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(
..DISSERTATION.
leavethat belief, inorder to embraceidolatry;
but
thesame
principles
of
reasoning, whichat
first
produced, and diffused
over
mankind, so
magnificent an opinion, must be able, with
greater
facility,
to
preserveit. Thefirst
inven
tion
and
proof
of
any doctrine
is
infinitely
more
dissicult thanthesupporting
and
retaining
it.
Theres agreatdifference betwixthistorical
facts andspeculative
opinions
; noris theknow
ledge
of
theone
propagatedinthefame
manner
with that of the other. Anhistorical fact,
while
it
passes
by
oral tradition
from
eye-wit
nesses andcontemporaries, is disguised inevery
successive
narration,
andmayat last retain but
very
small, if
any,
resemblance
of
theoriginal
truth, on
which it was
founded. Thefrail
memoriesofmen,
their
love of
exaggeration,
their supine carelessness ; these principles, if
notcorrected
by
books and
writing, soon
per
verttheaccountofhistorical events; where
ar
gumentorreasoninghas little orno place, nor
caneverrecal the
truth,
whichhasonce
escap
ed
those narrations.
'Tis
thus
the
fables
of
Hercules, Tveseus,
Bacchusare
supposedto
have
been
originally
founded
in true history,
cor
rupted
by
tradition. But
withregard
to
specu
lative
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION. 9
lative opinions, thecase is far otherwise. If
these
opinionsbe
founJed
in
arguments
so
clear
andobviousas to carryconvictionwiththege
nerality of
mankind,
the fame
arguments,
which at first diffused the opinions, will still
preserve
them in
their
original purity. Ifthe
arguments
be
more
abstruse,
and
more
remote
from
vulgar
apprehensions,
the
opinions will
alwaysbeconfined to a sew
persons;
and as
soon as
men
leave
thecontemplation
of
the
ar
guments, theopinions
will immediately be lost
and
buried
in oblivion. Whicheverfide ofthis
dilemma
we
take,
it must
appear
impossible,
that theismcould, fromreasoning, havebeen
the
primary
religion
ofhuman
race, and
have
afterwards, by its corruption,givenbirth to ido
latry andto all the various superstitions of the
heathen
world.
Reason,
when
very
obvious,
prevents
these
corruptions
:
When
abstruse, - it
keeps
the
principles entirely from
theknowledge
of
the vulgar, whoare
alone
liable
to corrupt
any
principles, or
opinions.
II.
Ik
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slo
DISSERTATION.
IF
wewould,
therefore, indulge
ourcurio
sity,
in
enquiringconcerningthe
origin
of
reli
gion,
wemustturn our
thoughts towards ido
latry
or
polytheism,
the
primitive
Religion
of
uninstructedmankind.
Weremen
led
into theapprehension
of
in
visible, intelligent power
by acontemplationof
the
worksofnature, they couldnever
possibly
entertainany conceptionbut
of
one
single be
ing, whobestowedexistence
andorder on
this
vast
machine, andadjusted
all its parts,
ac
cordingtoone
regular
planorconnected
system.
For
tho', to persons
ofa
certain
turnof
mind,
it may
notappear altogether
absurd,
thatseve
ral
independent
beings,
endowed
withsuperior
wisdom, might
conspire
in
the
contrivanceand
execution of
one regular
plan;
yet
is
this
a
mere
arbitrary supposition, which,
even
if al
lowed
possible,
must
be
consessed
neither
to
be
supported by probability nor necessity. All
thingsin
theuniverse
are evidently
of a
piece.
Everything is
adjustedto
every
thing. One
design
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION,
ti
design prevails thro' the whole.
Andthis
uniformityleadsthemind to acknowledge one
author;
becausetheconception
ofdifferent
au
thors, without
any distinction
of
attributes
or
operations, serves
only
to
giveperplexity
to
the
imagination, without
bestowingany
satisfaction
on
theunderstanding\
On
theother
hand,
if, leavingthe
works
of
nature,
wetrace
the footsteps ofinvisiblepow
er
in die
various andcontrary eventsofhuman
lise,
wearenecessarily led into
polytheism,
and
to
the
acknowledgment
of
several
limited
and
impersect deities. Storms and tempests
ruin
what
is
nourished
by the
sun. The
sunde
stroyswhat is fostered by themoistureofdews
and
rains. Warmay
be
favourableto
a na
tion,
whom
the
inclemency
of
the
seasons
af
flicts with
famine. Sickness
and
pestilence
maydepopulate a kingdom, amidst themost
profuseplenty. Thesamenation
is
not,
at
the
»
Thestatue
of
Lauoen, . as we learn
from
Pliny, was the
work
of
three
artists
:
But
' t i s
certain,
that,
were
we
not
told
so, weshouldnever
have concluded, that
a groupcoffigures, cut
from one
stone,
and united in one
plan, wasnot the
work and
contrivance
of
one statuary. To
ascribe
any single effect to
the
combination
of several causes,
i s
not
surely a natural and obvi-
eus supposition,
B6 fame
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ia DISSERTATIONt
sametime, equally
successful
by
sea
andbyland.
Anda nation, which nowtriumphsover its
enemies,
may
anon
submit
to
their
more
pros
perousarms. In
short,
theconduct of
events
orwhatwecall theplanofaparticular provi
dence, is so full
of
varietyanduncertainty, that,
if
esuppose it
immediately
orderedbyanyin
telligent
beings,
we
must
acknowledge
a
con
trariety
in
their
designs
andintentions,
acon
stant combat
of
opposite powers, and a repen
tanceorchangeofintention
in
thefamepower,
from
impotence
orlevity.
Each
nation has its
tutelar deity. Eachelement is subjected to its
invisible
power
or
agent. The
province of
eachgod is separatefrom
that
ofanother.
Nor
are
theoperationsofthe fame god alwayscer
tain andinvariable. To
day,
heprotects : To
morrow,
heabandons
us. Prayersand
sacrifi
ces,
rites
and
ceremonies,
well
or
ill
perform
ed, are the sources
of
his
favouror
enmity,
andproduce all the
good
or
ill
fortune, which
areto
be
foundamongst
mankind.
We
may
conclude,
therefore,
that,
in
all
nations, which have embraced polytheism or
idolatry, the
first
ideas
of
ieligion arose not
froma contemplationof the worksof nature,
but
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NATURAL
HISTORYOFRELIGION,ij
butfroma
concern
withregard
to the
events of
lise, andfrom the
incessant
hopes and sears,
which
actuate
the
human
mind.
Accordingly,
we
find, that
all
idolaters,
havingseparatedthe
provinces
of
their deities,
haverecourse
to that
invisible agent,
to
whoseauthoritytheyareim
mediately
subjected, andwhose
provinceit is
to
superintend
that
course
of
actions,
in
which
they
are, at any
time, engaged. Juno
is in
voked at
marriages; Lucina
at
births. Nep
tune
receivestheprayersof seamen; andMars
ofwarriors. Thehusbandman cultivates his
field
under the protection of Ceres; and the
merchant acknowledgestheauthority ofMer
cury. Eachnaturalevent is
supposed
to
bego
vernedby someintelligent agent ; andnothing
prosperousoradversecanhappen
in lise, which
maynot be
the
subject of
peculiar
prayers or
thanksgivings
b.
k Fragi/is it laboricfa nurtalititi in partts iJJa digtjpt, infrmi-
tatis sutt memor, ut portionibus quisquis coleret, quo
maxime
in-
digerct. Plin. lib. ii . cap. 7.
So
early as Hejiod's
time
there
were 30,000 deities. Oper.&icr. Jib. i.
ver.
250. But the
talk
to
be
performed
by
these,
seems
s t i l l
too
great for their
number. Theprovinces of the deities were fo subdivided, that
there was evenaGodofSneezing,
See
Arift. Prob/. Sect. 33.
cap. 7. Theprovince of copulation, suitable to theimportance
and dignity ofit, was divided amongstseveral
deities.
It
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i 4
DISSERTATION
It must
necessarily,
indeed, be allowed,
that,
in
order
to
carry
men's
attention
be
yond
the visible course
ofthings, orleadthem
into
any
inserence concerning
invisible intelli
gent power, they mustbe actuated by some
passion, which
prompts
their
thought and
reflection
;
some
motive,
which
urges
their
first enquiry. Butwhat passion shall wehere
have recourse to, for
explaining
an effect
of such mighty consequence?
Not
specula
tive
curiosity surely,
orthe pure loveof
truth.
That
motive
is
too
refined
for
such
gross
ap
prehensions, and would leadmeninto en
quiries concerning theframeof nature; asub
ject too
large and
comprehensive for their
narrow
capacities.
Noassions, therefore,
canbesupposed to workuponsuchbarbarians,
but
the ordinary
affections of human lise;
the
anxious
concern for happiness, the dread
of future
misery, the terror
of death,
the
thirstofrevenge, theappetite for foodandother
necessaries. Agitated by hopes and sears of
this
nature,
especially
the
latter,
men
scruti
nize, witha
trembling curiosity, thecourse
of
future causes, and examine the various and
4 contrary
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NATURAL
HISTORYOFRELIGION.15
contrary events
of
humanlise. And in this
disordered
scene,
with
eyes
still
more
disordered
and
astonished,
theysee the first obscuretraces
of
divinity.
III.
We
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i6~~ 1>ISSERTATION
.
III.
WEre
placed
in this
world,
as in a great
theatre, where the true springs and causes
of every event, are entirely
unknownto
us;
norhave
we
either sussicient wisdom
to
foresee,
or
power to preventthose ills, with which
we
are
continually threatened.
We
hang
in
per
petual
suspense betwixt
lise
and
death, health
andsickness,
plenty
andwant; whichare distri
butedamongstthehumanspecies
by
secret and
unknown
causes,
whose
operation
is
oft
unex
pected, and
always
unaccountable. Theseun
known causes, then,
become
the constant ob
ject
ofourhopeand
sear
; and
while
the
pas
sions are
kept
in
perpetual alarmbyananxious
expectation
of
the
events, the
imagination
is
equally employed in forming ideas
of
those
powers,
on
whichwe
have
so entire
a
depen-
dance. Couldmen
anatomize
nature, accord
ing to
themost
probable, at least the
most
in
telligible
philosophy,
they
would
find,
that
these
causes arenothing buttheparticular
fabric
and
structure
of
theminuteparts
cf
theirown
bodies
andofexternal objects ; and
that,
by
aregular
andconstantmachinery, all theeventsarepro
duced,
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NATURALHISTORY
OF
RELIGION.
» 7
duced, about
whichthey
are somuch
concerned..
Eut
this
philosophy exceeds thecomprehension
of the
ignorant multitude,
whocan
onlycon
ceive
the
unknown causes in a generalandcon
fused manner tho' their imagination, perpe
tuallyemployedon thesame
subject,
must
la
bour
to
formsome particular and
distinct idea
of
them.
The
more
they
consider
these
causes
themselves, and theuncertainty
of
their
opera
tion,
the
less satisfaction
do theymeetwith
in
their
research; and,
however unwilling,
they
must
at last
haveabandoned
so
arduous an
at
tempt,
were
it
not
for
a
propensity
in
humaa
nature, which
leads
into a system,
that
gives
themsomeseeming satisfaction.
Theres an universal tendency amongst
mankind
to
conceive
all
beings
like
themselves,
and
to transser
to every object those qualities,
with
which
they
arefamiliarly acquainted,
and
of
which theyare intimately conscious.
We
find
human
faces in themoon,armies in the
clouds
;
and
by a natural
propensity, if
not
corrected by
experience
and
reflection,
ascribe
maliceandgood-will
to
every thing,
that
hurts
or pleases us.
Hence
the
frequencyandbeauty
of
the
prosopopia in poetry, where trees,
mountains,
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iS DISSERTATION.
mountains
and
streams are personified,
and
the
inanimate
parts
ofnatureacquire
sentimentand
passion.
Andtho' these poetical
figures and
expressions
gainnot on
the belief,
they
may
serve, at least, to
provea
certain
tendencyin
the
imagination,
without
whichthey
couldnei
ther
be beautiful
nornatural. Noris a river-
god
or
hama-dryad
always taken
for a
mere
poetical
or
imaginarypersonage
; butmaysome
timesenter into
the
real
creed of
the
ignorant
vulgar; whileeach groveorfield
is represented
as posiest of
a
particulargeniusorinvisiblepower,
which
inhabits
and
protects
it.
Nay,
philoso
pherscannot
entirely exempt
themlelves from
this natural frailty ;
buthave
oft ascribed to
in
animate matter thehorrorof a vacuum, sym
pathies, antipathies, and other
affections
of
human
nature.
The
absurdity
is
not
less,
whilewecast
oureyes
upwards
;
andtransser
ring, as is toousual,humanpassions andinfirmi
ties
to
thedeity, representhimas jealousand
revengeful,
capriciousand partial,
and,
in short,
a
wicked
and
foolish
man
in
every
respect,
but
his
supt.
rior powerandauthority. Noonder,
then, that
mankind,
being
placed
in
such an
absolute
ignoranceof
causes,
and
being at
the
fametime so anxious concerning their future
foitunes,
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.19.
fortunes, shouldimmediatlyacknowledgea de
pendence
on
invisible
powers,
possest
of
senti
ment andintelligence.
The
unknown causes,
whichcontinuallyemploytheir thought,
appear
ing always in the fame aspect, are all appre
hendedto beofthe famekindorspecies. Nor
is
it long
before
we
ascribe
to
them
thought,
and
reason,
and
passion, and
sometimes
even
the limbs
andfigures
ofmen, in orderto
bring
themnearerto aresemblancewithourselves.
Inproportion as
any
man's
course
of lise
is
governedbyaccident,wealwaysfind, that he
cncreases
in superstition ; as mayparticularly
beobservedof
gamestersand
failors,
who,
tho',
of
all
mankind,
theleast
capableofserious
me
ditation, aboundmost in frivolous andsupersti
tious apprehensions. Thegods,faysCorlolanus
in
Dionyfius
*, haveaninfluence in everyaffair
;
butabove all, in
war
; wheretheevent is so
uncertain.
All human
lise, especially
before
the institution of orderand goodgovernment,
being
subject
to
fortuitous
accidents;
it is
na
tural, thatsuperstitionshould
prevail
everywhere
in
barbarous
ages, and
putmen
on
the
most
* Lib,
viii.
earnest'
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to DISSERTATION
.
earnestenquiryconcerningthoseinvisiblepowers,
who
dispose
of
their
happiness or
misery.
Ig
norant
of
astronomyand
the
anatomy
of
plants
and animals, and too little curious
to
observe
the admirableadjustmentof
final causes
; they
remain
still
unacquainted
with
a
first andsu
premecreator,
andwith
that
infinitely
perfect
spirit,
whoalone, by his almighty will, be
stowed
order
on the whole frame of
nature.
Such
a magnificentidea is
too
bigfor
their
nar
row
conceptions,
which
can
neitherobservethe
beauty
of
the
work, nor
comprehend the
gran
deur
of
its
author.
They
suppose
their
deities,
however potent. and invisible,
to
be nothing
buta species
of
human
creatures, perhapsraised
fromamongmankind, and
retaining all human
passions
and
appetites, along
with corporeal
limbs
and
organs.
Such
limited
beings,
tho'
masters
of
humanfate, being,
eachof
them,
incapableof
extendinghis influence
every
where,
must be vastly
multiplied, in
order to answer
that variety of events, whichhappenover the
wholeface
ofnature.Thusevery
place is stored
witha
crowd
of
local
deities ;
and
thus idola
try
hasprevailed,
and
still
prevails,
among
the
greatest
part
of
uninstructed
mankind
*.
*
The
following lines of Euripides are so
much
to the pre
sent
purpose
that
I cannot forbear
quoting them
s
Any
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.21
Anyof thehumanaffections
maylead
us
into the notion
of
invisible, intelligent power
;
hope as
well
as
sear, gratitude
as
well
as
afflic
tion : But if weexamine ourownhearts,
or
observe what
passes
around
us, we
shall find,
that
menaremuchoftener thrown on
their
knees by themelancholythanby
the
agreeable
passions. Prosperity
is
easily received as
our.
due,
and
sew questions are
asked concerning
its
cause
or
author. It
engenders
cheerful
ness
and
activity
and
alacrity and
a
lively
en
joyment of every
social
and sensual
pleasure
:
And
during
this
state
of
mind,
men
have
little
leisure
or
inclination to
thinkof
the
unknown,
invisible regions.
On
the other
hand,
every
disastrous accident alarms
us,
and
sets
us on
enquiries
concerning
the principles whence it
arose:
Apprehensions
spring
up
with
regard
to
futurity: And
the
mind,
sunk
into dissidence,
terror, and
melancholy,
has recourse toevery
Ovk tr
u$tt
• cifoi', ar
evo<>t;iat
Opt' at xarWc
BTfawo/la
i a . v
wfa| >
xaxuc.
T {ay to em6 lf{> « ; uyyucrui
XtCtffM. av%(. Hicuba.
Ibtre is nothing secure in tbi world; no glory, no prosperity.
Tie gods toss all
life
into
confusion ;
mix every thing .with
its
reverse ; that
all of
us,
from
our ignorance
and
uncertainty,
may
fay
thin
thi
more
worship
and reverence,
method
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tz Dissertation.
method of appeasing
those
secret,
intelligent
powers, onwhom
our
fortune
is supposed en
tirely to depend.
No
topic is more
usual
with all
popular
di
vinesthanto display theadvantagesofaffliction,
nbringingmento adue sense of religion ; by
subduing
their
confidence
and
sensuality,
which,
in times
of prosperity,make
them
forgetful of
adivine
providence. Nors this topic
confined
.merely tomodern
religions.
Theancients
have also employed it. Fortunehasnever libe
rally,
without
envy,
says
a
Greek
historian
bejlowedan unrnixt happiness
on
mankind; but
withall
her
giftshas
ever
conjoinedsomedisastrous
circumstance, in orderto chastise meninto
areve
rencefor
the
gods,
whom,in
acontinued course of
prosperity,
they
are
apt
to
negleit
and
forget.
Whatgeorperiodoflise is themostaddicted
to
superstition
? The
weakestand
most timid.
Whatsex? Thesame answermust begiven.
Theleaders
and
examplesofeverykindofsupersti
tion,
says
Strabo
h,
are
the
women.
Theseex-
lite themento devotion andsupplications, andthe
.observance of religious days.
It is
rare
to
meet
»
Diod. Sic. Lib.iii.
b Lib.
vii.
, with
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NATURAL
HISTORYOFRELIGION.2$
with
one, that
lives
apartfromthefemales, and
yet
is
addicted
to
such
practises.
And
nothing
can,
for
this
reason,
he
more
improbable,
thanthe
accountgivenofanorderofmenamong/Ithe Getes,
who
practisedcelibacy, andwerenotwithstanding
themost
religiousfanatics.Aethod
of
reasoning,
whichwould
lead
usto
entertain
averybad
idea
of
thedevotion
ofmonks
didwe
notknowby
an
experience, not so common,
perhaps,
in
Strabo's days,
that
onemay
practice
celibacy,
jind prosess chastity
; andyetmaintaintheclosest
connexions
andmost
entire
sympathywith
that
iimorous
and
pioussex.
IV.
THE
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*f.DISSERTATION
.
IV.
IX
Eonly pointof
theology, in
which
we
stiall
find
a
consent
of mankind almost uni
versal, is, that there is invisible, intelligent
powerin theworld : Butwhetherthispower
be
supreme or
subordinate,. whether
confined to
one
being or
distributed
amongst several,
what
attributes,
qualities, connexions or principles
ofaction
ougi.t to
be
ascribed to those beings;
concerning all these points, there is thewidest
difference in the popular systemsof theology.
Our
ancestorsin
Europe,
beforethe
revival oflet
ters, believed, aswedo at present, that
there
was
one
supremeGod,
theauthor
of nature,
whose power, tho', in itself,
uncontrolable,
yet
was
often
exerted
by
the
interposition
of
his
angels
andsubordinate
ministers,
whoexecuted
his sacred
purpeses.
But
they
also believed,
that
allnaturewas
full
ofotherinvisible powers;
fairies, goblins, elves, fprights; beings,stronger
and
mightier than
men,
butmuch
inserior
to
thecelestial natures,who
surround
thethrone
of
God.
Nowsuppose,
that any one,
in
those
ages, haddeniedthe existence
of
Godand of
his angels;
would
not his
impiety
justly
have
deserved
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.25
deserved the appellation
of
atheism,
eventho'
he
had
still
allowed,
by
some
odd
capricious
reasoning,
that thepopularstories of elves and
fairies
were just
andwell-grounded
? Thedif
ference,on
the
onehand,betwixtsucha person
and a genuine theist is infinitely greater, than
that, on
the
other, betwixt
him
andone, that
absolutely excludes all invisible, intelligent-
power.
And
it is a
fallacy, merely
from the
casual
resemblanceof
names, withoutanycon
formity
ofmeaning, to ranksuchoppositeopini
ons underthefamedenomination..
Toany
one,
whoconsiders
justly of
the
matter,
it
will appear, that the gods of all
polytheists
or idolaters are no better thanthe
elves or
fairies
of
ourancestors, and merit
as
little
any
pious
worship
or
-veneration.
These
pretended religionists arereally akind ofsuper
stitious atheists, and
acknowledge
nobeing, that
corresponds to our idea of a deity. No
first
principle
ofmind or thought:
No
upremego
vernment
and
administration
:
No
divine
con
trivance orintentioninthefabric oftheworld.
C The
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26 DISSERTATION
.
Thehinese, whena their prayers arenot
answered, beat their idols. Thedeities of
the
Laplanders
are
any
large
stone
which
they
meet
withofan
extraordinary
shape
b. TheEgyp
tian
mythologists,
in
order
to
account for ani
malworship, said,
that the
gods, pursuedby
theviolenceofearth.bornmen,whoweretheir
enemies,
had
formerly
been
obliged
to
disguise
themselvesunderthe semblance
ofbeasts c. The
Caunii,
a
nation
in thelesser Asia, resolvingto
admitno
strange
godsamongstthem,
regularly,
at certain seasons,
assembled
themselvescom-
pleatly
armed, beat the
air
with their
lances,
andproceededin
thatmannerto
theirfrontiers ;
in order,
as
they said,
to expel
the foreign
deities i.
Not
even
the
immortal
gods, said
some
Germannations to C sar, areamatchfor
the
Suevi e.
Manyills, fays Dimein Homer
toVenus
woundedbyDiomede,manylls, mydaughter,
have
the
godsinflicted on
men And
manylls,
in return,
have
meninflicted
on
the
gods
f.We
*
Pcre
le
Comte.
b
Regnard,
Voiage
de
Lapponie.
c Diod. Sic. lib. i. Lucian.
de
Sacrifices. Ovid, alludes to
the fame tradition, Metam.
lib. v.
1 . 321. So
also
Manilius,
lib. iv. * Herodot, lib.
i.
*
C s.
Comment.
bell. CiUico, lib. iv. f Lib. ix. 382.
need
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.27
needbut open
any
clastic
authorto
meetwith
these gross
representations
of the deities ; and
Longinus
a
with
reason
observes, that
such
ideas
ofthe divinenature,
if literally taken, contain
a true
atheism.
Somewriters
b
havebeen
surprised, that
the
the
impieties
of
Aristophanes
should
have
been
tolerated, nay publickly
acted and applauded,
by
theAthenians
; a
peopleso superstitious andso
jealous ofthepublic
religion,
that,
at that
very
time,
they
put Socrates
to death for
his
ima
gined
incredulity.
But
these
writers
consider
not, that the
ludicrous,
familiar
images,under
which the
gods
are represented
by
that
comic
poet,
instead of
appearing
impious, were
the
genuinelights, inwhich
theancients
conceived
their divinities.
Whatconduct
can bemore
criminal
or mean, than
that
of Jupiter
in
the
Amphitryon? Yetthat play, whichrepresented
his
gallant
exploits, wassupposed
so
agreeable
to
him,
that it
wasalways
acted in
Romeby pu
blic authority, whenthe State was threatened
with
pestilence,
famine,
or
any
general
cala
mityc.
The
Romamsupposed, that,
like all
old
a Cap. ix. > Pere Brumoy, Theatre des Grecs ; ie.
Funtenelle, Histoire
des
Oracles. c
Arnob. lib.
vii.
C2 letchers,
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eS
DISSERTATION
.
letchers,
he
would
behighly
pleased
with
there
hearsal ofhisformerseatsof
activity
andvigour,
and
that
notopic
was
so proper,
upon
which
to
flatterhis
prideandvanity.
The
acedemonians,
fays Xenophon*,always,
.during
war,
putuptheir petitions
very
early in
the
morning,
in
order
to
be
beforehand
with
their
enemies,
andby
beingthe
first
solicitors,
pre-engage the gods in their
favour. We
may
gatherfrom
Seneca t > , that it wasusual
for
the votaries in
the
temples, tomakeinterest
with
thebeadlesorsextons,
in
order
to
have
a
feat
near
the image
of
thedeity, that
they
might
bethe
best heardin
their prayers and applica*
tions to
him. The
Tyrians,whenbesieged
by
Alexander,
threw
chains
on the
statue
ofHer
cules, to prevent
thatdeityfromdesertingto
the
enemy
.
Augustus,
having
twice lost his
fleet
bystorms, forbadNeptuneto
be
carried in pro
cession
alongwiththeothergods; and fancied,
that
hehad
sussiciently
revenged
himself
bythat
expedientd.
AfterGermanicus'sdeath,thepeople
were
so
enraged
at their
gods,
that
they
stoned
* DeLaced.
Rep. b Epist.
xli.
t Quint.
C'irtius, lib. iv. cap. 3. Diod. Sic. Kb. xvii, * Sueton.
in vita Aug. cap.
16.
them
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OF
RELsGlOft. g
themin their
temples
; andopenlyrenouncedall
allegiance
to
them
.
Toascribe the origin and fabric oftheuni
verse
to these impersectbeings
never
enters into
the imagination
of any polytheist or
idolater.
Hesiod,
whose
writings,
along with
those
of
Homer, contained
the
canonical system
ofthe
heathens b
;
Hesiod, Ifay, supposesgodsandmen
to have
sprung
equally from the
unknown
powersofnaturec. Andthro' thewholethco-
gony
of
that
author,
Pandora is
the
only
in
stance
of
creation
or a
voluntaryproduction
;
and she toowas
formedbythegodsmerelyfrom
despight toPrometheus,whohadfurnishedmen
with stolen firefrom
the
celestialregions*. The
ancient mythologisls, indeed, seem throughout
to have
rather
embraced
the
ideaof
generation
thanthatofcreation, orformation; andtohave
thence accountedfor theorigin ofthis universe.
Ovid,wholived inalearnedage,andhadbeen
instructed
by
philosophersin theprinciples ofa
> Id. invita Cal. cap. 5, b Herodot. lib. ii . Lucian,
Jtifiter confutatus,
de Iuliu Saturn. Ice. * fif otit.-
ln yryeum SflH 9>» 1oi T'ewdptMroi. Hes, Opera
&
Dies
I i08. *
Theog. 1 .
570.
C
3
divine
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3o
DISSERTATION
.
divine
creationorformationof
theworld
; find
ing, that
such
an
idea
would
not
agree
with
the
popular mythology, which
he delivers,
leaves
it, in a manner, loose and detached from his
system. Shiisquissuit ille Dcoruma: Which
everofthegods
it
was, fays
he,
that
dissipated
the
chaos,
and
introduced order
into
the
uni
verse. It could neither be Saturn, heknew,
norJupiter, norNeptune, norany of the re
ceived
deities of
paganism.
Histheologicalsy
stem
had taught him
nothingupon that
head,
and
lie
leaves
the
matter
equally
undetermined.
Diodorus
Siculus
b,
beginning his work
with
anenumerationofthemost
reasonableopinions
concerning theorigin of the
world,
makesno
mentionofa deity or
intelligent
mind; tho'it
is evidentfromhis
history,
that that
authorhad
amuch
greater proneness
to superstition thanto
irreligion. Andin another
passage
c, talking
oftheIchthyophages, anationin India, he
fays,
that therebeing so great
dissiculty
inaccounting
for
their
descent,
we
must
conclude
them
to
be
aborigines, without
any
beginning
oftheir gene
ration, propagatingtheirracefrom all eternity
;
* Metamorph.
lib.
i, 1 .
32,
b Lib. i .
e Id.
ibid.
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OF
RELIGION.
31
as
someof the
physiologers, in treating
ofthe
origin
of
nature,
have
justly
observed.
**
But
in suchsubjects
as
these, adds
the
historian,
which
exceed
all
human
capacity,itmay
well
happen, that
those, who
discourse themost,
knowthe
least
; reaching
a specious
appear-
M
ance
of
truth
in
their
reasonings,
while
ex-
tremelywide of
thereal truth
and
matter
of
fact.
Astrange
sentiment in our
eyes,
to
beem
braced
by
a
prosest
and
zealous
religionist
1
But it
wasmerely
by
accident,that
the
question
concerning the origin of theworlddid everin
antient times enter into religious
systems, or
was
treated
of by
theologers. Thephiloso
phersalone
made
prosession
of
delivering systems
ofthisnature; and it was pretty late
toobefore
these
bethoughtthemselves
of
havingrecourse
to
a
mind or supreme
intelligence, as the first
cause
of
all.
So farwas
it
from
beingesteemed
1
The
fame
author,
who
can
thus
account
for
the
origin
of
the world without a Deity, esteems it impious to explain from
physical causes, the
common
accidents of life, earthquakes,
inundations,
and tempests ; and devoutly
ascribes
these to the
anger
of Jupiter
or Neptune.
A
plain proof, whence
he de
rived
his
ideas
of religion. See
lib. xv. pag.
364.
Exedit.
Rhodomanni.
C
4
prophane
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32
DISSERTATION.
prophanein
those days
to
account
for
theorigin
of
things
without
a
deity,
that Thalest
Anaxi-
mcnes,Heradltus,andothers,
who
embraced
that
systemofcosmogony,
past unquestioned
;
while
A>:axagoras, the first undoubted theist among
the
philosophers,
was
perhaps
the
first that
ever
was
accused
of
atheism a.
We
re told
bySextusEmplricus
b, that
Epi-
turus, whena boy, readingwithhis preceptor
these verses ofHejiod:
Eldest of beings, chaos first arose;
Next
earths
wide-stretcht,
the
feat
of
all.
theyoung
scholar first betrayed
his inquisitive
genius, by
asking,
And
choas
whence? But
was
*
It
will be
easy to give a reason,
whyThales, Anaxmanicr,
and
those early philofophers,
who really were
atheists, might
be
very
orthodox
in
the
pagan
creed
;
and
why
Anaxagcrm
and
Socratet, tho real
theists,
must
naturally, in
antient times,
be
esteemed impious.
The
blind,
unguidcd
powers
ofnature,
5f
theycould
produce
men, might
alfo
produce such
beings
as
Jupiter
and Neptune,
whobeing the
most powerful,
intelligent
existences in the world,
would be
proper objects
of
worship.
But
wherea
supreme
intelligence,
the f i r s t cause
ofall,
is
ad
mitted,
these
capricious beings,
if
they
exist
at
all,
must
ap
pear very subordinate and
dependent,
and consequently be ex
cluded
from the rank of
'deities.
Plato
(de
Leg.
lib.
x.)
assigns
this reafon of
the
imputationthrown on Anaxagorai,
viz.
his
denying the divinity
of the
stars,
planets, and
other created.
objects.
*
AdversusMathcm.lib. ix.
told
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NATURALHISTORYOF
RELIGION.
33
told byhis
preceptor,
that
he
musthaverecourse
to
the philosophers for a
solution
ofsuchque
stions. Andfrom
this
hint, Epicurus left phi
lology
and all otherstudies,
in
order
to betake
himself to that science, whence
aloneheex
pected satisfaction
withregard
to
these
sublime
subjects.
Thecommon
people
were never likely
to
pusti
their
researches
so far,
orderivefromrea
soning
their
systems
of religion; when
philolo-
gers
and mythologists,
we
see,
scarce
ever
dis
covered so
muchpenetration.
And
even the
philosophers,
who discoursed
of such topics,
readily
assented to thegrossest theory,
and ad
mitted
the
joint origin
ofgods
andmen
from
night
and
chaos
;
from
fire,
water,
air,
or
what
ever they established to
bethe
ruling
element.
Norwas
it onlyontheir first
origin, that the
gods
were supposed
dependent
on the powers
of
nature. Thro' the whole period of their
existence, theywere subjectedto thedominion
offate
or
destiny. Think
of
the
force of
neces
sity, says
Agrippa to
the
Romanpeople, that
force, to
which
eventhe
godsmustsubmit a.
And
■ Dionys. Halic. lib. vi.
C
5
the
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34 DISSERTATION.
the
youngerPliny a, suitable to thisway
of
rea
soning,
tells
us,
that,
amidstthe
darkness,
hor
ror,
and
confusion, which
ensueduponthefirst
eruption
ofVesuvius,
several concluded,
that
all
nature
was
going
to
wrack,
andthat
gods
and
men
were
perishingin onecommon
ruin.
It
Is
great complaisance, indeed,
if
wedig
nify
with
thename
of
religion
suchan
impersect
system
of theology,
and
put it ona
level
with
latter systems,
whichare foundedonprinciples
more
just
and
more
sublime.
For
my
part,
Icanscarce
allowthe principles
evenof
Marcus
Aurelius,
Plutarch,
and
someotherStoics and
Academics,
tho'
infinitelymorerefined than
the
pagansuperstition, to
be
worthy
of
the
honour
able
denominationof theism. For
if
themy
thology of the heathens resemble the antient
European
system
of spiritual
beings, excluding
Godand
angels,
and leaving only.fairies
and
sprights
;
the
creedof
these philosophers may
justly
be
said to exclude
adeity,
and
to
leave
only
angels
and
fairies.
» Epist. lib. vi.
V.
But
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.
35
V.
BUT
it is
chiefly our present business so
consider the gross polytheism
and
idolatry of
the vulgar, andto trace all its variousappear
ances, in
the
principles
of
human
nature,
whence
they
arederived.
Whoeverearns,
by
argument, the
exist
ence ofinvisible,
intelligentpower,
mustreason
from the
admirable
contrivance
os
natural
ob
jects,
and
must
suppose
the
world
to be
the
.
workmanshipofthat divinebeing, theoriginal
cause of all things. But the vulgar polytheist,
so
far
from admitting that
idea, deifies
every
part of the universe, andconceives all thecon
spicuous productionsofnatureto be
themselves
somany
real divinities.
The
fun, moon,and
stars are
all
gods, according to his system :
Fountains areinhabitedbynymphs, and trees
byhamadryads : Evenmonkies,dogs,cats, and
other
animals
oftenbecomefacred
in his
eyes,
andstrike
himwitha
religious
veneration. And
thus, however
strong
men's propensityto be
lieve invisible, intelligent power in nature,
their propensity is equally
strong
to rest their
C
.
attention
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36
DISSERTATION.
attention on sensible,
visible objects
;
and
in
order
to
reconcile these opposite inclinations,
they
areled
to
unitetheinvisible powerwith
somevisible object.
Theistribution also
of
distinct
provincesto
the
several
deities is apt to cause
some
allegory,
both
physical
and moral,
to
enter
into the
vulgarsystemsofpolytheism. Thegodof
war
will
naturally be represented
as furious, cruel,
andimpetuous
: The
god
of poetry
as
elegant,
polite,
andamiable:
Thegod
of
merchandise,
especially in early
times,
as
thievish
and
deceit
ful. Theallegories, supposed in Homerand
other
mythologists,
I
allow, havebeenoftenso
strained,
that
menof sense areapt
entirely
to
reject them, and to considerthemas thepro
duct
merely
of
the
fancy
and
conceit
of
critics
and
commentators. But that allegory really
has
place
in
the heathenmythology
is
unde
niable even on
the
least reflection. Cupid
the son of Venus; the
Muses
the daughters
ofmemory Prometheus thewisebrother, and
Epimitheus thefoolish
;
Hygieia
orthe
goddess
ofhealthdescendedfrom
sculapius
orthe
god
of physic:
Whoees not, in
these,
and
in
manyother
instances,
the
plain
traces of
alle-
; \ gory ?
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.
37
gory
? When
agod
is
supposed
to
preside over
any
paflion, event, orsystemofactions; it
is
almost unavoidable to give
him
a
genealogy,
attributes, andadventures,
suitable to
his sup
posedpowers and influence; and to
carry
on
thatsimilitude
and
comparison,
which
is
natu
rally
so
agreeabletothemindofman.
Allegories,indeed,
entirely persect,
we
oughtnotto expect as
theproductsofignorance
andsuperstition ;
there
being
no
workofgenius,
that requires
a nicerhand, orhas beenmore
rarely
executedwith
success.
That
Fear
and
Terror
arethe sons
of
Marsis just
;
but
why
by
Venus »
?
ThatHarmonyis the
daughterof
Venus
is
regular;
butwhy
byMars
&
?
That
Sleep
is the brother of
Death
is suitable;
but
whydescribehimas enamoured
of one of the
Graces
c
? Andsince theancientmythologists
fall into
mistakes
so
gross
and
obvious,
we
have
noreasonsurely to
expect
suchrefinedandlong-
spun allegories,
as
somehave
endeavoured
to
deducefromtheir
fictions d.
* Hesiod.
Theog.
J . 935. *
H.ibid.
&
Plut.
in
vita
Pelop.
« Iliad, xiv. 167.
* Lucretius
wai
plainly seduced by the strong
appearance
of
allegory,
which
i s observable
in the
pagan
fictions.
He f i r s t
addresses
himself
to Venus
as to
that
generating
power,
which
The.
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38 DISSERTATION.
The
eities ofthe vulgar are
so
little supe
rior
to
human
creatures,
that
where
men
are
affected withstrong
sentiments
ofvenerationor
gratitude
for
anyheroor
public benefactor; no
thing
canbemore naturalthantoconvert
him
into a
god, andfill theheavens, after thisman
ner,
with
continual recruits
fromamongst
man
kind. Mostof the divinities of the
antient
world
aresupposedto
have oncebeenmen,
and
to
havebeenbeholden
for
their
apotheosis to
the
admirationandaffection
ofthe
people. Andthe
real
history of
their
adventures, corrupted by.
tradition,
and
elevated
by
the
marvellous,
be
camea
plentiful
source of fable ; especially in
passing thro' thehands
of
poets, allegorists, and
priests,
who
successively improved upon the
wonderand astonishment ofthe ignorant
mul
titude.
Painterstooandsculptorscamein for their
(hareof
profit in the sacred mysteries
; and fur
nishingmenwith
sensible
representationsoftheir
animates, renews,
and
beautifies
the universe
:
But
i s
foon be
trayed
by
the
mythology
into
incoherences,
while
he prays ro
that allegorical
personage to appease
the furies of her
lover,
Mars: An
idea
notdrawn
from allegory,
but
from the
popular
religion, and which Lucretius, as an
Epicurean,
could notcon
sistently
admit
of.
divinities,
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.
39
divinities, whomthey cloathed
in human
fi
gures,
gave
greatencrease
to
the
public
devo
tion, and
determined
its object.
It
was pro
bably
for
wantofthese
arts in
rudeand
barba
rous ages, trutmendeified plants, animals,and
even brute,
unorganized
matter; and
rather
thanbe
without
a
sensible object
of worship,
assixed
divinity to
such
ungainly
forms.
Could
any
statuary of
Syria, in
early
times,
have
formeda just figure of Apollo, theconicstone,
Heliegabalus,
had
never
become the object
of
such
profoundadoration,andbeenreceivedas a
representation
of
the
solar
deity
a.
Stilpowasbaniflied bythecouncilofAreo
pagus
for assirming
that
the
Minerva in the ci
tadel
was
no
divinity
^
buttheworkmanship
of
Phidias,
the
sculptor
b.
What
degree
of
reason
may
we
expect
in
the religious
belief
of the
vulgarin other nations
;
whenAthenians and
Areopagites couldentertain such grossconcep
tions ?
a
Herodian, lib. v. J upiter,
Amman
i s represented
by Cur-
sius as adeity of the fame kind, lib. iv. cap. 7. TheArabian*
and Pejjinuntiam adored
alfo
shapelefs, unformed stones as their
ieity. Arnob. lib. vi. So
much
did their folly exceed that of
the Egyptians. b Diog.
taert.
lib. ii .
These
J
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4o
DISSERTATION.
Thesethen are the general principles of
polytheism,
founded
in
human
nature,
and
little
or
nothing dependent
on
caprice
and
accident.
Asthe
causes,
whichbestowonushappinessor
misery,
are, in general,
very unknown
and
uncertain, our anxious concern
endeavours
to
attain
a
determinate
idea
ofthem; and
finds
no
better
expedient than
to
represent them
as in
telligent, voluntary
agents,likeourselves
; only
somewhat
superior
in
powerandwisdom.
The
limitedinfluence
of
these
agents,and
their
great
proximity
tohuman
weakness,introducetheva
rious
distribution
and
division
of
their
authority;
and thereby
give
rise
to
allegory. The
same
principles naturally deify mortals, superior in
power,
courage, or understanding, and pro
duce hero-worship; along with fabulous hi
story
and
mythological
tradition
,
in
all
its
wildand
unaccountableforms. Andas
an
in
visible spiritual intelligence
is
anobjecttoo
re
fined for vulgar apprehension, mennaturally
assix it
to
some sensible representation; such
as
either
the
more
conspicuous
parts
of
nature,
or
thestatues,
images,
andpictures, which
a
more
refined ageforms
of
its
divinities.
Almost
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DISSERTATION.
VI.
THEoctrine of
onesupreme deity,
the
authorofnature,
is
veryantient, hasspread it
self
overgreatandpapulousnations, andamong
them
has
been
embraced
by
all
ranks
and
con
dition of
persons
: But whoever thinks
that it
has owed
its
success
to
the
prevalent force
of
those
invincible
reasons, on
which
it
is
undoubt
edly founded, would show himself little ac
quainted
with
the
ignorance
and
stupidity
of
the
people,
and
their
incurableprejudices
in
favour
of
their particular
superstitions.
Evenat this
day, and
in
Europe,
a(k any
of
the
vulgar,why
he
believes in
an omnipotent
creator
of
the
world
; he
will
never
mention the beauty
of
final causes,
of
which
he
is
wholly
ignorant
:
He
will
not
hold
out his hand, andbid youcon
template the
suppleness
and
variety
of
joints in
his fingers, theirbendingall one
way,
the
coun
terpoise which
they receive from the thumb,
the
softness
and
fleshy
parts
of
the
inside
of
his
ham', with all the othercircumstances,
which
renderthat
member
it
for
theuse, to which it
was
destined. To
hesehehasbeenlongaccu
stomed; andhe beholdsthemwithlistlesthess
and
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION,
and
unconcern.
He
will tell
you
ofthe
sudden
and
unexpected
death
of
such
a
one
:
The
fall
and bruise of -such
another:
Theexcessive
drought of this season :
The
cold and
rains
of
another.
Thesehe ascribes to
the
immediate
operation
ofprovidence
:
Andsuch
events, as,
with
good
reasoners,
are
the
chief
dissiculties
in
admitting
asupreme
intelligence,
are withhim
the sole
arguments
for it.
Manytheists, even the most zealous and
refined,
have
denied
a
particular
providence,
and
have
asserted,
that
the
Sovereign mind or
first
principle of
all
things, havingfixt general
laws,
bywhichnature
is governed,
gives free
and uninterruptedcourseto these
laws,
anddi
sturbs
not, at
every turn, the settled
orderof
events, byparticular volitions. Fromthebeau
tiful
connexion, fay
they,
and
rigid observance
ofestablished rules, wedrawthe
chief
argument
for theism
;
and from the fame principles are
enabled to
answer
the
principal
objectionsagainst
i t .
But
so
little
is
this
understood
by
the
gene
rality of mankind, that, wherevertheyobserve
anyoneto ascribe all events to natural causes,
andtoremovethe particular interpofal ofa deity,
they are
apt
to suspecthimof
the
grossest insi-
.
deli'y.
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44 DISSERTATION.
delity.
A
ittle
philosophy, says
myLordBacon,
makes
men
atheijls
:
A
reat
deal
reconciles
them
to
religion, Formen, beingtaught, by
super
stitious
prejudices,
to laythe
stress onawrong
place;when
that
fails them, andthey
discover,
by
a
little reflection,
that the
course ofnature
is
regular
and
uniform,
their
whole
faith
totters,
and
falls to
ruin. But
being
taught, bymore
reflection, that this
very
regularity
andunifor
mity is the strongest proof of design andofa
supremeintelligence, theyreturn
to
that belief,.
whichtheyhad
deserted
; andthey
arenow
able
to establish it
on
a firmer andmoredurable
foundation.
Convuisions
in
nature,. disorders,
prodi
gies, miracles,
tho'
the most opposite tothe
plan
of
a
wise
superintendent,
impress
mankind
with the
strongest sentiments
of
religion
; the
causesofevents
seeming
thenthemost
unknown
andunaccountable.
Madness,fury,
rage, and
an inflamed imagination,
tho'
they
sink
men
nearest
the
level
of
beasts,
are, for
a
like
reason,
often supposed to
be the only
dispositions, in
whichwe
can
have
any
immediate
communica
tion
withthe deity.
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.4.5
Wemayconclude,therefore, uponthewhole,
that
since
the vulgar, in nations, whichhave
embraced thedoctrineof theisin,
still
build
it
upon
irrational and
superstitious opinions, they
arenever led into that opinionbyany process
of
argument, but
bya
certain train
ofthinking,
more
suitable
to their
genius
andcapacity.
It mayreadily
happen,
in anidolatrous na
tion, that, tho'menadmittheexistenceofse
veral limited deities, yetmaythere besome
one
god, whom,in a particular
manner,
they
make
the
object
of
their
worship
and
adoration.
Theymayeither suppose,
that,
in thedistribu
tion of
power and territory amongthe
gods,
theirnationwas
subjectedto
the
jurisdiction of
that particular deity ; orreducingheavenlyob
jects
to
the
model
of
things
below,
they
may
represent one
god
as
the
princeorsupremema
gistrateofthe rest, who, tho' ofthefame
nature,
rules them
with an authority, like that which
an
earthly sovereign exercises
over
his
subjects
and vassals.
Whetherthis god,
therefore,
be
considered
as their peculiar
patron,
or as the
general
sovereign
ofheaven, his votaries will
endeavour,byeveryact, to insinuatethemselves
into
hisfavour
;
andsupposinghim
tobepleased,
a like
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46 DISSERTATION.
like
themselves,with
praise and flattery, there
is no eulogy or exaggeration, which
will
be
spared
in
their
addresses
to
him.
In
proportion
asmen'ssears
ordistresses
become
more
urgent,
they still inventnewstrains of adulation; and
evenhewhoout-doeshis predecessors, in swel
ling
upthe
titles
of
his divinity, is sure to
be
out-done
by
his
successors,
in
newer
and
more
pompousepithets of praise. Thus
they
pro
ceed; till at last
they
arrive at infinity itself,
beyondwhich
thereis no
farther
progress And
it is well, if, in striving to get farther, and to
represent a magnificent simplicity, they run
not
into
inexplicable mystery,
anddestroy
the
intelligent nature
of
their
deity; on which
alone any rational worship or adoration can
be sounded.
While
they confine themselves
to
the notion of a
persect
being, the crea
tor
of
the
world,
they
coincide,
by
chance,
withthe
principles
of
reason
and
true philoso
phy ;
tho'
they
areguided to thatnotion, not
by
reason,
of
which
theyare
in a greatmeasure
incapable, but
by
the
adulationand
sears
ofthe
most
vulgar
superstition.
Weften
find amongst barbarous
nations,
and
even
sometimes amongst
civilized, that,
when
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.
+7
when
everystrain
of
flattery
hasbeenexhausted
towards arbitrary princes; wheneveryhuman
quality
has
been
applauded
to
the
utmost
;
their
servilecourtiers
representthem,
at last, as real
divinities, andpoint them out to thepeople as
objects
of
adoration. How
muchmore natu
ral, therefore, is
it, that a limiteddeity, who
at
first is
supposed
only
the
immediate
authorof
the particular goods and ills
in
lise, should
in
theendbe represented
as
sovereign
maker and
modifier
oftheuniverse ?
Evenwherethis notion
ofa
supremedeity is
already
established ; tho' it ought naturally
to
lessen every otherworship, andabaseeveryob
ject
of
reverence, yetif a nationhasentertained
the opinion of a
subordinate tutelar divinity,
saint,
or angel ; their
addresses to
that
being
gradually
rise
upon
them,
and
encroach
on
the
adoration due
to their
supreme deity. The
virgin
Mary,
ere checkt
by the
reformation,
had proceeded, frombeingmerely
a
goodwo
manto usurpmanyattributes
of
theAlmightya:
1 TheJacobins, who denied the immaculate conception,
have ever
been veryunhappy
in their doctrine,
even
tho*
politi
c a l reasons
have kept the
Romish church
from
condemning i t .
The CerJelicri
have runaway with
all the popularity.
But in
C
12 God
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48 DISSERTATION
.
GodandSt. Nicholasgo hand in
hand,
in alt
the
prayersandpetitionsofthe
Muscovites.
Thusthedeity, who, fromlove, converted
himself
into
a
bull, in orderto
carryoff
Europa
;
andwho,fromambition, dethroned his father*.
Saturn, became the Optimus
Maximus of the
heathens.
Thus,
notwithstanding
the
sublime
ideassuggestedbyMosesandtheinspired writers,
manyvulgar
Jewsseem
still to
have
conceivedthe
supreme
Being
as
ameretopicaldeityornational
protector.
Rather
than
relinquish
this
propensity to
adulation,religionists,
in
all ages,haveinvolved
themselvesin the greatest absurdities andcon
tradictions.
Homer,
in
one
passage,
calls
Oceanus
and
Tetbys theoriginal
parents of
all things,
con-
the
fifteenth Century,
as we learn
from
Beulainvilliert,
an
Italian
Cordelier
maintained, that, during
the
three days, when
Christ
was interred,
th
hypostatic unionwas dissolved,
and
that
his humannature
was
not aproper object of adoration, during
that
period.
Without
the
art
of
divination,
one might
forctel,
thatfo gross and impiousa blasphemy
would
not fail to be ana
thematized bythe
people.
It was the occasion ofgreat insults
on the part of the Jacolins
;
whonew
got
fome recompence for
their misfortunes in thewar about the immaculate
conception.
See Histoire abregee, pag. 499.
formable
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50 DISSERTATION.
aggeration. Nothingindeedwouldprovemore
strongly
the
divine
origin
of
any
religion,
than
to find (andhappilythis is
the
casewithChri
stianity) that
it
is free fromacontradiction,
so-
incidenttohumannature.
VII.
IT
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.
5
VII. .
ITappears certain, that, tho'
the
original
notions
of
the
vulgar
representtheDivinity as
a
very limitedbeing,andconsiderhim
only
as the
particular
cause
of
health
or
sickness
; plenty
or
want ; prosperityor
adversity
; yet
when
more
magnificent
ideas
are urged upon them, they
esteem it dangerousto refuse
their
aflent.
Will
yousay,
that yourdeity
is finite and
bounded
in his
persections
;
may
be
overcome
by
a
greater force ;
is
subject
to human
paffions,
pains,
and infirmities
; has
a
beginning, and
may
have anend? Thistheydarenotassirm ;
but thinking it
sasest to
complywiththe
higher
encomiums, they
endeavour,
by an
affected
ravishment
and devotion,
to ingratiate
them
selves
withhim.
As
a
confirmation
ofthis,
we
mayobserve, that theassent
of
the vulgar
is,
in
this cafe, merelyverbal, and that theyarein
capable
of
conceiving those sublime qualities,
which
they
seemingly
attribute
to
the
deity.
Their
real idea
ofhim, notwithstandingtheir
pompouslanguage, is still as poorandfrivolous
as ever.
D
2
That
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52DISSERTATION.
Thatriginal intelligence, say theMagi-
aw,
who
is
the
first
principle
of
all
things,
dis-
covershimselfimmediately
to the
mindandunder
standing
alone; but
has
placed thefun as his
image
in
the visible universe; and when
that
brightluminarydiffuses its beamsovertheearth
and
the firmament, it is a faint
copyofthe
glo
ry, which
resides in
the higherheavens.
If
you
would
escapethedispleasure of
this
divine
being, youmust
be
careful never
to
set your
barefootupon
theground,norspit into
afire,
northrowanywaterupon it, eventho' it were
consuming
a
whole
city
*.
Who
can
express
the persections oftheAlmighty,
fay
the
Maho
metans? Eventhe
noblest
of his works, if
compared
to
him, are but
dust
and rubbish.
Howmuchmore
must
human
conception
fall
short
of
his
infinite
persections?
His
smile
and
favourrendersmenfor everhappy; andtoob
tain it for yourchildren,thebest method is
to
cut off
fromthem,
whileinfants,
a
little bit
of
skin,
about
half
thebreadthofafarthing. Take
two
bits
of
cloath
k,
fay
the
Roman
catholics,
about
aninchoraninchanda
half
square, join
thembythecornerswith two
strings
orpieces
a
Hyde
de Relig.
veterumPersarum.
b Called
the
Scapulaiiti
3
of
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OF
RELIGION.
53
6ftape aboutsixteen
inches
long,throwthisover
your
head,
and
make
one
of
the
bits
of
cloath
lie uponyour breast, and theother uponyour
back, keepingthemnextyour
skin.
There is
not
a better
secret
for
recommending
yourselfto
that infinite
Eeing,
who
exists
from
eternity
to
eternity.
. .
.
-
Theetes,commonlycalled immortal,from
their steddy belief of the foul's immortality,
weregenuinetheists and Unitarians. Theyaf
firmed Zam&Ixis, their deity, to betheonlytrue
god
; and asserted
the worlhip
of all etherna
tions
tobe
addressed
to mere
fictionsandchimeras.
Butweretheir religious principles anymorere
fined, onaccount of
these magnificent preten
sions ? Every fifthyear theyfacrisied ahuman
victim,
whom
they sent as a
messenger
to their
deity, inorderto inform
him
oftheir
wantsand
necessities. Andwhent thundered,theywere
so
provoked, that, in order to returnthedefi
ance, they let fly arrows at him, and declined
not
the
combat
as
unequal.
Such
at
least
is
theaccount,
which
Herodotusgivesofthe theism
of
the
immortal Getes
a.
» Lib. W.
D
3
VIII.
IT
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j4
DISSERTATION.
VIII.
ITs remarkable, that
the
principles
ofre
ligion
have a kind of
flux
and
reflux in
the
humanmind, and
thatmen
haveanaturalten*
dency
to
rife
from
idolatry to
theism,
and
to
sink
againfromtheism
into
idolatry. Thevul
gar,
that is, indeed, all mankind, a sewex
cepted,
beingignorantand uninstructed, never
elevate
their
contemplationto
theheavens, or
penetrate by their disquisitions
into the secret
structureof vegetable or
animal
bodies;
so
as
to
discover
a supreme mind ororiginal provi
dence,whichbestowed
order
on every
part
of
nature. They
consider
these
admirable
works
in
a moreconfined
andselfish view; and
find
ing
their
own
happiness
and
misery
to
depend
on the secret influence andunforeseenconcur
renceofexternal
objects,
theyregard,withper
petual
attention,
the
unknmvn
causes, whichgo
vernall
these naturalevents, and
distribute plea
sure
and
pain,
good
and ill,
by
their
powerful,
but silent, operation. The
unknown
causes
are still appealed to, at every emergence; and
*n this general appearance
or
confused image,
are
the perpetual
objects
ofhuman
hopesand
fears,.
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NATURAL
HISTORYOFRELIGION.. 55
sears,
wishes and apprehensions.
Bydegrees,
the
active
imagination
of
men,
uneasy
in this
abstractconceptionof
objects,
about
which
it
is
incessantly
employed,
begins
to render
them
more
particular, and
to
cloathethem
in
shapes
moresuitable to its natural comprehension. It
represents
them
to
be
sensible,
intelligent
beings,
likemankind
actuatedbylove
andhatred,and
flexible
by gifts
and entreaties,
byprayersand
sacrifices. Hencetheorigin of religion : Arid
hencetheorigin
of
idolatry
or
polytheism.
Butthesameanxious
concern
forhappiness,
which
engenders the idea of these invisible,
intelligent powers,
allows not mankind
to re
mainlong
in
thefirst simpleconceptionofthem;
as powerful, but limited beings; masters of
human
fate,
but
slaves
to
destiny
and
the
course
ofnature.
Men's
exaggerated
praises
andcom
pliments still swell their
idea
uponthem;and
elevatingtheir
deities
to theutmost bounds
of
persection,
at last beget the
attributes ofunity
and
infinity,
simplicity
and
spirituality.
Such
refined ideas, being somewhatdisproportioned
to vulgar
comprehension,
remain not long in
their
original
purity;
but
require to be sup
ported
bythe notion
of
inferior mediators
or
D
4
subordinate
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56
DISSERTATION
L
subordinate agents, which interpose betwixt
mankind and their supreme deity. These
demi-gods
or middle
beings,
partaking
more
ofhuman
nature, and
being more
familiar
to
us, becomethe chief objects
ofdevotion,
and
gradually recal
that
idolatry, whichhad been
formerlybanishedbytheardent prayersandpa
negyricsof
timorous
and
indigentmortals.
But
as these idolatrous religions
fall
every
dayinto
grosser
and
morevulgar conceptions, they at
last
destroy
themselves,
and, bythe
vile
repre
sentations,
which
they form of
their deities,
make
the
tide
turn
again
towards
theism.
But
so greatis
the
propensity, in this alternate
revo
lution ofhuman
sentiments,
toreturnback to
idolatry, that
the
utmost
precaution is notable
effectually
to
prevent it.. Andof
this, some
theists,
particularly
the
Jews
and
Mahometans
havebeen
sensible ; as appears
by
their banish
ing all
the arts
of
statuary
andpainting, andnot
allowing the
representations,
even of
human
figures,
to
be
taken
bymarbleor
colours
;
lest
thecommon
infirmity
ofmankindshould
thence
produce
idolatry.
Theseeble apprehensionsof
mencannot be satisfied with
conceiving
their
deity
as a
pure
spirit and
persect
intelligence;
and yet their natural terrors keepthemfrom
imputing
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION. 5.7
imputingtohim
the
least shadowof
limitation
and
impersection.
They
fluctuate
betwixt
these
opposite
sentiments.
Thefame
infirmity
still
dragsthemdownwards, from an omnipotent
and spiritual
deity
to a
limited and corporeal
one,
andfroma
corporeal and
limited
deity
to
a
statue
or
visible
representation.
The
same
endeavour
atelevation
still pushesthemupwards,
fromthe
statue
or
material
image
to
the
invi
sible
power
and from
the
invisible power to
an infinitely persect
deity,
the
creator
and
so
vereign
of
the
universe.
DS.
• . IX.To-
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58
D
T
S
S
ERTAT
CT
N H
<
IX.
Polytheismor idolatrous worship, being.
foundedentirely
in
vulgar traditions, is liable.
to
this great inconvenience, thatany
practice
or
opinion,
however
barbarous
or
corrupted,
may
beauthorizedby it; and
full
seope
is
left
for
knavery
to
imposeon
credulity,
till
morals
and humanity
be expelled
from.the religious.
systems
ofmankind.
Atthe
fame time,
idola
try
is
attended
with
this
evident
advantage,
that,.
by
limiting
the
powers
andfunctionsofits dei
ties, it naturally admitsthegodsof other sects.
andnations
to a share
of
divinity, andrenders.
all
the
various deities,
as
well
as
rites, cere
monies,
or
traditions,
compatible
with
each
other
a.
Theism
is opposite
both
in its advan-
»
Vtrrtus
Flaccas,
cited
by
Pliny, lib. ixviii. cap.
a. af
firmed, that i t was usual for theRomam,before they laid siege
to any town, to invocatethe tutelar deity of the place, and by
promisinghimequal or greater honoursthan those he at present
enjoyed,
bribe
him
to
betray
his
old
friends
and
votaries.
The
onr.cofthe tutelar deity ofRome was for
this
reason keptamost
religious
mystery ;
lest theenemiesof
the republic
should
be.able,
iu the fame
manner,
to draw him over
to their service.
For
withoutthename, they
thought,
nothing
of,that
kind could be
graslisid. Pliny fays,
that the
common
form of
invocation
tages
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION,jg
tages
and disadvantages. Asthat
system sup
poses
one
sole
deity, thepersectionofreasonand
goodness,
it
should,
if
justly
prosecuted,
banish
everything frivolous,
unreasonable,
or
inhuman
from
religious worship,
andset
beforemen
the
mostillustrious example, as well as themost
commanding
motives
of
justice
and
benevolence,.
These
mighty
advantagesare
not indeedover
balanced,
(for that
is not possible)
but
some
what
diminished, by inconveniencies,
which,
arise fromthevices and prejudices ofmankind.
While
one
sole
object
of devotion
is
acknow
ledged,
the
worshipofotherdeities is regarded
as absurd
and
impious. Nay,this
unityofob
jectseemsnaturally to
require
theunity
of
faith.
and ceremonies, and
furnishes
designingmen
with
a pretext
for
representing
their
adversaries
as
prophane, and
the
subjects
of
divineas
well
ashuman
vengeance. For
as
each
sect
is
posi
tive, that its ownfaith and
worship
are entirely
acceptableto the deity, andas noonecancon
ceive,
that the fame
being should
be
pleased
with
different and opposite
rites
andprinciples;
the
several sects fall naturally
into
animosity,
was preserved to his time in the ritual of the pontise.
And
Macrobius hastransmitted
acopy of
i t
frem
die secret things
if
SammccicuiScrenus.
D6
and.
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OF
RELIGION.
6r
catsor
wolves
*.
And
where
that
reasontook
not
place,
the
Egyptian
superstition
was
not
fo
incompatible
as
is commonlyimagined; since
welearn fromHerodotusb, that very large con
tributions
were
given
by
Amasistowardsrebuild
ingthetempleofDelphi,
Theintolerance of almost
all religions,
which
havemaintained the
unity
ofgod,
is as
remarkable
as
the contrary principle
in poly-
theists. Theimplacable,
narrow
spirit of the
Jews
is
well
known.
Mahometanism
set
out
with
still more bloody principles
; andeven
to
this
day,
dealsoutdamnation,.tho'
not
fire and
faggot, to all other sects. Andif, amongst
Christians theEnglijhandDutch
haveembraced
theprinciples
of
toleration, this singularity has
proceeded
fromthesteddyresolution ofthe
civil
magistrate,
in opposition.to the
continued
efforts
of priests
andbigots.
The
isciples
of.
Zoroaster shut thedoorsof
heaven
against
all
but
the
Magians
c.
Nothing
couldmore
obstruct
theprogress of thePer/tan
conquests, than
the
furious
zeal
of
thatnation
» Plutarch, de
Isid.&
Osiride.
k
Lib.
ii .
sub
fine,
c
Hyde
de
Relig. . v e t ,
Perfarum,
against
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6a
DISSERTATION.
against the
templesand
images
of
the Greeks.
And
after.
the
overthrow
of
that
empire,
we
find Alexander, as a polytheist,
immediately
re
establishing the
worship
of the Babylonians,
whichtheirformerprinces, as monotheists, had
carefullyabolished Eventheblind anddevoted
attachment
ofthat
conqueror
to
the
Greek
super
stition
hindered
not
buthehimself
sacrificed
ac
cording
to
theBabylonijh ritesandceremonies
K
So
sociable is
polytheism,
that
the
utmost
fierceness andaversion,
which
it meetswith in
an opposite religion,
is scarce able to disgust
it, and
keep
it at
a
distance. Augustus praised
extremely the
reserve
of
his grandson,
Caius
Ceesar, when, passing
by
Jerusalem,hedeigned
not to
sacrifice
according
to
the 'Jewijh
law.
But
for
what
reason
did
Augustus
so
much
ap
proveof
this
conduct?
Only,
becausethat
re
ligion was bythepagansesteemedignoble and
barbarousc.
I
may
venture
to
assirm,
that
sew
corruptions
ofidolatry
and
polytheism
are
more
pernicious
to
political society than this corruption of
*• Arrian. it Enped. lib. iii. Id. lib. v i i .
c
Siteton. in
vita.
Aug. c. 93,
a
•
>
Id.
ibid.
theism,.
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION. 63.
theism*, whencarried to the
utmost
height.
The
human
sacrifices
of
the
Carthaginians,
Me
xicans,
andmany
barbarousnations
b, scarce
ex
ceed the inquisition and
persecutions
ofRome
andMadrid.
Forbesides, that the effusion
of
blood
may
notbe
so
great
in
the
formercase as
in
the
latter
;
besides
this,
I
fay,
the
human.
victims, being chosen by lot orbysomeexte
rior signs, affect
not,
in so considerable a
de
gree,.
the
rest
of
thesociety. Whereasvirtue,.
knowledge, loveof
liberty, are
the qualities,
which
call
down
the
fatal
vengeance
of
inquisi-.
tors
;
and
whenexpelled, leave the society
irr
the most shameful ignorance, corruption, and,
bondage. The
illegal murderofone
man
bya
tyrant is
morepernicious
than the deathof a
thousand
by pestilence, famine,
or
any undi..
stinguishing
calamity.
* Corruptio optimi pejjima.
k
Most
nations
have fallen into this
guilt ;
tho' perhapi,
that
impious
superstition
has never
prevailed very
much
in
any civilized
nation, unless
weexcept the Carthaginians.
For.
the
Tyrians
foon abolished i t . A
facrifice i s
conceived as a
present
5 and
any
present
i s
delivered
to
the
deity
by
destroying
it and
rendering
it
useless
to men;
by
burning
what
i s
folid,
pouring out
the
liquid, and
killing
the animate. For.want of
abetter way
of
doing
himservice,
we
do ourselves an
injury a.
and.
fancy
that
wethereby express,
at least, the
heartiness
of
ourgood will and
adoration. Thus
our
mercenary
devotionde
ceives
ourselves,' and imagines
it
deceives the
deity.
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64' DISSERTATION
.
In thetempleofDianaatAricianearRome,
whoever
murdered
the
present
priest,
was
le
gally entitled to be
installed
his
successor
A
very
singular
institution
For,
howeverbar
barous and bloody thecommonsuperstitions
ften are to thelaity, they usually turntothe
advantage
oftheholy
order.
-Strabo,
lib.
v.
Sueton.
in vita Cau» -
X.
FROM
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION.6*
FROMhe
comparisonoftheismandido
latry,
wemayform some
other
observations,
whichwill also
confirm
the
vulgar
observation,
that
the
corruption
of
the
best
things
gives
rife
to.
the
worst.
Wherehe
deity
is represented
as
infinitely
superior to
mankind,
this belief, tho'
altogether
just, is apt, when
joinedwith
superstitious ter
rors, to
sink
thehumanmind
into
thelowest
submission
andabasement,
and
to represent
the
monkishvirtues
ofmortification,
pennance,
hu
mility andpassive suffering, as the
only
quali
ties,
whichare acceptableto
him.
But
where
the gods areconceived
to
beonlya
little
supe
rior
to mankind, and
to
have been,
many
of
them, advancedfrom
that
inserior rank,weare
more
at
our
ease in our addresses to them, and
mayeven,
without
profanenefs, aspire
some
times
to
a
rivalship
and
emulation
of
them.
Hence
activity, spirit, courage, magnanimity,
love
of liberty, andall thevirtues,
which
ag
grandizea
people.
Twa.
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66
DsSSERTATION
.
Theheroes in
paganism
correspondexactly
to
the
faints
in
popery
and
holy
dervises
in
Ma-
hometanifm. The placeof Hercules, Tliefeus,
Hefior, Romulus, is nowsupplied byDc.minic,
Francis,
Anthony, and
BenedtSl.
And
instead
ot the
destruction
of monsiers,
the
subduing ty
rants,
the
defence
of
our
n
itive
country
;
cele
stial honours
are
obtained
by whippings
and
fastings, by
cowardice
and humility, by abject
submissionandslavish obedience.
One
reat
incitement
to the
pious
Alexander
in
his warlike expeditions was
his
rivalfhip
of
He'culesand
Bacchus,whomhejustly pretended
to have
excelled Brofidas,
that generous
and nobleSpartan, after falling in battle, had
heroic honours
paidhimby
the inhabitants
of
Jmphipolis,
whose
desence
he
had
embraced
b.
And
in
general,
all foundersofstates andcolo
nies
amongst
theGreekswere raised to this in
ferior rankofdivinity, bythosewhoreapedthe
benesit of
their
labours.
This
gaverisetothe observationofMachla-
velc, that thedoctrines of the Christian reli-
• Arrian. passim. » Thucyd. lib. v.
c Discord, lib. vi.
gion
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NATURAL
HISTORYOFREUNION.67
gion (meaning
thecatholic
; for heknewno
other)
which
recommend
only
passive
courage
andsuffering, had
subdued
the spirit ofman
kind,
andhadfitted themfor slavery andsub
jection. Andthis
observation
would certainly
be
just,
were therenot many
other circum
stances
in
human
society,
which
controul the
genius andcharacterofa religion.
Brasidasseized amouse, andbeing bit
by
it,
let
it
go. There is nothing
so
contemptible,
says
he,
but
whatmay
be
safe,
if
it
has
but
cou
rage todefenditself Bellarmine, patiently and
humblyallowedthe
fleas
and
other
odiousvermin
to preyuponhim. Wehall haveheaven, fays
he,
to reward us
for
oursufferings:
But
these
poorcreatureshavenothingbuttheenjoyment ofthe
present life
b.
Such
difference
is
there
betwixt
the
maxims
ofaGreekheroanda
Catholic faint.
* Plut, Apophlh. » Bayle,
Aiticle Beilasmini..
XI.
HERE
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68 DISSERTATION
.
XT.
HERE
s another
observation
to
the
same?
purpose,
anda
new
proof that
the corruption
ofthe
best
thingsbegetstheworst.
If
weexa
mine,
without
prejudice,
the
antient
heathen
mythology, as containedin
the
poets,
weshall
not
discover in
it anysuchmonstrous absurdity,
aswemaybeapt at first to apprehend. Where
is the dissiculty
of conceiving,
that
the
fame
powers
orprinciples, whatevertheywere,
which
formed this visible
world,
men
and animals,
produced
also a
species of intelligent creatures,
ofmorerefined substance
and
greater
authority
thanthe
rest
? That
these creatures
maybeca
pricious, revengeful,
passionate,
voluptuous,
is
easily
conceived
;
nor
is
any
circumstance
more
apt, amongst ourselves,
to
engendersuchvices,
than
she licence
of absolute.
authority. Andin
short, the
wholemythological system
is sona
tural,
that,
in
the
vast
variety of planets and
worlds,
contained
in
this
universe,
it
seems
morethan
probable, that, somewhere
orother,.
it is
really
carried
into
execution.
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION.69
The
chiefobjection
to it withregardto this
-planet,
is,
-that
it
is
not
ascertained
by
any
just
reason
orauthority. Theantient tradition, in
sisted
on by
the
heathenpriests
andtheologers,
is
butaweakfoundation
;
andtransmittedalso
such anumberof
contradictory
reports, support
ed, all
ofthem, by
equal authority,
that it be
came absolutely impossible to six a preserence
amongst them. Asew
volumes,
therefore,
mustcontainall
thepolemical
writingsofpagan
priests. Andtheir wholetheology
must
consist
moreoftraditional storiesandsuperstitious prac
tices than of
philosophical
argument
andcon
troversy.
Butwhere theism forms the fundamental
principle
of
any popular
religion, that tenet is
so
conformable
to
found
reason,
that
philosophy
is apt to incorporateitselfwithsucha systemof
theology.
And if the
other
dogmasof that
system
be
contained in a facredbook,
such
as
the Alcoran, or bedetermined by
any visible
authority,
like
that
of the
Roman
pontif, spe
culative reasonersnaturallycarryontheir assent,
andembrace a theory, whichhasbeen instilled
intothem
by
their earliesteducation,
andwhich
also
possesses
seme degree of consistence and
uniformity.
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To DISSERTATION.
uniformity.
But
as these
appearancesdo
often,
all
of them, prove
deceitful,
philosophy will
soon find herself very unequally yoakedwith
hernewassociate ;
and
instead of regulating
eachprinciple,
as
they
advance
together,
she
is at everyturn pervertedto serve the
purposes
of
superstition.
For
besides the unavoidable
incoherencies, which must be reconciled and
adjusted; onemayfasely assirm, that all po
pulartheology, especially thescholastic, hasa
kindofappetitefor absurdityandcontradiction.
If that theology went not beyond reason and
common
sense,
her
doctrines
would
appear
too
easy
and
familiar. Amazementmustof
neces
sity be raised
: Mysteryaffected : Darkness
and
obscuritysoughtaster : Anda foundationofme
rit afforded
thedevout votaries, whodesire an
opportunityof
subduing
their
rebellious
reason,
bythe
belief
ofthemostunintelligible sophisms.
Ecclesiasticalhistory
sussicientlyconfirms
fliesereflections. Whena coitroversyis started,
some
people
pretend
always
with
certainty
to
conjecturethe issue. Which
ever
opinion, fay
they, is mostcontrarytoplain sense is sure to
prevail ; evenwherethe general interest of the
system requires not that decision. Tho'the
reproach
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OFRELIGION. ?t
reproach of
heresy
may, for sometime, be
bandiedaboutamongstthe disputants, it always
rests at lastontheside ofreason. Anyone, it is
pretended, that has
but
learningenough
of
this
kindtoknowthe
definition
ofArian, Pelagian,
Erajlian, Socinian, Sabellian, Eutychian, Ne-
storian,
Monothelite,
&c.
not
to
mention
Pro
testant,
whose
fate
is
yet
uncertain,
will becon
vinced
of the
truth
of this
observation. And
thus a
systembecomesmoreabsurd
in the end,
merely
from
its
being reasonable
and
philoso
phical in thebeginning.
Tooppose the torrentof scholastic
religion
bysuch seeble
maxims
as
these,
that it is im
possibleforthesamething to be andnot to be, that
thewholeis greater thana part, that two and
three
make
five
;
is
pretending
to
stop
the
ocean
with a
bull-rush. Will you
set
up
profane
reason against sacred mystery? Nounishment
is
great
enoughforyourimpiety.
And
thefame
sires,
whichwerekindled
for heretics, will serve
also
for
the
destruction
of
philosophers.
XII.
WE
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73
DISSERTATION
.
XII.
W
meeteverydaywithpeopleso sceptical
.withregardto history, thattheyassert it impossi
ble for any nation everto believe such absurd
principles as those of Greek andEgyptianpa
ganism;
andat
the
same time so
dogmatical
with
regard
to religion, that they
think the
same absurdities are to be found in noother
communions. Camhsesentertained like
preju
dices
; and
very
impiously ridiculed,
andeven
wounded,
Apis, thegreatgod
of
the
Egyptians,
who
appearedto
his profane
senses nothing
but
alargespotted
bull. ButHerodotus
*
judiciously
ascribes this sally ofpassion to a real madness or
disorder
of
the
brain
:
Otherwise, says
the
hi
storian,
he
would
never
have
openly
affronted
any established
worship. For on that head,
continueshe, everynationare
best
satisfied
with
their own,
andthink
theyhave
the advantage
over
every
other
nation.
It must be
allowed,
that the
Roman
catho
lics are a very learned sect ; and thatnoone
a Lib,
i i i , c, 38,
communion,
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.73
communion,
but that of
thechurch
of
England
can
dispute their
being
the
most
learned
of
all
the christian churches
:
Yet
Averroes,
the
fa
mous
Arabian,
who, no
doubt,
had heardof
the Egyptian
superstitions, declares, that, of
all
religions,
the most
absurd
andnon-sensical
i s
that,
whose
votaries
eat, after
having
created,
their deity. •
I
believe,indeed,
that
there
is no
tenet
in
all paganism,
whichwould
giveso fair a scope
to
ridicule
as
this
of
the
real
presence
:
For it is
so absurd, that it eludes theforce ofalmost
all
argument.
Thereare evensome
pleasant sto
ries of that kind,which, tho' somewhatprofane,
arecommonlytold bytheCatholicsthemselves.
Oneday, a priest, it is
said,
gaveinadvertently,
instead
ofthe
sacrament,
acounter, which
had
byaccidentfallenamongtheholy
wasers.
The
communicant waited patiently for some time,
expecting it
would
dissolve
on
his
tongue: But
finding, that it still remained entire, hetook it
off.
/
wi/b, cries
he
to the
priest, you
have
not
committedsome
mistake :
Iwish
you
havenot
given
me
God
the Father
:
He
s
sohard
andtough
there is
noswallowinghim.
E
A
FAMOUS
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74 DISSERTATION.
Afamousgeneral, at that timein
the
Mus
covite
service,
having
come
to
Paris
for
the
recovery of his wounds, brought along with
him
ayoungTurk, whomhehadtakenprisoner.
Someof thedoctors of the Sorbonne(who
are
altogetheras positive
as
theDevises
of
Constan
tinople)
thinking
it
a
pity,
that
the
poor
Turk
shouldbedamnedfor want of
instruction,
sol
icitedMujlapba
very hard to turnChristian,
and
promisedhim, for hisencouragement-plenty
ofgoodwine
in this
world,
and paradise in
the
next.
These
allurements
were
too
powerful
to
beresisted ; and
therefore,
havingbsenwell in
structed andcatechized, heat lastagreedtore
ceive
thefacraments of baptism
andtheLord's
supper. The
priest, however,
to
make
every
thing
sure
and
solid,
still
continued
his
instruc
tions ; andbegan his catechismnextdaywith
the
usual
question, HowmanyGodsarethere?
Nar.e
at all,
replies
Benedict ; for that
was
his
new
name. How Noneat all cries
the
priest.
To
be
sure,
faid
the honest
proselyte.
Youhave
told
me
all along that
there
is but one
God AndyesterdayIat him.
Such
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7i6 DISSERTATION.
thus
all
mankind
stand staring
at oneanother}
and
there
is
no
beating
it
out
of
their
heads,
that
theturban
of
theAfricanis not
just as good
cras badafashionas thecowlofthe European.
Heis a viryhonest man, said theprinceof Sal-
ke, speakingofdt Ruyter, It is a pity heWire
( f
Chrijlian.
How
can
youworshipleeks
and
onions, we
shall
suppose a Sorbznniji to say to a priest of
Sais? If
weworship
them, replies thelatter ;
at
least,
wedo not, at
the
same time,
eat
them. But
what
strange
objects of.
adoration
are cats andmonkies, fays thelearneddoctor ?
They
are
at
least
as good as the relicts or
rotten bones of martyrs, answers his no less
learned antagonist.
Are
you not
mad, insists
theCatholic,
to
cut
oneanother's
throatabout
the
preserence of a cabbage or a cucumber*
Yes, fays
the
pagan; I allowit,
i/
youwill
.confess,
that
all those are still madder, who
sightaboutthepreserenceamong
volumes
ofso
phistry,
ten
thousand
of
which
are
notequal
in
value
to
one
cabbage or
cucumber
*.
J It
i s
strange that theEgyptian religion, tho' fo absurd,
soould yet have borne fo great a resemblance to the
Jrwijh,
that
antipnt writers
even of
the
greatest
genius
were
not able tp
Every
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.77
Everyby-standerwill easily judge(butun
fortunately
the
by-standersare
very
sew)
that,
if
nothingwererequisite to establishany
popular
system,
but
theexposingtheabsurditiesofothrr
systems, everyvotaryofeverysuperstition could
give a sussicient reasonfor his blind andbigot-
ted
attachment
to
the
principles,
in
which
he
has
beeneducated.
Butwithoutso
extensive
a
knowledge, onwhichto ground this assurance,
(and
perhaps, better
without
it)
there is
not
wanting a sussicient stock of religious zeal
and
faith
amongst
mankind.
Diedortis
Siculus
b
gives
observe
any
difference betwixt them.
For i t i s
very
remarkable,
that both Tacitus
and
Suetonius, when they mention that de
cree of
the senate,
under Tiberius, by
which
the Egyptian and
Jewijh proselytes were banished from Rome, expressly treat
these
religions
as
the
fame ; and i t
appears,
that even
the
decree
itself
was
founded
on
that
supposition.
Ail
urn
&
t
sa-
cris gyptiis,
Judaicisque pellendis ; faclumque patrum consul-
turn, ut quatuor millia libertini generis ca
superstitione
infecla,
quis idonea
tftas,
in
infulam
Sardiniam
.veberentur,
eoereendis
i l l i c tatrocinris ; &i ob
gra-vitatem
tccli interijfent, vile da-
mnum
: Ceteri
cedcrent Italia, niji certam ante diemprofanus ri~
tus exuijsent.
Tacit. Ann. lib. ii. c. 85. Externas ceeremenias,
gyptios,
Judaicosque
ritus
eompescuit
;
coatlit
qvi
supersti
tione ea tenebantur, religiosas vejies cum infrumento omr.i combu-
rere, &c. Suetor. Tiber- c.
36.
These wise heathens,
observ
ing something in the general air, and genius, and spirit of the
two
religions to
be
the
fame, esteemed
the differences
of their
dogmas too
frivolous to deserve
any
attention.
• »
tib.
i .
E
3 a re
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OF
RELIGION.
79
common
withus thanfacrilege : Butwas
it
ever
heard,
that
an
Egyptian
violated
the
temple
of
a cat, an ibis, or a crocodilei Thereis no
torture,
an
Egyptian
would
notundergo,
fays
the
fameauthorin
anotherplace
%ratherthan in
jure an
ibis,
an
aspic,
a cat, adog, ora cro
codile. Thusit is strictly true, what Dryden
observes
Of
whatsoe'erdescent their
godhead be,
Stock, stone,
or
otherhomely
pedigree,
*' In
his
desence his
servants
are as
bold,
As
if
he had beenbornof beatengold.
Absalomand
Achitophel.
Nay, thebaserthematerialsare, ofwhichthe
divinity is composed, thegreaterdevotionis he
likely to
excite
in thebreasts ofhis deludedvo
taries.
Theyexult in their
shame, andmake
a
merit with
their
deity,
in
braving,
for
hi*
lake, all the
ridicule
andcontumelyofhis ene
mies.
Ten
thousand Croises inlist
themselves
under
theholybanners,
and
even openly
tri
umphin those
parts
of
their
religion,
which
their
adverfaries
regard
as
the
most
reproachful.
Thereoccurs, I
own, a dissiculty
in the
Egyptiansystem of theology; as indeed, sew
»
Tufc. Qjiaest. lib.
v.
E
4
systems
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So DISSERTATION
.
systems are entirely free from dissiculties. It
i s '
evident, from their
method
ofpropagation, that
acoupleof
cats,
in fifty years,
would
stock a
wholekingdom ; and if that religious venera
tionwerestill paid them,
it
would, in
twenty
more, not onlybeeasier in Egypt to find agod
thanaman, which
Petronius
fays was
the
case
in someparts of
Italy
;
but
thegodsmust at last
entirely starve themen,
and
leave
themselves
neither
priests nor votaries remaining. It is
probable, therefore,
that that wise
nation, the
most
celebrated
in
antiquity
for
prudence
and
found
policy, foreseeing such dangerous conse
quences, reservedall
their
worshipfor thefull-
growndivinities,
andused
thefreedom
to drown
theholyspawnorlittle suckinggods,withoutany
scruple or
remorse.
Andthus the
practice
of
warping
the
tenets
of
religion,
in
order
to
serve
temporal
interests,
is not, by
anymeans,
tobe
regardedas aninventionofthese latter ages.
The
learned,
philosophical Varro,
discours
ing
of
religion,
pretends
not
to
deliver
any
thing
beyondprobabilities
andappearances
:
Such
was his good sense andmoderation
But
the
passionate, thezealousAugujiin,insultsthenoble
Romanonhisscepticismandreserve, andprosesses
the
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION.'
81
the
most thorough
belief
and
assurance3.
A
heathen
poet,
however,
contemporary
with
tlie
saint,
absurdlyesteems
the
religious
system
of
the
latter so false, thateven
the
credulity ofchildren,
he
says,
could
notengage
themto believe
it b.
Is
it
strange,
when
mistakes
are
so
common,
to find everyonepositive anddogmatical? And
that the zeal
often rises
in proportionto the er
ror
? Moverunt,
fays
Spartian,
a tempejlate
Judi bellum
quodvetabantur
mutilare
genltalia
c.
If ever there
was
a nation or a time, in
which thepublic
religion
lost all authorityover
mankind,
we
might expect, that infidelity in
Rome, duringtheCiceronianage, wouldopenly
haveerectedits throne, andthat Cicero himself,
inevery
speech
and
action,
would have been
its mostdeclaredabettor. But it appears, that,
whatever sceptical
liberties
that
great
man
might use, in his writings or in philosophical
conversation;
he
yet avoided,
in
the
common
conduct of lise, the imputation of deism and
profaneness. Evenin his ownfamily, andto
his wise, Terentia, whomhehighly trusted, he
a Decivitate Dei, 1 . iii.
c. 17.
b Claudii
Rutilii
Numitlani her,
lib,
i. 1 . 386. e In
vita Adriani.
E
5
was
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fa-DISSERTATION.
was
willingto
appear
adevout religionist ;
and
there
remains
a
letter,
addrest
to
her,
in
which
heseriously desiresherto ofser facrifice to Apollo
and sculapius, in gratitude for the reco
veryofhis health\
Pompev'sdevotionwas
much
moresincere:
Inall his
conduct,
during
the civil wars,
he
paida great regard to auguries, dreams,
and
prophesies
b. Augujluswas tainted withsuper
stition
ofeverykind.
As
it
is
reportedofMil
ton, that his poetical genius never
flowed
with
ease
and
abundancein
the
spring; so Augujlus
observed, that his owngenius for dreaming
neverwasso persectduringthat season,
nor
was
so muchto berelied on, as
during
the rest of
the year. That
great
and able
emperorwas
also extremely uneasy whenhe happened to
changehis shoes, andputtheright footshoeon
the
left
foot c. InIhort, it cannot bedoubted,
but the
votaries ofthe
established
superstitionof
antiquity
were as numerous in every state, as
those
of
the
modern
religion are at present. Its
influence
was
as univeisai ; tho'
it was
notso
* Lib. *iv. euist. 7. b Cicero deDivin. lib. ii. c. 24.
J Sueton. Aug. cap, 90, jx, g2. Plin, lib, i i , cap. 7.
great.
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NATURALHISTORYOF
RELIGION.
Sj
great. As
manypeoplegavetheir assent to it;
tho'
that
assent
was
not
seemingly
so
strong,
pre
cise, and assirmative.
Weayobserve, that, notwithstandingthe
dogmatical,
imperiousstyle
of all
superstition,
theconvictionofthereligionists, in all ages,k
more affected than real, and scarce everap
proaches, inany
degree,
to that
solid
beliefand
persuasion, which governs us in thecommon
affairs
of
lise. Mendare not avow,
even
to
theirownhearts, thedoubts,whichtheyenter
tain
on
such subjects : They
make
a
merit
of
implicite faith ; anddisguise to themselvestheir
real
infidelity, by
thestrongest asseverations and
most positive bigotry. But nature
is
toohard
for all their
endeavours,
andsuffers not the
ob
scure,
glimmering
light,
afforded
in
those
sha
dowy
regions, to
equal
the
strong impressions,
made by commonsense and by experience.
The
usual
course
of men's conduct belies
their
words, andshows, that theassent in thesemat
ters
is
some
unaccountable
operation
of
tha
mind betwixt disbelief and
conviction* but
ap
proaching
muchnearer
the former
than the
latter.
E
6
Since,
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£ 4
DISSERTATION
.
Since, therefore, themindofmanappears
ofso looseandunstcddyacontexture, that, even
at present, whenso
many
personsfind aninter
est in continually employing on it the chissel
andthehammer,yetare
they
not
able to en
grave
theologicaltenets withany lasting impres
sion ; how
much
moremust thi3 have been the
case
in
antienttimes,
when
the
retainers
to
the
holy function were so muchsewerincompa
rison ? Nowonder,
that
the appearances
were
thenvery
inconsistent,
andthat men,onsome
occasions, mightseemdetermined infidels, and
enemies
to
the
established
religion,
without
being so in reality ; orat least, withoutknow
ing
their
own
mindsin that
particular.
Another
ause,
which
renderedtheantient
religions
much
looser
than
the
modern,
is,
that
theformer
were
traditional and the
latter are
scriptural; andthe tradition in theformer was
complex,contradictory,and onmanyoccasions,
doubtful; so that
it could
not
possibly
be re
duced
to
any
standard
andcanon,
or
afford
any
determinatearticles
offaith.
Thestories
ofthe
gods were numberlesslike the
popishlegends ;
and tho' everyone, almost, believed a part of
these
stories,
yet noonecouldbelieveorknow
the
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.85
thewhole: While, at the same time,
all
must
have
acknowledged,
that no
one
part
stood
ona
betterfoundationthanthe rest.Thetraditionsof
different cities
andnations were
also,
onmany
occasions, directly
opposite;
andnoreasoncould
be
foundfor
preserring
one
to the
other. And
as therewasaninfinitenumberofstories, with
regardto
which
tradition
was
nowaypositive;
thegradationwasinsensible, fromthemostfun
damental
articles
of
faith,
to those
loose
and
precarious
fictions. Thepaganreligion, there
fore, seemed
to vanishlike acloud,
whenever
one
approached
to
it,
and
examined
it
piece
meal.
It
could
neverbeascertained by
any
fixt
dogmas
and
principles.
Andtho' this did
not
convert
the
generality
of
mankind
fromso ab
surd a faith ; forwhenwill the
people
be rea
sonable
?
yet
it
made
them
faulter
and
hesitate
more in maintaining their principles, andwas
evenapttoproduce, in certain
dispositions
of
mind, some
practices andopinions, whichhad
theappearanceofdeterminedinfidelity.
Tohichwemayadd, that
the
fables ofthe
paganreligion were, ofthemselves,
light,
easy,
andfamiliar ; without
devils
orseas of brim
stone, or any objects, that could
much
terrify
the
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*6
DISSERTATION
t
theimagination. Whocouldforbearsmiling,
when
he thought
of the
loves
of
Mars
and
Vtnui) or the amorous frolics of Jupittr and
Pan?In this
respect,
it wasa true poetical reli
gion
; if it
hadnotrather toomuchlevity for the
graver
kinds
of poetry. Weind that
it
has
beenadoptedbymodernbards ; norhave
these
talked with greaterfreedomandirreverenceof
thegods,
whom
theyregarded
as fictions,
than
the antient
did
of the real objects of their
devotion.
Thenserenceis byno
means
just, that,
be
causea systemofreligion has
made
nodeep
im
pression onthe mindsofapeople,
it
mustthere
fore havebeen
positively rejected
by all
men
of
commonsense, andthat opposite principles, in
spite
of
the prejudices
of
education,
were
gene
rally
established by argument
and reasoning.
I
know
not, but a contrary
inference
may
be
moreprobable.
The
less importunateand
assum
ing any species of superstition appears, the less-
will
it
provoke
men's
spleen
and
indignation,
or
engagethem into enquiries concerning its foun
dation
and
origin. This in
the mean
time
is obvious, that the empire of all religious
faith over the understanding is wavering
and
2
uncertain,
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OFRELIGION.
87
uncertain,
subject to all varieties of humour,
and
dependent
on
the
present
incidents,
which
strike theimagination. Thedifserence
is
only
inthe
degrees.
An
antient
will
place
a
stroke
of
impiety
and
oneofsuperstition alternately, thro'
awhole discourse 1 : A
modern
often think*
in
the
fame
way,
tho'
he
may
be
more
guarded
in his expressions.
Luciantells usexpressly b, that whoever
believed not the most ridiculous fables ofpa
ganismwasesteemedbythe
people
profaneand
impious.
To
hatpurpose,
indeed,
wouldthat
agreeableauthorhaveemployedthewholeforce
ofhis
wit
andfatyr againstthenational
religion,
hadnot that religion beengenerallybelievedby
hiscountrymen
and
contemporaries?
»
Witness
this remarkable passage of
Tacinis:
Pratermulti-
slice) rerum
humanarum
casus, ceelo terraque prtdigia,&
ulmi-
num
monitus, £ f futurorum prasagia. lata,
triftia,
ambigua,
manisefla. Nee enim umjuam atrocioribus
populi
Roman: dadi-
bus,
magisque juftis
judiais approbatum eftf non e / s e cura Dii*
fteuritatrm nojfram, eJJ'e ultionemt Hi/I.
lib.
i. Augustusi quar
rel
w.th
Neptune
is
an
instance
of
the
fame
kind.
Had
not
the
emperor believed Neptune to be a real being and to have do
minion over
the
sea ; where had been the foundation of his
anger ?
And
if he believed i t , what madness to provoke s t i l l far
ther that deity ? The fame observation may be madeupon
Quimifilian's
exclamations,
on account of the death of hi»
children,
lib, vi,
Pnef, b
Philopseudes.
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88 DISSERTATION.
Livy acknowledges as frankly, as any di
vine
would
at
present,
the
common
incredulity
ofhisage; butthenhecondemns
it
as severely.
And
whocanimagine, thatanational supersti
tion,
which
coulddeludeso greataman,would
not also imposeonthegeneralityofthepeople?
The
toics
bestowedmany
magnificent
and
even impious epithets on their sage ; thathe
alonewas rich, free, a king, and equaltothe
immortal
gods.
They
forgot to add, thathe
wasnot inserior in prudenceand understanding
to an old woman. Forsurely nothingcanbe
morepitiful than the
sentiments, which
that
sect entertainedwith regard to
all popular
su
perstitions ; while
theyveryseriouslyagreewith
thecommonaugurs, that, when
aravencroaks
from the left,
it
is a goodomen butabadone,
when
a rook
makes
a noise from
the
fame
quarter. PanatiuswastheonlySteic amongst
theGreeks,
who
so muchas
doubted
withre
gard to auguries and divinations b. Marms
Antoninus
c
tells
us,
that
he
himself
had
received
manyadmonitions from the gods in his sleep.
It
is
true ; Epitletusd forbids us to regard
the
* Lib.
x.
cap.
40.
b
Cicero
deDivin. lib. i. cap.
3.
&7. c Lib. i. § 17. d Each. § 17.
4
language
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELiGION.
'Sq
languageofrooksandravens; but it is not, that
they
do
not
speak
truth
:
It
is
only,
because
they
C2ii
fortel nothingbut
the
breakingofourneck
or
the forseiture
of
ourestate ;
which
are
cir
cumstances, fays he, that no wayconcernus.
Thus
the Stoics joina philosophical enthusiasm
to a
religious superstition. The
force of their
mind,
being
all turned to the side ofmorals,-
unbent
itself
in that ofreligion
a.
Plato
b introduces
Socrates assirming,
that
the accusation
ofimpiety
raised
against
him
was
owing
entirely
to his
rejecting
such
fables,
as
those ofSaturn's castrating his father,
Uranus,
and
Jupiter's
dethroning Saturn: Yet in a
sub
sequent
dialoguec,
Socrates consesses,
that
the
doctrine
of
themortality
ofthefoul was
the
re
ceived
opinion
of
the
people.
Is
there
here
any
contradiction? Yes,surely: Butthe
contradiction
is
not in
Plato
;
it
is in thepeople,whose reli
gious
principles in
general arealwayscomposed
ofthe most discordant parts ;
especially
in an
* TheS/cics, I own, were
not
quite orthodox
in the
esta
blished
religion ; but
one may
see,
from
these instances,
that
they went a great
way And the
people undoubtedly went
every length.
* Eutyphro, ' Phido.
age,
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.93
tion ; and sits also so easy and light on men's
minds,
that
tho'
it
maybe
as
universally
re
ceived,
it
makesnosuchdeepimpressiononthe
affections andunderstanding.
XIII.THE
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94 DISSERTATION.
XIII.
THErimary
religion
of mankind arises
chieflyfromananxiousTearof
futureevents
; and
what
ideas
will naturally he
entertained
ofin
visible,
unknown
powers,
whilemen
lie
under
dismalapprehensionsofanykind,mayeasily be
conceived.
Every
image of
vengeance,
seve
rity,
cruelty,
and malice
must occur
and
aug
menttheghastiinessandhorror,whichoppresses
the
amazed
religionist.
A
anic
having
once
seized the mind, theactive
fancy
still
farther
multiplies
the
objects ofterror
; while
that pro
founddarkness, or, what is worse, thatglim
meringlight-
withwhich
we
are invironed, re
presents
the
spectres
of
divinity
under
the
most
dreadfulappearancesimaginable. Andnoidea
of perverse wickedness canbe framed, which
those
terrified devotees
do not readily, without
scruple, apply to their deity.
This
appears the natural
state
of religion,
when
surveyedin one
light.
But ifweconsider,
on
the
otherhand, that spiritofpraise
and
eu
logy,whichnecessarily hasplacein all
religions,
and which
is the
coniequence
of
these
very
terrors,
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.9j
terrors, we
must
expecta quitecontrarysystem
of
theology
to
prevail.
Every
virtue,
every
ex
cellencemust beascribed to thedivinity, andno
exaggeration be esteemed sussicient to reach
those
persections,
with whichhe
is endowed.
Whateverstrainsof panegyriccanbeinvented,
are
immediatelyembraced,
'without consulting
any arguments
or phnomena. And
it
is
esteemed
a sussicient
confirmation
of them,
thattheygiveusmore
magnificent ideas
of
the
divineobject
of
ourworship
and
adoration.
Herethereforeis a kindofcontradictionbe
twixtthe different
principles
ofhuman.nature,
whichenter into religion.
Ournatural
terrors
presentthe
notion
of a devilish and
malicious
deity
:
Our
propensity
to
praise
leads
us
to
ac
knowledge
anexcellent and divine. And
the
influence
of these opposite
principles
are vari
ous,
according
to
the different situation
of
thehumanunderstanding.
Inverybarbarousandignorantnations,such
as theAfricans and
Indians.,
nayeventheJa-
pone/e,
whocan
form no
extensive ideas
of
powerandknowledge,worshipmaybepaidto a
being, whomtheyconsessto bewickedandde
testable ;
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96 DISSERTATION.
testable ; tho' they
may
be cautious, perhaps,
of
pronouncing
this
judgment
of
him
in
public,
or
in his temple, where
hemaybe
supposed
to
heartheirreproaches.
Such
rude,impersect
ideas
ofthedivinityad
here
long
to
all
idolaters
;
and
it
may
fasely
be
assirmed, that
the
Greeks themselves nevergot
entirely rid ofthem. It is remarked by Xeno-
phon%in
praise
of Socrates, that that philoso-
-
pher assented not to
the
vulgar
opinion, which
supposedthegodstoknowsomethings, andbe
ignorant of others: Hemaintained that they
knew
every
thing;
what was done,
faid,
or
even
thought. Butas this was
astrain of
phi
losophy
b
muchabove
the conception of his
countrymen,weneednotbe
surprized, if
very
frankly,
in
their books
and
converfation,
they
blamed the deities, whomthey
worshiped
in
their
temples. It
is observable,
that Hero
dotus inparticular scruplesnot, inmanyassages,
toascribe envyto thegods; a
sentiment,
ofall
»
Mem,
lib. i.
I > It
was
considered among the
antients,
as a very extraordi
nary,
philosophical paradox,
thatthe presence of the godswas
not confined to theheavens, but was extended
every where;
as we learn from Lucian. Hirmtimus
fin
DetSis.
others,
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NATURALHISTORYOF
RELIGION.
97
others, themostsuitable to ameananddevilish
nature.
The
paganhymnshowever, fung in
publicworship,
contained nothing but
epithets
ofpraise ; evenwhiletheactionsascribed to the
gods were
the
most
barbarous
anddetestable.
WhenTimotheus, the poet, recited ahymnto
Diana, whereheenumerated, withthegreatest
eulogies, all theactions and attributes
of that
cruel,
capricious goddess: Mayyour
daughter,
said one present, becomesuchas the deitywhom
youcelebrate a.
But
s
men
farther
exalt
their
idea
of
their divinity ; it is often their
notion
of
his
powerandknowledgeonly, notofhis
goodness,
which
is
improved. Onthecontrary, in pro- 1
portion
tothe
supposedextent
of
his science
and
authority,
their terrors
naturally
augment
;
while
they believe, thatno
secrecy
canconceal
them
fromhisscrutiny,andthateven
the
inmostreces
ses of their breast lie openbeforehim. They
mustthenbe careful not toformexpresslyany
sentiment
of
blame
and
disapprobation.
All
must be applause, ravishment, extacy. And
while their gloomy apprehensionsmakethem
Plutarch, de Superst.
F ascribe
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ioo
DISSERTATION.
preserve
untainted
the
genuine
principles of
morals
in
our
judgment
of
human
conduct,
1 o r a Chinese philosopher have
« f
our holy
teligion,
if they
judged
by the schemes given of
it
by our
modern
freethinkers,
•
and
pharifaical doctors ofall sects? According
to
the
odious and
« teo vulgarsystem of these incredulous scoffers
and
credulous
*
scriblers,
TheGod
of
the
Jews
i s
a
most
cruel,
unjust,
par-
tial and fantastical being. Hecreated, about 6000 years
* ' - ago, amanand a woman, and placed them in a fine garden
of Asia, of which there are no remains. This garden was
furni/hed with all forts oftrees, fountains, and flowers. He
allowedthem
the use ofall thefruits ofthis
beautiful
garden,
except
of
one,
that was
planted in
the midst
thereof,
and
« «
that
had
in
i t
a
secret
virtue
of
preserving
them
in
continual
health and vigor ofbody
and
mind, of exalting their natural
powers and making
them wife.
The
devil entered into the
body ofa serpent,
and
solicited
the
f i r s t womanto
eat
ofthis
« « forbiddenfruit; she engaged herhusband to dothefame. To
punish
this slight
curiosity andnatural desire oflife
andknow-
• '
ledge,
Godnot onlythrew our f i r s t parents out of paradise,
but
he
condemned
all
their posterity to
temporal
misery,
and
*' the
greatest
part of therri
to
eternal pains, tho' the fouls of
these innocent children havenomore
relation
to thatofAdam
than to those ofNero and
Mahomet
; since, according to
the
scholastic
drivellers,
fabulists, and mythologists, all fouls
are
created
pure,
and infused
immediately into mortal
bodies,
so soon as the f tus i s formed. Toaccomplish
the barbarous,
partial
decree
of
predestination
and
reprobation,
God
aban-
doned all nationsto darkness, idolatry and
superstition,
with-
out any saving knowledge or falutary graces ; unless i t was
one
particular
nation, whombe chose as his peculiar people.
Thischosennationwas, however,the moststupid, ungrateful,
rebellious,
and perfidious of
all
nations.
After
Godhad thus
kept the
far greater
part of
ail thehuman
species, during
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NATURALHISTORYOF
RELIGION.
101
but theabsolutenecessity of these principles to
theexistence
of
society.
If
common
concep-
near4000years, in a reprobate state, he changed all ofa
sudden,
and took a fancy for other nations, beside the Jews.
Then
he sent
his
only begotten Son to the world, under X
**
human
form,
to appease his wrath,
fatisfy
his vindictive ju-
stice, and die for the pardon ofsin. Veryfew nations, how-
ever,
have
heard
of
this
gospel
;
and
all
the
rest,
tho'
left
in
'*
invincible ignorance, are
damned without exception
or
any
possibility of
remission.
The
greatest part
of those, who
*
have
heard
of
i t ,
have changed only some
speculative notions
about
God, and fome
external forms in
worship
:
For, in
other
respects, the bulk ofChristians have
continued as
cor-
nipt, as the
rest
ofmankind
in
their
morals
; yea,
fo
much.
the
more
perverse
and
criminal,
that
their
lights
were
greater.
Unless
itbeaverysmall select number, all otherChristians,
like
the
pagans,
will
be for ever damned ;
the
great
facrifice of-
sered up
for
them will become void
an5
ofno
effect. Gei
will take delight for ever in.their torments and blasphemies;
and
tho
he can, by
one
fiat,
change
their
hearts, yet
they
will
remain
forever
unconvertedand unconvertible, becausehe will
be
for
ever unappeaseable
and
irreconcileable.
It
i s
true,
that
all
this makesGod odious, a hater of fouls, rather than a
* lover of them ; a cruel,
vindictive
tyrant, animpotent
or
a
wrathful d mon,
rather
thanan all-powerful, beneficent Fa-
therofspirits : Yet all t h i s ' i s a mystery. Hehas secret rea-
fons for his
conduct, that
are
impenetrable ; and tho' he ap-
** pearsunjustand jbarbarous ; yet
wemust
believe the
contrary,
because
what
i s
injustice,
crime,
cruelty,
and
the
blackest
malice in
us, i s
in
him justice, mercy,and sovereign
goodness.
'Thustheincredulous freethinkers, thejudaizingChristians, and
' the fatalistic doctors, havedisfigured anddishonoured the
sublime
' rrysteriesof our
holy
faith; thus,
theyhave
confounded the nature
' ofgood and evil ; transformed the mostmonstrous passions into
' divine
attributes,'
and surpassed thepagans
i n .
blasphemy,
by
F
3
tion
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102
DISSERTATION.
tion
can
indulgeprinces in asystem of ethics,
somewhat
different
from that
which
should re
gulateprivate persons ; howmuchmore
those
superior beings, whose attributes,
views,
and
nature
are
so
totallyunknown
to us? Suntsu
pers suajura ' ; Thegods have
maxims
of
justice peculiarto
themselves.
* ascribing to
the eternal nature,
as
perfections, what
makesthe
* most horrid crimes amongstmen. Thegrowerpaganscontented
' themselves
with
divinizing lust, incest}
and
adultry ;
but
the pre-
* destinarian doctors have divinized cruelty, wrath, fury, venge-
* ance, and all the blackest
vices.'
See the chevalier Ramfay'i
philofophical principles of natural and revealed religion, Part II,
p.
401.
The
fame
author asserts, in other places,
that
the
Arminia*
and
Molinist
schemes
serve very little
to
mend
the
matter : Ar.d
having thus thrown himselfout of all received sects ofChri
stianity,
he i s obliged to
advance
a system ofhis own, which
i i
a kind of
Origettism,
and supposes the pre..existence ofthe fouls
both of
men
and
beasts,
and the eternal falvation
and conversion
of
all
men,
beasts,
and
devils.
But
this
notion,
being
quite
peculiar
to
himself, .weneed
not
treat of. I thought
the
opi
nionsofthis ingenious author very curious 5
but
I pretendnot to
warrant the justness of
them.
* Ovid.Metam,lib. he. 501.
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION.103
.
XIV.
HEREcannot forbear observinga fact,
whichmay
beworththeattention ofthose,
who
makehumannaturetheobject
oftheir
enquiry.
It
is
certain,
that,
in
every
religion,
however
sublimetheverbal
definition,
whichit givesof
its divinity, manyof thevotaries, perhaps
the
greatest
number,
will still seek thedivinefa
vour, not by virtue andgood
morals,
which
alone
can
be
acceptable
to
a
persect
being,
but
either
by
frivolous observances,
by
intemperate
zeal, by
rapturous extastes,
orby
the
belief of
mysterious and absurd opinions. The least
partoftheSadder, as wellas ofthePentateuch,
consists
in
precepts
of
morality;
and
we
may
be
assured, thatthat partwasalways
the
least ob
servedand
regarded.
When
the
old
Romanswere
attackedwitha
pestilence,
they never
ascribed
their sufferings to their vices, or
dreamed
ofre
pentance
andamendment.
Theyneverthought
thattheywerethe
generalrobbers
of
theworld,
whose
ambition
and avarice
madedesolate the
earth,
andreducedopulent
nations
to wantand
beggary. Theyonly created a dictator%in
*
Cal.'ed
Dictator clavis
figend
caufa. T. Livii, 1 . vii. c. 3.
F
4
order
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ro4
DISSERTATION
order to drive a nail into adoor;
and
by that
means,
theythought
that
they
had
sussicisntly
appeasedtheir incensed
deity.
In gina;onefaction entering into a con
spiracy, barbaroufly and treacherously
assassi
nated sevenhundred of their sellow-citizens;
and
carried their
fury so far, that,
one
miser
ablefugitive havingfled to the
temple,
theycut
off
his
hands,
by
which
he
clung
to the gates,
and carryinghim
out
of holy ground,imme
diately murdered him. Bythis impiety, fays
Herodotus
*,
(not
by
the
other
many
cruel
assas
sinations) they offended the gods,
and
contrasted
aninexpiable
guilt.
Nay,ifweshouldsuppose,whatseldomhap
pens,
that
a
popular
religion
were
found,
in
which
it
wasexpressly
declared,
that
nothing
but
morality
could
gain
the
divinefavour; if an
orderofpriests wereinstituted to inculcatethis
opinion, in daily sermons, andwithall thearts
of
persuasion
;
yet
so
inveterate
are
thepeople's
prejudices, that for Wantofsomeothersupersti
tion,
they
wouldmake
thevery
attendance
on
these
sermons the essentials
of
religion, rather
» Lib. vi.
than
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NATURALHISTORY
OF
RELIGION.rc5
than placethemin
virtue and
good
morals.
The
sublime
prologue
of
Zaleucus's
laws
'
in
spired not theLocnans, so far aswecanlearn,
with
any sounder
notions of themeasures of
acceptance
with
the
deity, thanwere
familiar
totheotherGreets.
This observation, then, holds universally:
But still onemaybeat someloss to accountfor
it. It is not sussicient to observe, that the
people, everywhere, degrade their
deities
into
asimilitude with themselves, andconsiderthem
merely as a
species
of
humancreatures,
some
what
morepotent and intelligent.
This
will
notremove
thedissiculty. Forthere
is noman
so
stupid,
as
that,
jjdgingby
his
natural
reason,
he would not
esteem
virtue and honesty the
most
valuable
qualities, which
any
p.rfon could
possess.
Why
not
ascribe the same
sentiment
to
his
deity? Whynot make
ail religion,
or
thechiefpartof it, to consist in these attain
ments
b
Nor
s it satisfactory
to fay, that the prac
tice of
morality
is moiedissicult than that of
superstition i and is therefore rejected. For,
* Tobe
found
in Diod.
Sic.
lib. xii,
F
5
not
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io6DISSERTATION.
not to mentionthe
excessive
pennancesof the
Brahmans
and
Talapoins
;
it
is
certain,
that
the
Rhamadanof
the
Turks, duringwhichthepoor
wretches, for manydays, often in thehottest
months
of
the
year, andinsomeof
the
hottest
climatesoftheworld, remainwithouteatingor
drinking
from
the
rising
to
the
setting
of
the
sun;
this
Rhamadan,
I fay, must be
more
se
vere,thanthepracticeofanymoralduty, even
tothemost vicious
anddepraved
of
mankind.
The
four
lents
oftheMuscovites.,
and
theauste
rities
of someRoman
Catholics, appearmore
disagreable than meekness and benevolence.
Inshort,
all
virtue, whenmen
are
reconciled
to it byeverso
little
practice, is
agreeable
: All
superstition
is for
ever
odiousand
burthensome.
Perhaps,the
following account may
be
receivedasatruesolution ofthedifficulty. The
duties, which amanperforms as a friendor
parent,seemmerelyowing to
his
benefactoror
children; norcanhebewantingtothese duties,
without
breaking
thro*
all
the
ties
ofnature
and
morality.
A
strong inclination mayprompt
him
to
theperformance
: Aentimentof
order
and
moral
beautyjoins its forceto these natural
tyes: Andthewholeman, if truly virtuous,
is
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io8DISSERTATION
.
of his ease
and
quiet, his claim of
merit
ap
pears
still
to
rise
upon
him,
in
proportionto
thezealand devotion, whichhe discovers. In
restoring a
loan,
orpaying a
debt,
his divinity
is nowaybeholden to him ; because
these
acts
of justice are what hewas boundto perform,
and what
many
would haveperformed,were
there
nogod in the universe. But if hefast a
day, orgive himself a sound whipping ; this
hasa direct
reserence,
in his
opinion,
to
the
service ofGod. Nothermotivecouldengage
himto suchausterities. Bythese distinguished
marks
of
devotion,
he
has
now
acquired
the
divinesavour
;
andmay
expect, inrecompence,
protectionandfasety in this
world,
andeternal
happinessin ths
next.
Hence
the
greatest
crimes
have
been*
found,
in
many
instances,
compatible
witha supersti
tious piety and
devotion
: Hence
it
is justly re
garded as
unfase
todrawany certain inserence
in
favour
of a
man's morals
from
theservor
or
strictness
of
his religious
exercises,
even
tho'
he
himselfbelieve them sincere. Nay,
it
hasbeen
observed,
that enormities
of
the blackest
dye,
have been rather apt to produce superstitious
terrors, andencreascthereligious passion.
Bo
mikars
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.109
mi/car, having formed a conspiracy for assassi
nating
at
once
the
whole
senate
of
Carthage,
andinvading
the
libertiesof
his
country, lostthe
opportunity,
from a
continualregard
to omens
and
prophesies.
Thosewho
undertake
the mostcri
minalandmostdangerousenterprises arecommonly
the most superstitious ; as anantient
historian
a
remarksonthis
occasion.
Their
devotion
and
spiritual faith rise with their
sears. Catiline
wasnotcontented
with
theestablished
deities,
and receivedrites of his nationalreligion : His
anxious
terrorsmadehimseeknewinventions
of
this
kind
b
;
which
he
neverprobably
had
dreamed of, had
he
remained
a good citizen,
andobedient to the lawsof
his country.
Tohichwe
may
add, that, even
after
the
commission
of
crimes,
there
arise
remorses
and
secret horrors, whichgive no rest to the mind,
but
makeit haverecourseto religious
rites and
ceremonies, asexpiationsofits offences.
What
ever weakens or
disorders
the internal frame
promotes
the
interests
of
superstition
:
And
no
thing
is
more destructive to themthana manly,
a Diod. Sic. lib.
xx.
* Cic. Cai l . i. Sallust.
de
bello Catil.
x steddy
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NATURALHISTORY
OFRELIGION,til
firmities andfollies ofthis kind,
but
never
ori
ginally
beget
them.
Their
root
strikes
deeper
into the mind, and springs from the essential
anduniversal
properties
of
human
nature.
XV.THO*
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ii2DISSERTATION.
XV.
T
HO'
the
stupidityofmen,
barbarous
and
uninstructed, be so great, that theymay
not
see a sovereignauthorin themoreobviousworks
of
nature,
to
which
they
are
so
much
fami
liarized; yet
it scarce
seems
possible, that
any
one of good understanding should reject that
idea, whenonceit is suggested to him. Aur
pose, anintention, adesign
is evident
inevery
thing;
and
when
our
comprehension is
so
far
enlarged as to contemplate
the
first rise of this
visiblesystem,wemustadopt,withthestrongest
conviction, the idea of some
intelligent
cause
or author. Theuniformmaxims too, which
prevail
thro'
the
whole
frame
of
the
universe,
naturally,
if
notnecessarily, leadusto
conceive
this intelligence as single and
undivided,
where
the prejudicesofeducationoppose
not
so rea
sonablea theory. Even
thecontrarieties
ofna
ture,
by discovering themselves every where,
become
proofs of some consistent
plan, and
establish onesingle purpose orintention, how
everinexplicableand
incomprehensible.
Good
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NATURAL
HISTORYOF
RELIGION. 1
j
Good
and ill are
universally
intermingled
and
confounded
;
happiness
and
misery,
wisdom
and
folly, virtue and vice. Nothing is pure and
entirely ofa piece. Alladvantages
areattended
withdisadvantages. Anuniversal
compensation
prevails in allconditionsofbeingandexistence.
Andit
is
scarce
possible
for us,
byourmost
chi
mericalwishes, to form
the
ideaofastation or
situation altogetherdesirable. Thedraughtsof
lise, according to
thepoet's fiction,
arealways
mixedfromthe
vessels
oneachhandof Jupiter *
Or
if any
cupbe
presented
altogetherpure,.
it
is
drawn
only,
as
the
fame
poet
tells us,.
from
the
left-handedvessel.
Themoreexquisite any good is, of which
a
small
specimen
is
afforded
us,
thesharper
is
the
evil,
allied
to
it;
and
sew
exceptions
are
found to this uniform law of nature. The
most sprightly
wit borders
on
madness ; the
highest effusions ofjoy
produce
the
deepestme
lancholy; the most ravishing pleasures are at
tended
with
the
most
cruel
lassitude
and
disgust
$
the
most flattering hopesmakeway
for the
se
verest disappointments. And in general, no
course
oflisehassuch
sasety
(for
happinessis nut
tobedreamedof) asthetemperateandmoderate,
which'
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« n4DISSERTATION.
which maintains,
as far as
possible,
amedio
crity,
and
a
kind
of
insensibility,
in
every
thing.
As
the
good, the great, the sublime,
the
ravishing are foundeminently
in the
genuine
principles
of
theism
;
it
maybe
expected,
from
the
analogy
of
nature,
that
the
base,
the
absurd,
the mean, the terrifying
will be
discovered
equallyin religious
fictions
andchimeras.
Theniversal propensityto believe in invi
sible,
intelligent
power,
if
not
an
original
in
stinct, being at least a general attendant of
humannature,
it
maybeconsideredas akindof
mark
orstampvwhich
thedivineworkmanhas
set
upon
his
work
and
nothing
surely
canmore
dignify mankind, thantobethus
selected
from
all theother
parts
ofthecreation, and to bear
theimageorimpression
of
theuniversal Creator.
But
consult this image, as itcommonlyappears
in
the
popular
religions
of the
world.
How
s
the
deity
disfigured
in
our representations
of
him
What
caprice,
absurdity,
and
immorality
are attributed
to him Howmuch
is
he de
graded even
below
the character which we
should naturally, in commonlise, ascribe toa
man
ofsense
andvirtue
What
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NATURAL
HISTORY
OFRELIGION. i 5
Whatnobleprivilege is it ofhumanrea
son to attain the knowledge of the supreme
being
;
and, fromthe visible works of
nature,
beenabledto inser so sublimea
principle
as its
supreme
Creator? But turnthereverse ofthe
medal.
Survey most nations and most ages.
Examinethe religious principles, whichhave,
in
fact, prevailed
in theworld.Youwill scarce
ly be persuaded, that they are otherthansick
men's dreams
: Or
perhapswill
regard
them
moreas theplaysome whimsiesofmonkeysin
human
shape, than the serious,
positive,
dog
matical
asseverations
of
a
being,
who
dignifies
himselfwith
thename
ofrational.
Hear
the
verbal protestations of all
men
Nothing they
are
so certain of as their religious
tenets.
Examine
their
lives :
You
will
scarce
ly think that they repose the
smallest
confi
dence in them. .
The
reatest and truest zeal gives usnose
curity
against
hypocrisy
:
The
most
open
im
piety is attendedwitha
secret
dread andcom
punction.
No
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n6DISSERTATIONL
Noheological absurdities so glaring as have
not, sometimes, beenembracedbymenof the
greatest and most cultivated understanding.
Noeligious precepts so
rigorous
as have
not
been
adopted
by
the
most voluptuous
and
most
abandonedofmen.
Ignorance is the mother
of
Devothm:
A
maxim
that is
proverbiaf,
andconfirmedby
general
experience. Look
out
for
a people,
entirely
devoid
of
religion
: Ifyoufind themat
all, be
assured,
that they
are
but few
degrees
removed
from
brutes.
Whato pureas femeof
the
morals, in
cluded in some theological systems? Whatso.
corrupted as some of the practices, towhish
these
systems
give
rise
I
The
comfortable views,
exhibitedby
the
belief of
futurity, areravishingand
delightful.
But how
quicklyvanish, ontheappearanceof
its
terrors,
whichkeep
a
more
firm
and
durable
possession
ofthehumanmind
The
whole
is a riddle, an
nigma,
aninex
plicable mystery.
Doubt,uncertainty,
suspence
of
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NATURALHISTORYOFRELIGION.117
ofjudgmentappeartheonly result ofourmost
accurate
scrutiny,
concerning
this
subject.
But
such
is
the frailty ofhumanreason, andsuch
the irresistible contagionofopinion, that even
this
deliberate doubt
could scarce be upheld
j
did wenot enlargeourview, andopposingone
species
of
superstition
to
another,
set
them
a
quarreling; while weourselves,
during their
fury
andcontention, happilymake
our escape,
into the calm, tho' obscure, regions of phi
losophy.
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DISSERTATION
I.
OF
THE
PASSIONS
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DISSERTATION
I.
Ofthe
Papms,
SECT.
I.
IkQOMEbjects produce immediatelyan
*Jagreeablesenfation, bytheoriginal struc
tureofourorgans, andarethencedenominated
Good;as
others,
from
their
immediatedis
agreeable senfation, acquire the
appellation
of
Evil.
Thusmoderatewarmth
is
agreeable
and
good;excessive heatpainfuland
evil.
Someobjectsagain, bybeingnaturallycon
formableorcontrarytopassion, excitean
agree
able orpainfulsenfation ; andarethencecalled
Goodor
Evil. Thepunishment
of an adver
sary,
by
gratifying
revenge,
is
good
; thesick
ness ofa
companion,
by
affecting friendship,
is evil.
2.
All
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2DISSERTATIONI.
2.
Allgood
or
evil,
whence-ever
it
arises,
produces
various
passionsand
affections,
accord
ingtothelight, inwhichit is surveyed.
When
good is certainor veryprobable, it
produces
Joy
When
vil
is
in
the
fame
situa
tion, therearisesGrieforSorrow.
Wheneither good or evil is
uncertain, it
gives
rise toFearorHope,accordingtothe
degreesofuncertaintyonone
side
orthe
other.
Desirearisesfromgoodconsideredsimply;
and
Aversion,
from
evil. The
Will
exerts
itself,
wheneither thepresenceofthegood or
absence of
the
evil maybe attained byany
actionofthemindorbody.
3. Noneof these
passions
seem to contain
anything curiousorremarkable, except Hope
and
Fear,
which,
being
derived
from
the
pro
bability of any
good
or
evil,
are
mixt paffions,
that merit
our
attention.
Proba
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OFTHE
PASSIONS.
123
Probability
arises fromanoppositionof
contrarychancesorcauses, bywhichthemind
is
not
allowed
to
six
on
either
side ;
but
is
in
cessantly
tost from
one
to another, and in one
momentis determined
to consideranobject as
exrstent, andin anothermomentas the con
trary.
The
imaginationorunderstanding, call
it
which
you
please,
fluctuates
betwixt
the
op
posite
views
; andtho' perhaps itmaybeoftener
turnedto
one
side than the
other,
it
is
impos
sible for it, by
reason
of
theopposition
of
causes
orchances, to reston either. Theproandcon
of
the
question
alternately
prevail;
and
the
mind, surveying
the
objects in
their
opposite
causes, finds such a contrariety as utterly de
stroys all
certainty
or
established opinion.
Suppose,
then,
that
the
object,
concerning
which
we
are doubtful, produces
either
desire
or aversion; it
is evident,
that,
according
as
the
mind
turnsitself
to
one
side or
the
other,
it
must seel a
momentaryimpression
of
joy
or
sorrow. An
object,
whoseexistencewe
desire,
gives satisfaction, whenwethink of
those
causes,
which
produceit; andfor the famerea
son,
excites grief
oruneasiness, fromtheoppo
site consideration. Sothat, as
the
understanding,
G2 in
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12+DISSERTATIONI.
in probable questions, is divided betwixt the
contrarypoints of view, the
heartmust
inthe
fame
manner
be
divided
betwixt
opposite
emo
tions.
Now,
if
weconsiderthehumanmind,
we
(hall observe,
that,
with
regard
to
the
passions,
k
is
not
like
a
wind-instrument
of
music,
which,
in running over
all
the
notes,
im
mediately loses
the found
when
the
breath
ceases ;
butrather
resembles
a
string-instrument,
where, after each stroke, the vibrations still
retain
some
sound,
which
gradually
and
insen
sibly decays; Theimagination is extremely
quickand agile ; but
thepassions,
in compari
son,
are
flow
and restive: For
which
reason,
whenany object is presented, which
affords
a
variety
of
views
to
the
one
and
emotions
to
the
other
;
tho'
the fancy
may
change
its
views
withgreat celerity ; each stroke will notpro
ducea clear anddistinctnoteofpassion, but the
onepassion will alwaysbemixt andconfounded
with
the
other.
According
as
the probability
inclines to goodor evil, thepassion of griefor
joypredominatesin the composition; and
these
passions,
being
intermingled
by
means
of the
• * • • contrary
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OF
THEPASSIONS. iz?
contrary
viewsof
theimagination,
produce by
the
union
the
passions
of
hope
or
sear.
4. Asthis theory
seems
to carry its
own
evi
dence alongwithit, we
shall
bemore
concise
in
our
proofs.
The
passions of fear and hopemay
arise,
whenthechances are equalon bothfides, and
no superiority can be discovered in oneabove
the
other.
Nay,
in
this
situation
the
passions
are rather the
strongest, as
the
mind
has
then
'he least foundation
to rest upon, and
is
tost
with the
greatest uncertainty.
Throwin a su
periordegreeofprobability to theside of grief,
you immediatelysee that passion
diffuse
itself
° ver the composition, and tincture it into sear.
Encrease the
probability,
and
bythat
means
the
grief; the sear prevails still moreandmore, till
at last it runs insensibly, as thejoycontinually
diminishes,
into pure
grief.
After you have
brought it to this situation, diminish the grief,
by a
contrary
operationto that, whichencreased
'f> to wit, bydiminishing the probability onthe
melancholy
side ; and you will
see
thepassion
c'ear every
moment,till
it changes insensibly
G3 into
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tz6DISSERTATION.T.
intohope; which againruns,by flowdegrees,
intojoy,
as
you
encrease
that
part
of
the
com
position,
by
the encrease of the probability.
Are
not
these as plain proofs, that thepassions
ofsear andhope
are
mixturesof grief and.joy,
as in
optics
it
is a.
proof, that acolouredrayof
the
fun,
passing
thro'
a
prism,
is
a
composition
of
two
others, when, as you diminish oren
creasethe
quantity
of
either, youfind it prevail
proportionably, more'or less, in thecompo
sition
?
5.
Pro3ability
s oftwokinds; either
when
theobject is itself uncertain,
and
to be deter
minedbychance; orwhen, tho' the
object
be
already
certain,
yet
is
it
uncertain
to
our
judg
ment,which finds anumberof proofsor pre
sumptions oneach side of
the
question. Both
these
kinds
ofprobabilitycause sear
and
hope;
which must proceed from that property, in
whichtheyagree; to wit, theuncertainty and
fluctuation
which they bestowon the passion,
bythat contrarietyof
views,
which
is common
to
both.
fc It
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OFTHEPASSIONS. 1.37
6. Itis aprobablegoodorevil, whichcom
monlycauses
hopeor
sear;because
probability,
producinganinconstantandwaveringsurveyof
an object,
occasions naturally
a like
mixture
and
uncertainty
of passion. But
we
mayob
serve, that, wherever, fromother causes, this
mixture
can
be
produced,
the
passions
of sear
and hopewill arise, eventho' therebenopro
bability.
Anevil, conceivedas barely pojpble, sums-
times produces
sear;
especially
if
the
evil
be
very
great.
A
man
cannot
think
of excessive
pain
and torture without
trembling, if heruns
theleast
risque ofsuffering them. Thesmall
ness of the probability is compensated by the
greatness
of
the
evil.
But
ventmpojfible evils causesear; aswhen
wetrembleon
the
brink of a precipice, tho'
weknowourselves to be in persect security,
and
have
it
in
our
choice,
whether
we
will
ad
vanceastep
farther.
Theimmediatepresence
of
the
evil
influences
the imaginationandpro
duces
a
species
of
belief;
but being
opposed
by
thereflection onoursecurity, thatbelief is im-
G
4 mediately
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i28DISSERTATIONI.
mediatelyretracted,andcausesthefamekindof
passion,
as
when,
from
a
contrariety
of
chances,
contrarypassions areproduced.
Evils,which are tertain, have sometimes
thefameeffect as thepossible orimpossible. A
man, in a strong prison, without
the
least
meansofescape,tremblesatthe
thoughts
ofthe
rack, to which he is sentenced. Theevil is
here
fixed
in itself5
but
themind
has
not cou
rage tosix upon it;
and
this fluctuation gives
rife to a passion of a similar appearancewith
fear.
7. Butit is notonlywhere
good
or evil is
uncertain as to
its
existence, but also as to its
kind, that sear or
hope
arises. If
anyonewere
told, thatoneofhis sons is suddenly
killed
;
the
passion,
occasioned by
this
event,
would not
settle
into
grief, till
hegot
certain
information,
whichofhis sonshe
had lost.
Tho'eachside-
of
the
question
produces
here
the
fame
passion
;
that passion cannot settle, butreceivesfrom the
'imagination,
which
is unsixt,
a
tremulous,
un-
fteddymotion, resemblingthe
mixture
andcon
tention
ofgriefandjoy.
8.
Thus
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ty, D.IS SERTATI N.I.
g.Concerningthemixtureofaffections,
wemay
remark,in
general,
thatwhencontrary
passions
arise
fromobjectsnowayconnectedto
gether,
theytakeplace
alternately.
Thuswhen
amanis afflicted for
the
lossofalaw-suit,
and
joyfulforthebirthofason, themind, running
from
the agreeable
to
the
calamitous
object;
with
whatever celerity
it may
perform
this
motion, canscarcelytemper theone affection
with theother,
and
remainbetwixtthemin a
state ofindifference.
Itmoreeasily attains thatcalmsituation,
when
the
sameevent is ofamixt
nature,
and
containssomethingadverseand something pro
sperous in its different
circumstances.
Forin
that
case,
both
the
passions,
mingling
with
each
© ther.
bymeansof the relation, often,hecome
mutually destructive, and
leave the
mind
in
perfecttranquillity.
But
suppose,
that
the
object
is
nofra
com
pound of good and evil, but is considered as
probableor improbablein
any
degree; in that
case, thecontrarypassions will bothofthembe
present at once in
thesoul, and
instead ofbal
ancing:.
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OF
THEPASS-IONS. 13*
lancingandtempering each other, will subsist
together, and by their union, produce a third
impression
or
affection,
such
as
hope
or
sear.
The
nfluenceoftherelationsofideas (which'
weshall afterwards
explain
more
fully)
is
plainly
seenin this affair. Incontrarypassions, ifthe
objects
be
totally
different,
the
passions
are
like
two
opposite liquors
in
different bottles,
which
havenoinfluenceoneachother. Iftheobjects
be
intimatelyconnecled,
thepassions
are
like an
alcali
oran
acid, which,
being mingled, de
stroy
each
other.
If
the
relation
be
more
im
persect, and consists in thecontradictory views
of thesameobject,
the
passions
are
like
oil
and.
vinegar, which, however mingled, neverper
sectly uniteand
incorporate.
The
ffect
of a mixtureof
passions,
wheiv
one
ofthemis predominantand
swallows
upthe
other, shall be
explained
afterwards.
G6
SECT-
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132
DISSERTATIONI.
SECT.I.
1.
BESIDESthose
passions
abovemen-
tioned, whicharisefroma
direct
pursuit ofgood
andaversionto evil, thereareothers ofamore
complicated
nature,
and
imply
more
thanone
▼ ieworconsideration.
ThusPride
is a
certain
satisfaction in
ourselves,
onaccountofsomeac
complishment or possession, whichweenjoy :
Humility, ontheother
hand,
is a dissatisfaction
with
ourselves,
on
account
of
some
defect
or
infirmity.
LoveorFriendship
is
a
complacency
in an
other, onaccountofhisaccomplishmentsor
ser
vices
:
Hatred,
thecontrary.
2. Inthese
two
sets ofpassions, there is an
obvious distinction tobemade
betwixt
theeb-
je t
of
the
passion
and
its
cause.
The
object
of
prideand humility is
self
:
Thecause of
the
passion is
some
excellence
in
the former
case;
some fault, in thelatter. Theobject of love
andhatred is someother person: The
causes,
in
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i33
in like manner, are either
excellencies
or
faults.
Withegardto all thesepassions, thecauses
arewhat
excite
theemotion
;
the
objectis
what
themind
directs its view
to whentheemotion
is excited. Ourmerit,for instance, raises
prkle
>
and
it
is essential
to pride to turn
our
viewon
ourselfwithcomplacencyandfatisfaction.
Nowas thecausesof these
passions
arevery
numerous
andvarious, tho' theirobject
beuni
form
and
simple
;
it
may
be
a
subject
of
curio
sity to consider, what that circumstance
is,
in
whichall these
various
causesagree; or, inother
words, what
is
thereal, essicient causeof the
passion. Wehall begin with
pride
andhu
mility.
3. Inorderto
explain
the causesof
these
pas
sions, wemust reflect on certain properties,
which,
tho'
they
have
a
mighty
influenceon
everyoperation, bothof the
understanding
and
passions, are
not
commonlymuchinsisted on
by philosophers. Thefirst of
these
is theajsa-
ciation ofideas, or
thatprinciple,
bywhich
we
make
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OF.
THE
PAS.SIGNS.
iyg.
assist and
forward
each other,
and
that the
transition
is
moreeasily made, wheretheyboth
concur
in
the
fameobject.
Thus,,
aman,who,
byany injury from another, is verymuchdis
composed
and ruffled in
his
temper, is
apt
to
find a
hundred
subjects of
hatred, discontent,
impatience, sear, and
other uneasy passions;
especially,
if
he
can
discover
these
subjects
in
orneartheperson,whowas theobject of his
first emotion. Thoseprinciples,
which
forward
the
transition
of
ideas,
here
concur
with
those,
whichoperateonthepassions ; andboth, unit
ing
in
one
action,
bestow
on
the.
mind
a
double
impulse.
Uponthis
occasion,
Iimaycite.apasiagefrom
anelegant writer,.
who
expresses himselfin the
following
manner
.
**
As
the
fancy
delights
in every thing, that is great, strange, or
** beautiful,
and
is still themorepleased
the
« *
more
it
finds of these persections in thefame
object, so
it
iscapable.ofreceivingnewsatis-
« «
faction
by
the
assistance
of
another
sense.
Thus,
anycontinuedfound,
as themusicof
birds, or a fall of waters, awakens every
*.Addison,
Spectator,
No41*.
'«
moment
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DISSERTATIONIL
momentthemindof
the
beholder,andmakes
himmore
attentive
to the
several
beautiesof
the place, that lie before him.
Thus,
if
there
arises afragrancyof
smells
or
perfumes,
they
heighten
thepleasureoftheimagination,
« *
and
makeeven the colours and
verdure
of
thelandscape
appear
moreagreeable> for
the
M
ideas
of
both
sensesrecommend
each
other,
«
andare
pleafanter
togetherthanwherethey
« «
enterthemindseparately : As
thedifferent
*
colours
ofa picture, whentheyarewelldis-
posed,
set
off
one another,
and
receive
an
additional beauty fromtheadvantageofthe
situation. In these
phnomena,
wemay
remark
the
association bothofimpressionsand
ideas ; as wellas themutual assistance theseas
sociations
lendtoeachother.
4. Itseems tome,thatboth these species
of relation haveplace in producing Pride or
Humility., and
are
the
real,
essicient
causes
of
the
passion.
Withregard to
the
first relation, that of
ideas, there
can
be no question. Whatever
we
are
proud of, must, in somemanner, be
long
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OFTHE
PASSIONS.
137
long to us. It is always our knowledge, our
fense,
beauty,
possessions,
family,
on
which
we
value
ourselves. Self, which is the objtcl
of
the passion,
must still be
related
to that
quality
or circumstance, which causes the passion.
Theremust bea
connexion
betwixtthem; an
easy
transition
ofthe
imagination
;
or
a
facility
of
the
conception in passing from
one
tothe
other. Wherethis connexion. is wanting, no.
object
caneither
exciteprideor
humility;and
the moreyouweakesttheconnexion, themore
you
weaken
the
passion.
5.Theonlysubject ofenquiry is, whether
there
bea like
relation
ofimpressionsor
senti
ments, wherever pride
or humility is seltj
whetherthecircumstance,whichcausesthepap.
fion, producesantecedentlyasentiment similar
to the passion ;
andwhether
there beaneasy
transfusion of
the
oneinto
theother.
The
seeling,
orsentiment of pride
is agree
able ; ofhumility, painful. Anagreeable
sen
sation is,
therefore, related to the former;a
painful, to the latter. Andif wefind, after
examination,
that
every
object, which
produces
pride,
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ijj
DISSERTATIONI.
pride, produces also a
separate pleasure;
and
.
every object, that causes humility, excites in
like
manner
a separateuneasiness ; wemust al
low, inthatcase, that
the
presenttheoryis fully
proved and
ascertained. Thedouble relation
of ideas andsentimentswill be acknowledged
incontestible.
6.To
egin
withpersonal
merit
anddemerit,
the most obvious causes of these passions; it
wouldbe
entirely
foreignto ourpresentpurpose
to
examine
the
foundation
of
moral
distinc
tions. It is sussicient toobserve, that thefore
going
theory concerning the origin of
thepas
sionsmaybedesendedonanyhypothesis. The
most
probable
system,
which
hasbeenadvanced
to
explain the
difference-
betwixt
vice
and
vir
tue,
is,
that
either
fromaprimaryconstitution
ofnature, orfrom a
sense oF
publicor
private
interest,
certain characters, upontheveryview
and
contemplation, produce
uneasiness;
and
others,.
in
like
manner,
excite
pleasure.
The
uneasinessandfatisfaction, producedin thespec
tator are essential to vice andvirtue. Top
proveofacharacter, is to seel adelight uponits
appearance.
Toifapprove
ofit,
is
to besen
sible
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OFTHEPASSIONS. 1.59.
Ableofan
uneasiness. The
pain
and
pleasure,
therefore,
being,
in
a
manner,
the
primary
source
of blame or
praise,
must also be
the
causesofall their effects ; andconsequently,the
causesofprideandhumility, whicharethe un
avoidable
attendantsofthatdistinction.
But
upposing this theoryofmorals shoukl
notbereceived;. it
is
still evident,thatpainand
pleasure, if notthesourcesofmoraldistinctions,
are
at least
inseparable
fromthem. Aene
rous
and
noble
character
affords
a
satisfaction
even in thesurvey; andwhen
presented
to us,
*ho' only in a
poem
or
fable,
never fails to
charmand delight
us. On
the
other hand,
cruelty
and
treachery displease
from
their
very
nature;
noris
it possible everto
reconcile
us to
these qualities, either in. ourselves or others.
Virtue, therefore, produces always a pleasure
distinct
fromtheprideorself
satisfaction,
which
attends it : Vice,an
uneasiness
separatefrom
the
humilityorremorse.
Butahighorlowconceitofourselves
arises
not
fromthose
qualitiesalone
of
themind,which,
according tocommonsystemsof ethics, have
beendefined
parts
ofmoraldutyj
but
from
any
other,.
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ifDISSERTATIONI.
other,
which
have a connexion with pleasure
or
uneasiness.
Nothing
flatters
our
vanity
more
than
the talent
of pleasing by
our
wit, good
humour, or any other accomplishment;
and
nothing gives us a more
sensible
mortification,
than adisappointment in
any
attempt of that
kind.
No
ne
has
ever
been
able to
tell
pre
cisely, whatwit is, and to shewwhysucha
system of thoughtmust bereceived
under
that
denomination, andsuchanotherrejected. It is
by tastealonewe
can
decideconcerning
it
;
nor
are
we
possest
of
any
other
standard,
by which
wecanform ajudgmentof this nature.
Now
what
is
this tajle, from
which
true
and
false
wit
in a manner
receive
their being, and without
which nothought
can
havea title to either of
thesedenominations
? It
is
plainlynothingbut
a
sensation of
pleasure
from
truewit,
andof
dis
gust fromfalse, without ourbeing able to tell
the
reasons
of that
satisfaction
or uneasiness.
The
powerofexciting these opposite sensations
is,
therefore, the veryessenceoftrue or
false
wit; andconsequently, the
cause
ofthatvanity
or mortification, which arises fromoneor the
other.
7.
Beauty
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OF
THE
PASSIONS.
i4i
7.
Beauty
of
all
kindsgives us apeculiar
delight andfatisfaction; as deformityproduces
pain, uponwhateversubject it maybe placed,
and
whether
surveyed
in
ananimateor
inanimate
object. If
the
beauty or
defer
mity belong to
ourown
face, shape,
or person, this pleasure
or
uneasiness
is convertedinto
pride
orhumility;
as having in th{s caseall the circumstancesre
quisite to produce a persect transition, accord
ing to the
present
theory.
It
would
seem,
that
the
very
essence
of
beautyconsists in its powerof producingplea
sure.
All its effects, therefore,
must proceed
from thiscircumstance Andif beautyis so uni
verfallythe
subject
ofvanity, it is onlyfrom its
being
the
cause
of
pleasure.
Concerning all other bodily accomplish
ments, wemayobserve in general, that
what
ever in ourselves is either useful,
beautiful,
or
surprizing,
is
an
object
of
pride
;
and
the
con
trary, of humility. These qualities
agree
in
producingaseparate pleasure ; andagreeinno
thingelse.
We
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t42DISSERTATIONf.
Were vainof the surprizing adventures
whichwehavemetwith, theescapeswhichwe
havemade,
thedangers
to whichwehavebeen
exposed; as well as of oursurprising seats of
vigourand
activity. Hencetheorigin of
vul
gar
lying
; wheremen,without
any
interest,
andmerely
out
ofvanity, heapupanumberof
extraordinary events,
which
are either the
fic
tions
oftheir
brain
; or, if true, havenocon
nexion
with
themselves. Their
fruitful inven
tionsuppliesthemwithavarietyofadventures;
andwhere
that talent
is wanting,
theyappro
priate
such
as
belong
to others,
in
order
to
gra
tify their vanity: For
betwixt
that
passion,
and
the
sentiment
ofpleasure,
thereis always
a
close
connexion.
8. Buttho' pride and humility have the
qualitiesofourmindandbody, thatis, ofself,
for their natural andmoreimmediatecauses}
we
find byexperience, that
many
other
objects
produce
these
affections.
We
found
vanity
uponhouses,
gardens,
equipage,
and
otherex
ternal objects ; .as
well as uponpersonal merit
andaccomplishments.
Thib
happens
whenex
ternalobjectsacquireany particular relation to
ourselves,
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OFTHE
PASSIONS.
143
ourselves,
and
are
associated
or
connected
with
us.
A
eautiful
fish
in
the
ocean,
a
well
pro
portioned animal
in a forest, and
indeed any
thing, whichneitherbelongs nor is
related to
us, has nomanner,of influenceonourvanity;
whatever extraordinaryqualities itmaybeen
dowed with, and whatever
degree
of surprize
and admiration it maynaturally occasion. It
mustbesomewayassociated withus, in orderto
touchour
pride. It's idea must
hang,
in a
manr
ner, uponthat ofourselves
; and the
transition
from
one
to
the
othermustbeeasy
and
natural.
Men
arevainofthebeauty either of their
country,ortheir
county,
orevenof
their
parish,
Heretheideaof
beautyplainly
producesaplea
sure. Thispleasure is
related
to pride. The
objector
cause
of
this
pleasure
is,
by
the
suppor
sition, related
to sejf,
theobject
of pride.
By
this double relation ofsentimentsandideas, a
transition is
madefrom
one
to the
other.
Men
are
also
vain
of
the
temperature
of
the
climate, in whichthey
are
born; of
theserti
lityof
their
nativesoil ; of
thegoodness
ofthe
wines,
fruits,
orvictuals, producedby it ; of
the
softness or force of their
language,
with
2
other
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i44
DISSERTATION
s.
other particulars ofthatkind. These
objects
have
plainly
areserence
to
the
pleasures
of
the
senses, and are originally considered as
agree
able to the seeling, taste, or
hearing.
How
could theybecomecausesof pride,
except
by
meansofthattransition aboveexplained?
Thereare
some,
who
discovera
vanity
of
anoppositekind, andaffect to depreciatetheir
owncountry, in comparisonofthose, towhich
theyhavetravelled. Thesepersonsfind, when
they are at
home, and
surrounded with
their
countrymen,
that
the strong relation
betwixt
them
and
their
ownnation is fhar'd
with so
many,that it
is
in amannerlost tothem
whereas, that distant relation to aforeigncoun
try, which
is
formed bytheir
having
seen it,
and
lived
in
it,
is
augmented
by
their
consider
ing
howsew
havedonethefame. Forthis rea
son, they always admire
the
beauty, utility,
and
rarity of whattheyhave rnetwithabroad,
abovewhat they find at home.
Sincewe
canbevainofacountry,
climate,
orany inanimateobject, whichbearsarelation
tous ; it is nowonderwe
should
bevainof
the
qualities
of
those,
whoareconnectedwithus
i
by
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i45
by
blood
or friendship.
Accordingly
wefind,
that
any
qualities,
which,
when
belonging
to
our
self,
produce
pride,
producealso,
in a less
degree,
the
fame
asfection,
whendiscovered
in persons,
related
to us. Thebeauty,
address,
merit,
credit, and honours of their kindredare care-i
fully
displayed
by
the
proud,
and
are
consider
able
sources
of
their vanity.
Asweareproud of riches in ourselves, we
desite, in orderto
gratifyour
vanity, that every
one,
who
has
anyconnexion
with
us,
should
likewisebepossest ofthem,
and
areashamedof
such as are
mean
orpooramongourfriendsand
relations.
Ourforefathers being conceivedas
ournearest relations ; everyone
naturally
affects
tobeof agood family, and to be descended
from a longsuccession of rich and honourable
ancestors.
Those,whoboast
oftheantiquityof
their fa
milies,
are gladwhentheycanjoin this circum
stance, that
their ancestors,
formany
generations,
havebeenuinnterruptedproprietors of
the
same
portion
ofland,
and
that their familyhas never
-changedits possessions, orbeentransplantedinto
any
other
countyorprovince. It
is anadditional
H subject
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146DISSERTATIONT.
subject ofvanity,whentheycanboast, that these
possessions
havebeen
transmitted
thro'
adescent,
composed entirely of males, and thattheho
noursandfortune have
never
past thro' any se
male. Letusendeavourto
explain these
ph-
nomenafromthe
foregoingtheory.
When
any
one values himself on
the
antiquityof
his family,
the
subjects
of
his
va
nity are not merely the extent of time and
numberof ancestors (for in that respect all
mankind
are
alike)
but
these circumstances,
joined to
the riches and credit
of his
ances
tors, whichare supposed to
reflect
alustre on
himself, upon account of his connexion with
them.. Sincetherefore
the
passion depends
on
the
connexion, whatever
strengthens the con
nexion
must
also
encrease
the
paffion,
and
what
everweakens
theconnexion
must
diminishthe
passion. But it is evident, thatthesamenessof
thepossessions must
strengthen
the
relation
of
ideas,
arising frombloodandkindred,
and
con
vey
the
fancy
with
greater
facility
from
one
ge
nerationto another; from the remotest ance
stors to
their posterity, who
are boththeir
heirs
andtheirdescendants.Bythis facility, thesenti
mentis
transmitted
moreentire,
andexcites
a
greater
degree
of
pride
arid
vanity.
The
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i47
Thease is
the
famewiththetransmissionof
the
honours
and
fortune,
thro'
a
succession
of
males,
without
their passing thro' anysemale.
It is anobvious qualityofhuman
nature,
that
the
imaginationnaturallyturns to
whatever is
important and
considerable; and where two
objects
are presented,
a
small
and
a
great,
it
usually leaves the
former, and
dwells
entirely
on
thelatter.
This
is the
reason,
whychildren
commonly
bear
their fathers name, and are
esteemedto beof a
nobler
ormeaner
birth,
ac
cording
to
his family.
And tho'
the
mother
should be possest of
superior
qualities to the
father, as
often
happens,
the
generalrule pre
vails,
notwithstanding
the
exception,according
tothe
doctrine,
which
shall
be explained
after
wards. Nay,evenwhena fuperi6rityof
any
kind is so great, or
when
any otherreasons
havesuch an
effect,
as to
make
thechildren
ratherrepresentthemother's
family
than
the
fa
ther's, thegeneralrule still retains anessicacy,
. sussicient
to
weakenthe
relation,
and
makea
kind of
breach
in the line of ancestors.
The
imagination
runs
notalong
themwiththefame
facility, nor is ableto transser
the
honourand
credit of the ancestors to their posterity ofthe
same
name
and family so readily, as when
the
H
2
transition
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148DISSERTATIONl.
transition is conformable to the general rules,
and
passes
thro'
themale
line,
fromfathertoson,
orfrom
brother
to
brother.
9. Butproperty, as it gives us the fullest
power
and
authority
overany object, is there
lation,
which
has
the
greatest
influence
on
these
passions.
Everything,belonging
to avainman,is the
best that is anywhereto befound. Hishouses,
equipage,
furniture, cloaths,
horses,
hounds,
ex
cel
all
others in his conceit
;
and
it is
easyto
observe, that, from the least
advantage
inany
ofthese, hedraws a newsubject ofprideand
vanity.
Hiswine, ifyouwill
believe
him,has
a
finer
flavour
than
any
other;
his
cookery
is
moreexquisite; his table more
orderly;
his
servants more
expert;
the air, in which he
lives, morehealthful; thefoil, whichhe culti
vates, moresertile; his fruits ripenearlier, and
in
greater persection
:
Such
a thing
is
remark
ablefor
it's
novelty; such
another
for it's anti
quity: This
is the
workmanship of a
famous
artist ; that belonged
once
tosuch
a
prince
or
greatman. All objects, ina
word,
whichare
useful,
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OF
THE
PASSIONS.
149
useful, beautiful, or surprizing, or are related
to
such,
may,
by
means
of
property, give
rise
to this passion. Theseall agreein
giving
plea
sure. This alone
is
commonto
them; and
thereforemust bethequality, thatproducesthe
. passion, which
is
their commoneffect. As
every
new
instance
is
a
new
argument, and
as
theinstancesareherewithoutnumber it would
seem,
that this
theory is
sussiciently
confirmed
byexperience.
Richesimplythepowerofacquiringwhat
ever is
agreeable
; and as they comprehend
manyparticular objects of vanity, necessarily
become one of the chief causes of that
passion*
10.Ourpinions of all kindsarestrongly
affected
by
society and
sympathy,
and
it
is
al
most impossible
for
usto support anyprinciple
or sentiment, against the universal consent of
every
one,
with
whom
we
have
any
friendship
or correspondence. But of all
our
opinions,
those,
which
we
formin
ourown
favour
; how
ever lofty or presuming; are, at bottom, the
frailest,
and
the
most
easily
shakenby
the
con-
H
3
tradiction
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150
DISSERTATIONI.
tradiction
and
oppositionof others. Ourgreat
concern,
in
this
case,
makes
us
soon
alarmed,
and
keeps
our
passions upon
the
watch: Our
consciousness
of
partiality
still
makes
usdread
a
mistake: And
the very
dissiculty
ofjudgingcon
cerninganobject, which is neverset at adue
distance from us, nor is seenin aproperpoint
of view, makesus hearken anxiously to the
opinions of
others, whoare better qualified to.
fcrm just
opinions
concerning
us. Hence
that
stronglove of fame, with which all mankind
are possest. It is in order to fix and
confirm
their
favourable
opinionof
themselves,
not
from
any original passion, thattheyseektheapplauses
of others.
Andwhen
amandesires to be
praised, it is for the famereason, that a beauty
is
pleasedwith
surveying
herself in a favorable
looking-glass,
and
seeing
the
reflexion
of
her
owncharms.
Tho'
it
be
dissicult
in all points ofspecula*-
tion to distinguish acause,whichencreasesan
effect,
from
one,
which
solely
produces
it
;
yet
in the presentcase
the
phnomenaseem pretty
strong and
satisfactory
in confirmation of the
foregoingprinciple..
Wj?
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OF
THEPASSIONS. i51
Weeceiveamuchgreater
fatisfaction
from
the
approbation
of those, whomweourselves
esteem
and
approve
of,
than
of
those, whom
wecontemnanddespise.
Whenesteem is obtained after a longand
intimate
acquaintance, it gratifies ourvanityin
a
peculiar
manner.
The
susfrage
of
those, whoare
shy and-
backward in giving praise, is attendedwithan
additional
relish and
enjoyment,
if wecanob
tain
it
in
our
favour.
Wheregreat
manis
nice
in
his choice © £
favourites,
every
onecourtswith
greater
earnest
ness
bis
countenanceandprotection.
Praise
never
gives
usmuchpleasure, unless
itconcur withour
ownopinion,
and extol us
for
those
qualities, inwhichwechiefly excel.
These
phnomena
seem
to
prove,
that
the
favourable ppinions
of othersare
regarded
only as authorities, or as confirmations of our
ownopinion. Andif they havemoreinflu
ence in
this subject
than in any other,
it is
H
4 easiiy
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t-52 DISSERTATIONI.
easily accounted
for
from the
nature
of the
subject.
II.
Thus
sew objects,
however
related to
us, and
whatever pleasure
they
produce,
are
able to excitea
greatdegree
of prideor self-sa
tisfaction
; unless theybealso
obvious
to others,
and
engage the
approbationof the spectators.
Whatdisposition of mind so desirable as the
peaceful, resigned, contented
; which
readily
submits to all the dispenfations ofprovidence,
and
preserves
a constant serenity amidst thfe
greatest
misfortunes
anddifappointments? Yet
this disposition, tho' acknowledged tobeavir
tueor excellence,
is
seldomthe foundationof
great
vanityorself-applause;
havingnobrilliant
or
exterior
lustre,
and
rather
cheering
the
heart,
thananimating thebehaviour
andconverfation.
.Thecase is
the
famewith
many
other
qualities
ofthemind, body, or fortune; and this cir*
cumstance, aswell as thedouble
relations
above
mentioned,
must
be
admitted
to
be
of
conse
quencein theproductionof these passions.
Asecond
circumstance,
which
is
ofconse
quencein this affair,
is
theconstancy
and
dura
tion
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OFTHEPASSIONS. r;3
tionofthe
object.
Whatis verycasual andin
constant,
beyond
the
commoncourseofhuman
affairs, gives little joy, and less pride. We
arenotmuchsatisfied with
the
thingitself;
and
are
still less
apt
to seel
anynew
degreeof self-
satisfaction
upon
its account.
We
oresee
and
anticipate
its
change;
which
makes
us
little
satisfied
with the thing
itself
:
Weompare
it
to
ourselves,
whose
existence is
moredurable;
by whichmeans its inconstancy appears still
greater.
It seemsridiculous tomake
ourselves
the
object
of
a
passion,
on
account
of
a
quality
or
possession,
which
is
ofsomuch
shorter
dura
tion,
and attends
usduring so small a partof
ourexistence.
Athird
circumstance,
not
to
be
neglected,.
is, that the objects, in orderto
produce
pride
or
self-value,
mustbe
peculiar
to
us,
orat
least,
commonto uswitha sewothers. Theadvan
tages
of
fun.stiine,
weather,
climate, &c.
di
stinguish
us
not
from
any
of
our
companions,
and giveusnopreserenceorsuperiority.
The
comparison,
which
weareeverymomentapt to
make, presents
noinserenceto
our
advantage.;
andwestill remain,
notwithstanding
these en-
H
5
joyments,
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OFTHEPASSIONS: 155
its intrinsic worth
and
value, makesusover
look
those
calamities,
which
we
find
incident
to
every
one,
and causes
usto formanideaof
ourmeritandcharacter,
independentof
them.
Wereashamedof suchmaladiesas
affect
others,
and
are
either
dangerous
or
disagreeable
tothem. Ofthe epilepsy ; because it givesa
horror to everyone
present
:
Of
theitch ; be
cause it
is
insectious
:
Of
theking's evil ; be
cause
it
often
goes to posterity. Men al
waysconsider
the
sentiments ofothers intheir
judgment ofthemselves.
Afourthcircumstance, whichhasanin
fluence on
these
passions, is
general
rules ; by
whichweform a notionof different ranksof
men,suitable to thepowerorrichesofwhich
theyarepossest ; andthis notion is notchanged
by any
peculiarities
ofthehealthor
temper
of
the
persons,
whichmaydeprive them of
all
. enjoyment in
their possessions.
Customrea
dily
carries
us
beyond
the
just
bounds
in our
passions, as well as inourreasonings..
It
may
notbeamissto'observe onthis occa
sion,
that the
influence
of
general rules and
H
6
maxims
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i;6DISSERTATIONI.
maximson
thepassions
very
muchcontributes
to facilitate
the
effects of all
the
principles or
internal mechanism, which wehere explain.
For
it seems
evident, that, if
a
person full-
grown,
and
of
the
same naturewith
ourselves,
wereona sudden transported into our world,
he
would
bevery
much
embarrassedwithevery
object, and would not readily determine
what
degreeoflove or
hatred,
ofpride orhumility,
orofany
other
passion should be
excited
by it.
Thepassions are often varied by veryincon
siderable
principles ; and
these
do
not always
play
with
persect
regularity,
especially
on
the
the first tryal. But as customorpractice has
brought to light all these
principles,
and has
settled the
just valueof everything; this must
certainly contribute to the easy production of
the
passions,
and
guide
us,
by
means
of
general
established rules, in theproportions, which
we
ought to observe in presering one object to
another. Thisremarkmay, perhaps, serve to
obviate
dissiculties, that
mayarise
concerning
some
causes,
which
we
here
ascribe
to
particular
passions, andwhichmaybe esteemed too re
fined to
operate
so
universally
andcertainly, as
they
are
foundto do.
SECT.
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OFTHEPASSIONS. 157
SECT.II.
1.
IN
runningoverall thecauses, which
produce
the
passionof
pride
or thatofhumility;
it
would
readily
occur,
that the
fame
circum
stance,
if transserred from
ourself
to another
person, wouldrenderhim theobject of loveor
hatred, esteemorcontempt. Thevirtue, ge
nius, beauty, family,
riches,
and authorityof
othersbeget
favourable
sentiments
in
their
be
half;
andtheir
vice, folly, deformity, poverty,
and meanness excite
the
contrary sentiments.
Thedouble relation of impressions and ideas
still operatesonthese passionsofloveandhatred;
as
on
the
former
of
pride
and
humility.
What
evergives aseparatepleasureorpain, and
is
re
latedto anotherpersonorconnected withhim,
makeshimthe
object
ofouraffectionor
disgust.
Hencetoo injury orcontempt is oneofthe
greatest sourcesof
hatred
; services oresteemof
friendship.
2. Some-
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i6t
passion is seldom ornever selt without some
mixture
of
tenderness
or
friendship
;
and
envy
is naturallyaccompaniedwithanger orill-will.
Toesire thehappiness
ofanother, fromwhat
ever
motive,
is agoodpreparativeto
asfection
:
Andto delight in another's misery almostun
avoidablybegetsaversiontowardshim.
Evenwhereinterest
is
thesourceof
ourcon
cern, it is commonly
attended
with the fame
consequences.
A
artner
is
a
natural
objectof
friendship; arival ofenmity.
6.Poverty,
meanness,
difappointment,
pro
duce
contempt
and
dislike
: But
when
these
mis
fortunesareverygreat, orare representedtou$
in
very
strong
colours,
they
excite
compassion,
andtenderness,andfriendship.
How
s
this
con
tradiction to be accounted for? The
poverty
and
meanness
ofanother, in theircommonap
pearance,
gives us uneasiness, by a species of
impersect
sympathy;
and
this
uneasiness
pro
ducesaversion
ordislike,
from
the
resemblance
of sentiment. But whenweentermorein
timately
into
another'sconcerns,
andwish for
his
happiness, aswell as seel
his misery,
friend
ship
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i6jDISSERTATIONs.
ship or good-will arises, from
the
similar ten
dencyoftheinclinations.
7. Inrespect, there is a mixtureof
humility,
along
with the
esteem or
affection : Incon
tempt, amixtureofpride.
The
morouspassion is
usuallycompounded
ofcomplacencyin beauty,a
bodily
appetite, and
friendship or
affection.
Theclose relation of
these
sentiments
is veryobvious, aswell astheir
origin
from
each
other,
by
means
of
that
rela
tion. Werethereno
other
phnomenonto
reconcile as to the present theory, this alone,
methinks,
weresufficient.
SECT.
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OFTHEPASSIONS.
ifcj
SECT.
V.
1.THE
resenttheory
of
the
passions de
pends
entirely on thedouble
relations
of
senti
mentsandideas, andthemutualassistance,which
these relations
lendto each
other.
It
may
not,
therefore, be improper to illustrate these prin
ciples bysomefarther instances.
2.
The
irtues, talents,
accomplishments,
andpossessionsofothersmake
uslove
andesteem.
them
Because
theseobjects excite a pleasant
sensation, which is related
to love
; and
having
also a
relation
or
connexionwith
the
person,
this
union
of
ideas
forwards
the
unionof
senti
ments, according
to
the
foregoingreasoning.
But
suppose, that the person,whomwe
love,
is
also
related
to
us,
byblood,
country,
or
friendship;
it
is
evident,
that
a
species
of
pride
mustalso be excited by his accomplish
ments and possessions ; there
being
the fame
double relation, whichwehave
all
along inr
fisted
on. Theperson is related
to us, or
there
is
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r64DISSERTATION L
is
aneasy
transition
of
thought
from
him
tous%
and
the
sentiments, excited
by
his
advantages
and virtues, are agreeable, and consequently
related
to
pride. Accordingly we
find, that
peoplearenaturally
vainof
the good1qualities
orhighfortuneoftheir friendsandcountrymen.
3.
Butit is observable, that,
if
wereverse
theorder
of the passions, thefame
effect.
does
not
follow.
We
ass easily from love
and
af
fection
to
pride and vanity; butnot from the
latter passions
to
theformer,
tho'
all
the
rela
tions
bethefame. We
ovenot
those related
to us
onaccount
ofourown
merit
;
tho'
they
are naturally vain on
account
of our merit..
Whatis the reason of
this
difference? The
transition
ofthe
imagination
to
ourselves,
from
objectsrelated
to
us, is always
veryeasy
; both
onaccountoftherelation, whichfacilitates the
transition,
and
becausewethere pass from re
moter
objects to those
which
are
contiguous.
But
in
pasting
from
ourselves to objects,
related
tous; tho' the
former principle forwards
the
transition of thought, yetthelatter opposes
it
;
and
consequently there
is not the fame
easy
transfusion
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i6j
transfusionofpassions frompride to loveas from
loveto pride.
4.Theirtues,
services,
andfortuneofone
man
inspire us
readilywithesteem
and
afsection
for another related to him. Theson of
our
friend
is
naturally entitled to
our
friendship :
The
kindred
of a verygreat
manvaluethem
selves, andare valuedbyothers, on accountof
that relation. Theforce ofthedoublerelation
is here
fully
displayed,
5.Thefollowing are instances of another
kind,
where
the
operation
of
these principles
maytill
bediscovered.
Envyarises
froma su
periority in
others
;
but
it
is
observable,
that
it
is notthegreatdisproportionbetwixtus, which
excites that
passion,
but on
the
contrary, our
proximity.
A
reat disproportioncuts off the
relation of the ideas, and either keepsusfrom
comparingourselves
withwhat is
remote
from
us, ordiminishestheeffects ofthe
comparison.
A
poet
is
not apt
to
envya
philosopher
or
apoetofa
different kind,
ofa
different
nation,
or
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166DISSERTATIONI.
orcfa
different
age. All
these
differences,
if
they donotprevent, at leastweakenthecom
parison, andconsequently the paflion.
Thistoo is thereason,whyall objectsappear
great or little,
merely
by a comparison with
thoseofthefame
species.
Aountainneither
magnifies
nor
diminishes
a
horse
in
our
eyes:
Butwhen
a
Flemijh
anda
Welchhorse are
seen
together,
theoneappears
greater
and
theother
less,
than
whenviewed
apart.
From
he
fame
principle
wemay
account
for
thatremark of historians, that
any
party, in a
civil war, or even factious
division,
always
chooseto
call
in a foreignenemyat anyhazard
rather than
submit
to
their
sellow-citizens.
Guicciardin
applies
this
remark
to
the
wars
in
Italy
;
where
therelations
betwixt the
different
states are,
properly speaking, nothing but
of
name,
language,
and
contiguity. Yeteven
these relations,
whenjoined with superiority,
bymakingthecomparisonmorenatural, make
it
likewise more
grievous,
and
causemen
to
search for some other superiority, which
may
be
attended
with no
relation,
and by that
means,mayhavea less sensible influenceonthe
imagination.
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OF
THE
PASSIONS.
i67
imagination. Whenwe
cannot
breakthe
asib-
-ciation,
we
seel a strongerdesire to
remove
the
superiority. Thisseems to bethe reason, why
travellers,
tho'commonly
lavish
oftheir
praises
to
the
Chineseand
Persians,
takecareto
depre
ciate those neighbouring nations,
which
may
standupona
footing
of rivalship with
their
na
tive country.
6.Theine arts afford us parallel
instances.
Should
an authorcomposea
treatise,
ofwhich
one
part
was
serious
and
profound,another
light
and
humourous
;
every
onewouldcondemnso
strangea mixture,
and
would blamehimfor
the
neglect
of
all rules
ofart
and
criticism.
Yet
we
accuse not
Prior
for joining his Alma
and
Solomon
in
the
fame
volume;
tho' that
amiable
poet
has
succeededpersectly in the
gaiety
of
the
one,
as
well
as in
the melancholyoftheother.
Evensupposethereadershouldperusethese
two
compositions
without
any
interval,
he
would
seel
little
or
no
dissiculty
in
the
change
of
the
passions; Why but because he
considers
these performances as entirely different; and
bythat breakin the ideas, breaks
the
progress
of
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i68DISSERTATIONI,
oftheaffections, andhinders theone from
in
fluencingorcontradictingthe other.
Anheroic
and
burlesque
-design,
unitedin
one
picture, would be monstrous; tho' weplace
two
pictures of so opposite a
character
in the
semechamber,
and
even close together, with-
out
any
scruple.
7.
Itneedsbenomatterof
wonder,that
the
easy -transition of the imaginationshould
have
such
an
influence
on
all
the
passions.
It
is
this
very circumstance,
which forms
all the rela
tions and connexions amongst objects.
We
knowno real connexion betwixt one thing
andanother.
We
know
only,
that theidea of
one
thing
is
associated
with
that
of
another,
and
thatthe imagination
makes
aneasy transition
betwixt
them.
And
as
the
easy
transition
of
ideas,and that of
sentimentsmutually
assist each
other; wemight beforehand expect, that
this
principle
must have
a mighty
influence on
all
our internal movementsand affections. And
experiencesufficientlyconfirmsthetheory.
For
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ijoDISSERTATIONL
SECT..
i.ITseemsevident, that reason, ina
strict
sense,
as meaning
the judgment
of
truth and
falstiood,
cannever, ofitself, beanymotive
to
the
will, andcan
havenoinfluencebutfo
far
as
it
touches some passion
or affection. Aljiratl
relations of
ideas
are
the
objectofcuriosity, not
of
volition.
And
matters
offall
where
they
are
neither
good norevil, where theyneither
excite
desire
nor
aversion,
are
totally
indiffer
ent;
and whetherknown
orunknown,
whe
thermistaken or
rightly apprehended, cannot
beregardedas anymotiveto action.
a.
Whats
commonly,ina
popular
sense,
called reason,
and is
so
much
recommended
in
moraldiscourses, is
nothing
but
a
generaland
a
calm passion, whichtakesacomprehensiveand
distant
view
of
its
object,
and
actuates
the
will,
without
exciting
any
sensibleemotion.Aan,
we
say, is diligentmis prosession from rea
son; that
is,
froma calmdesire ofriches and
a
fortune.
A
manadheres
tojusticefrom
reason
;
that
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OF
THEPASSIONS.
171
that
is,
fromacalm
regard
toacharacterwith
himself
andothers.
3.
The
fame objects, whichrecommend
themselves to
reason
in this sense of
theword,
are
also the objects of what
we
call
passion,
whenthey arc broughtnearto us, and
acquire
some
other
advantages, either ofexternalsitua
tion, orcongruitytoourinternal temper; and
• by that means, excite a turbulent
and
sensible
emotion. Evil, at a greatdistance,
is
avoided,
we
fay,
from
reason
:
Evil,
near
at
hand,
pro
duces aversion, horror, fear, and is theobject
0/passion.
4.The
common
error
of
metaphysicianshas
lain in ascribing
thedirection
of
the
will
entirely
to one of these principles, and supposing the
other
to have no
influence. Menoftenact
knowinglyagainst
their interest :
It
is notthere
fore
the
view
of
the
greatest
possible
good
which
always
influencesthem. Men
oftencounteract
aviolent passion, in
prosecution
of
their distant
interests
and
designs
: It
is nottherefore the
pre
sent uneasiness
alone,
whichdeterminesthem.
I 2 In
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i-z
DISSERTATION
s.
Ingeneral, wemayobserve, that both these
principles
operate
on
the
will
;
and
where
they
are
contrary,
that
either
of them prevails, ac
cording
to
the
generalcharacterorpresent
dispo
sition ofthe person. Whatwecallstrength of
mindimpliestheprevalenceofthecalmpassions
abovetheviolent ; tho' wemayeasily observe,
that there
is no person
so
constantly poflest
of
this
virtue,
as
never, on
anyoccasion, toyield
tothe sollicitation ofviolent asfections arid de
sires. Fromthese variationsoftemperproceeds
thegreatdissicultyofdecidingconcerningthefu
tureactions
and
resolutions
of
men,
where
there
is anycontrarietyofmotivesand passions.
SECT.
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i73
SECT.I.
1.WEhall here
enumerate
someofthese
circumstances, whichrender
a passion calmdr
violent,, whichheightenor
diminish
anyemo
tion.
It
is
a
property
in
human
nature, that any
emotion, whichattendsa passion, is easilycon
verted
into it; tho' in their natures they be
originally different from, andevencontraryto
eachother.
It is
true, in orderto causea per
sect
union
amongst
passions, and make- one
produce the other, there
is
alwaysrequireda
doublerelation, according to the theory above
delivered.
But
when
two
passions
are
already
produced
by their separatecauses, and
are
both
present
in
the mind, they readily mingle
and
unite; tho' they havebut one relation, and
sometimeswithoutany.
The
predominantpas
sion
swallows
up
the
inserior,
and
converts
it
into
itself.
The
spirits,
whenonce excited,
easily receivea
change
in their direction ; and
it is natural to
imagine,
that this change will
comefromtheprevailing affection. Thecon-
I
3
nexion
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174DISSERTATIONI.
.
nexionis inmanycases closer betwixtanytwo
passions,
than
betwixt
any
passion
and
indif
ference.
When
a
person is onceheartily
in
love,
the
little faults and caprices of
his
mistress, the
jealousies
and
quarrels,
to
which
that
commerce
is
so
subject ; howeverunpleasant
they
be, and
rather
connected
with
anger
and hatred; are
yet
found, in
manyinstances,
togive
additional
force
to
theprevailing
passion.
It is
acommon
artifice of
politicians,
whenthey wouldaffect
any
person very
much
by a
matter
of
fact,
of
which
theyintendto
inform
him,
first
to excite
his
curiosity; delayas long as possible the satis
fying it;
and
bythat meansraise his
anxiety
and impatience
to
theutmost, beforethey
give
him
afull
insight
into thebusiness. They
know,
that his curiosity will precipitate himinto the
passion,
which
they
purpose
to raise,
and
will
assist
the
object
in its influence on themind.
A
oldier,
advancing
to
battle, is naturally
in
spired
with
courage
and
confidence,when
he
thinks
on
his friends andsellow-soldiers;
and
is
struck
withsear andterror,
when
hereflects on
theenemy. Whatever
new
emotion,therefore,
proceeds from
the former naturally encreases
the
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OFTHEPASSIONS. 175
(hecourage; as thefameemotion proceeding
from
the
latter,
augments
the
sear.
Hencein
martial discipline, the
uniformity
and lustre of
habit, the regularity of
figures and motions,
with
all
thepompandmajestyofwar, encou
rage
ourselves and
our
allies
;
while
the
fame
objectsin the
enemy
strike terror into us, tho'
agreeableandbeautiful inthemselves.
Hopeis, in itself, anagreeablepassion, and
allied
to
friendship and benevolence;
yet
is it
ablesometimes to blowupanger,
when
that is
the
predominant
passion.
Spaaddita
suscitat
has.
Virg.
2. Since
passions, however
independent,
are
naturally
transfusedinto
each
other,
if
they
arebothpresent at
the
sametime
; it
follows,
that
when
goodorevil
is
placedin sucha
situa
tion as tocause
any
particularemotion, besides
its
direct passionofdesire
or
aversion,
that
latter
passion
must
acquirenew
force
and
violence.
i . >
5.
This often happens, when
any
object
excites contrarypassions. For
it is
observable,
I
4
that
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i76DISSERTATIONI.
thatan oppositionof passions commonlycauses
a
new
emotionin thespiritsandproducesmore
disorder thanthe
concurrence
ofany
twoaffec
tions of equal force. This new
emotion
is
easily converted into
the
predominant passion,
and in
manyinstances, is
observedto
encrease
itsviolence,beyondthe
pitch,
at
which
it would
have
arrived,
had
it
met
with
no
opposition.
Hence
wenaturally desire
what is forbid, and
often take a pleasure in performing actions,
merelybecausethey
areunlawful. Thenotion
ofduty, when
opposite
to
the
passions,
is not
always
able
to
overcome
them
;
and
when
it
fails of that influence,
is apt rather
to
encrease
and
irritate them, by
producing
anopposition
in ourmotives
andprinciples.
4. Thefame
effect follows, whether
the
opposition
arises from internal
motives
orex
ternal
obstacles. The
passion commonlyac
quires new
force
in bothcases. Theefforts,
which
the
mind
makesto
surmount
the
obstacle,
excitethespirits, and
enliventhe
passion.
5. Un-
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i78
DISSERTATION
I.
compleattheidea, rouzesthespirits, andgives
anadditionalforce
to
thepassion.
7. As despair and security, tho' contrary,
producethesameeffects ; so absence is observed
to have contrary effects,
and
in different cir
cumstances,
either
encreases
ordiminishes
our
affection. Rochefoucaulthas
verywell
remarked,
that absence destroys weakpassions, but
en-
creasesstrong
; asthewindextinguishesa
candle,
but blows upa fire.
Long
absencenaturally
weakens
our
idea,
and
diminishes
the
passion
:
Butwherethe passion is so strong
and
lively as
to support itself,
the
uneasiness,
arising from
absence, encreases
the
passion, and
givesit new
forceandinfluence.
8.Whenthe soul
applies itself
totheper
formance of
any
action, or theconceptionof
any object,
to
which it is
not
accustomed,
there is a certain unpliablenessinthe
faculties,
and
a dissiculty of
the
spirits movingin their
new
direction. Asthis dissiculty
excites the
spirits,
it
is thesourceof
wonder,
surprize, and
ef all theemotions, whicharise fromnovelty;
and
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OFTHEPASSIONS.
i79
and is in
itself
veryagreeable, like
everything,
whichinlivens themindto a moderatedegree.
But tho'
surprise
beagreeablein itself, yet as it
puts the spirits in
agitation,
it
not
only aug
ments
our
agreeable
affections, but also out
painful,
according
to
the foregoing
principle.
Hence
every
thing,
that is new, is most affect
ing,
and
gives
us either
more
pleasure
or
pain,
thanwhat,
strictly
speaking,shouldnaturallyfol
low from it. When
it
often
returns
uponus,
the
novelty
wearsoff;
thepassions
subside ;
the
hurry
of
the spirits is over; and
we
surveythe
object
with
greater
tranquillity,
9.The
imagination and affections
have a
close
union together. The
vivacity
of
the
former,
gives forceto
the
latter.
Hence
the
prospect of
any
pleasure, with
which
weare
acquainted, affects usmorethan
any
otherplea
sure, whichwemayownsuperior, butofwhose
naturewearewhollyignorant.
Ofthe
one
we
can form a particular and determinate idea:
The
other,
weconceiveunderthegeneralno
tionofpleasure. . . -
I6 Anv
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I80DISSERTATIONI.
.
Anyfatisfaction, which
we
lately enjoyed,
and of
which the
memory
s fresh
and
recent,
operates
on
the
will
with
more
violence,
than
anotherof
which
the
traces
aredecayedandal
most obliterated.
Apleasure,which is suitable to theway
of
lise,
in
which
we
are
engaged,
excites
more
ourdesires andappetites than another,
which
is
foreignto
it.
Nothing is more
capable
ofinfusing any
passion
into
the
mind,
than
eloquence,
by
which
objectsarerepresented
in
thestrongest
and
most
lively
colours. Thebare opinion of another,
especially when
inforced
with
passion, will
cause an idea to have an influence uponus,
tho' that idea might otherwise havebeenen
tirely neglected.
It
is remarkable, that lively
passionscom
monlyattend a
lively imagination.
In this
respect,
a* well as others, theforceof
the
pas
sion depends as muchon ihe
temper
of the
person, as on
the
nature or
situation
of the
object,
6 i
What
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OFTHEPASSIONS. i Si
Whats distant,
either
in placeor time,
has
notequal
influence
withwhatis near
and
contiguous.
**
*
»
*
*
*
#
*
I
pretend
nothereto have
exhausted
this
subject.
It
is
sussicient for
my
purpose,
if
I
have
madet appear, that, in theproductionandcon
duct of
the
passions, thereis a certain
regular
mechanism, whichis susceptible of as accurate
a disquisition, as the laws of motion, optics,
hydrostatics,
or
any
part
of
naturalphilosophy.
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DISSERTATIONIL
O
F
TR GEDY
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DISSERTATION
I.
Of
'Tragedy.
IT
eems
an unaccountable pleasure, which
the spectators of awell-wrote tragedy re
ceive from
sorrow,
terror,
anxiety,
andother
passions, whichare
in themselves disagreeable
and uneasy. Themorethey are touched and
affected,
the
more
aretheydelighted
with
the
spectacle, and as soon as the uneasy passions
ceaseto operate, thepiece is at anend. One
scene
of
full joyand
contentment
and
security
is theutmost, that anycompositionofthiskind
can
bear
;
and
it is
sure
always
to
be
the
conclud
ing
cne. If in
thetexture
ofthe
piece, therebe
interwovenany scenes of satisfaction, theyaf
fordonly
faint
gleams of pleasure, which are
thrownin bywayof variety, and in order to
plunge
the
actors
into
deeper
distress,
by
means
of that contrast and
disappointment. The
wholeart of the poet is employed, in rouzing
andsupporting
the
compassionand indignation,
the
anxiety
and resentment of his audience.
They
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OFTRAGEDY. 187
It
is impossiblenot
to
admit
this
account, as
being,
at
least,
in
part
satisfactory.
You
may
observe,
whenthereare several
tables ofgam
ing, that
all thecompanyrun
to
those, where
thedeepestplay is, eventho' they find
not
there
thefinest players. Theview, or
at least,
ima
gination
of
high
passions,
arising
from
great
loss
or
gain,
affects
the
spectators by
sympathy,'
gives
themsome touchesofthefamepassions,
andservesthemfora
momentaryentertainment.
It makesthetimepasstheeasierwiththem,and
is some relief
to that
oppression, underwhich.
mencommonlylabour, when
left
entirely to
theirownthoughtsandmeditations.
Weind,
that
common
lyars
alwaysmagnify,
in their narrations,
all
kinds of
danger, pain,
distress, sickness,
deaths, murders, and
cruel
ties ; as well as joy, beauty,
mirth,
andmag
nificence.
It
is an absurd secret, which they
havefor pleasingtheircompany, fixing their at
tention, and
attachingthemtosuchmarvellous
relations,
by
the
passions
and
emotions,
which
they
excite.
There
s,however,a
dissiculty
ofapplyingto
thepresent
subject, in
its
full
extent,
this so
lution,.
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1 88
DISSERTATION
II.
lution, however ingenious and fatisfactory it
may
appear.
It
is
certain,
that
the
fame
object
of distress
which pleases
in a
tragedy,
were
it
really set beforeus, would give the most un
feigned
uneasiness,
tho'
it
bethen
the
most ef
fectual cureof languor and indolence. Mon
sieur Fcntenelle
seems
to have been sensible of
this difficulty ; andaccordinglyattemptsanother
solution
of
the
phnomenon
at least, makes
someaddition
to
thetheoryaboveinentioned
a.
Pleasureand
pain,
fays
he,
« « whichare
two
sentiments'
so
different
in
themselves,
differ
not somuchin their
cause.
From
the
instance
of tickling,
it
appears, that the
movement
ofpleasurepushed a little
too
far,
becomespain; andthatthemovementofpain,
a
little
moderated,
becomes
pleasure.
Hence
it proceeds,
that there
is such
a
thingasasor-
row,softandagreeable: It is apainweakened
anddiminished. Theheartlikes naturallyto
bemovedandaffected. Melancholyobjects
usuit it, and even difastrous and sorrowful,
»
provided
theyare
softened
by some
circum-
stance. It is certain, thatonthetheatrethe
representation
hasalmostthe
effect
of
reality;
*
Reflexions fur
la poetique. §
$6.
«
but
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OFTRAGEDY. i89
** but
yet is has not altogether
that esfect.
Howeverwemaybe hurriedawaybythe
spectacle ;
whateverdominionthe
senses
and
imagination
mayusurpover
thereason, there
still lurks
at
the
bottom a
certain
idea of
falshoodin thewholeofwhatwefee. This
idea,
tho' weakanddisguised,
suffices
to
di-
ministi
the pain
which
we
suffer
from
the
misfortunes
ofthosewhom
we
love,
and
to
reducethat affliction to sucha pitch ascon-
verts it into a
pleasure.
Weweep for the
misfortune
of a hero, to
whom
we
are
at-
tached
:
In
the
fame
instant
we
comfort
our-
selves, by reflecting, that it is nothingbuta
fiction : Andit is precisely, that mixtureof
sentiments, which composes an agreeable
sorrow, andtears that delight us. But as
that
affliction,
which
is
caused
by
exterior
andsensible objects, is strongerthanthecon-
* solation, which arises from an internal re-
flection, theyare the effects and symptoms
* of
sorrow,
which ought to prevail in
the
** composition.
This
solution
seems
just
and convincing;
butperhaps itwants still somenewaddition, in
order
tomake
it answerfully thephnomenon,
1 which
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OFTRAGEDY. 191
melancholy scene is
represented. The
genius
requiredto paint objects inalivelymanner,the
art employed in collecting
all
thepathetic cir
cumstances, the
judgmentdisplayed
jn
disposing
them the exercise, I say, of these noble ta
lents,
along with
theforce
of expression,
and
beautyof
oratorial numbers,
diffuse
the
highest
satisfactionontheaudience,
and
excite
the
most
delightful movements. Bythis
means,
theun
easiness
ofthe
melancholy
passions
is
not only
overpoweredandeffaced bysomething stronger
ofan
opposite
kind; but
the
whole
movement
of
those
passions
is
converted
into
pleasure,
and
swells the delight, which the eloquence raises
in us. Thefameforce of
oratory,
employedon
anuninterestingsubject, would not please half
so
much,orratherwouldappearaltogetherri
diculous
;
and
the
mind,
being
left
in
absolute
calmnessandindifference,
would
relish none
of
those beauties of imagination or
expression,
which,
if
joinedto passion, give it suchexqui
site entertainment. The
impulse
orvehemence,
arising
from
sorrow, compassion,
indignation,
receivesa
new
directionfromthesentimentsof
beauty. The
latter,
being
the predominant
emotions,
seize thewholemind, and convert
theformer
into
themselves,ar
at least,
tincture
j. them
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igz
DISSERTATION
II.
themso
strongly
as totally to alter their
nature
:
Andthesoul, being, at the fametime, rouzed
bypassion, andcharmedbyeloquence, seelson
thewhole,
a
strong
movement, which
is
alto
getherdelightful.
Thefameprinciple takes
place
in tragedy
;
along
with
this
addition, that
tragedy
is
an
imitation, and imitation is always of itself
agreeable. This
circumstanceserves still farther
to smooththe
motions
of
passion, andconvertthe
wholeseeling into oneuniform and
strong
en
joyment.
Objects
of
the
greatest
terror
and
distress please in painting, andpleasemorethan
the
most
beautiful
objects, that appearcalmand
indisferent
. The
affection, rouzing
the
mind,
excites
a
large
stockof
spirit
and vehemence
;
which
is
all
transformed
into
pleasure
by
the
force
of
the
prevailing
movement.
It is thus
» Paintersmakeno scruple ofrepresenting distress
and
sorrow
as well as any other
passion : But
they
seem not to dwell so
muchon these melancholy affections
as
the poets, who, the'
they copyevery
emotion
of
the
human
breast,
yet
pass
very
quickly over
the
agreeable
sentiments.
A
painter
represents
only one
instant
; and if that be passionate
enough, it
i s sure to
affect and
delight the spectator
: Eut nothing can
furnish to the
poet a variety of
scenes
and incidents and sentiments, except
distress, terror,
or anxiety. Compleat
joy
and
fatisfaction i s
attended with
security, and
leaves no farther room for action.
the
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OFTRAGEDY, 193
the fiction oftragedy softens the
passion,
byan
infusion
of
a
new
seeling,
not
merely
by
weaken
ing or diminishing the
sorrow.
Youmayby
degrees
weaken
a real
sorrow, till i t ' totally dis
appears ; yetin noneofits gradationswill it ever
give
pleasure
;
except,perhaps,
byaccident, to
a
man
funk
under
lethargic
indolence,
whom
t
rouzes fromthat languid
state.
Toconfirm
this
theory, it
will be
sussi
cient to
produce
other instances,
where
the
subordinatemovement
is
converted
into
the
pre
dominant,
andgivesforce to it, tho' of a dif
serent,
andevensometimes tho' of a
contrary
nature.
Novelty
naturally
excites
the
mind
and
attracts our attention; and
the movements,
which it Causes, arealways
converted into
any
passion, belonging to the object, and join
their
force to it. Whetheran eventexcites
joy
or
sorrow,
prideorshame, angerorgood
will, it
is
sure
to produceastrongeraffection,
when
newand unusual. Andtho' novelty,of
itself, beagreeable, it
enforces
the painful, as
well as agreeablepassions.
K
Had
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DISSERTATIONII.
Had
you
any intention
to
move
a
person
extremelyby the narration
of
any event, the
best
method
of encreasing its
effect
wouldbe
artfully to
delay
informing him of. it, and
first
excite
his
curiosity and
impatiencebefore
you
let
himinto the secret. This is the artifice,
practiced
by
Jago
in
the
famous
scene
of
Shakespeare; and
every
spectator is sensible,
that Othello's jealousyacquiresadditionalforce
from
his
preceding
impatience,
and that
the
subordinate passion is here readily transformed
into
the
predominant.
Difficulties encrease
passions
of every
kind;
and
byrouzing
ourattention, and
excit
ing our active
powers,
they. produce anemo
tion,
which
nourishes
the
prevailing
affection.
Parentscommonly
love that child most,
whose sickly infirm frame of body
has
occa
sionedthem
the
greatest
pains, trouble,
andan
xiety
in rearinghim. Theagreeable
sentiment
ofaffection hereacquiresforcefromsentiments
ofuneasiness.
Nothing
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OF
TRAGEDY. i95
Nothing
endears so much a
friend
as
sorrowfor his
death. The
pleasure ofhis
com
pany
hasnot so powerfulaninfluence.
Jealousy
is
a painful passion, yetwithout
someshareof it, theagreeableasfection oflove
hasdissiculty to subsist in its full force andvio
lence.
Absence
is
also
a
great
source
of
complaint
amongstlovers,
and
givesthemthe greatestun- -
easiness : Yet
nothing
is
morefavorableto
their
mutual passionthanshort
intervals
ofthat kind.
And
if longintervals be
pernicious,
it
is
onlybe
cause,
thro'
time,
men
arc
accustomed
to
them,
and
theycease
to give
uneasiness. Jealousyand
absence
in
lovecomposethedolce
piccante
ofthe
Italians, which
they suppose so essential to all
pleasure.
Theres a fine observation of theelder
Pliny, which illustrates the principle here in
sisted on.
It is very remarkable, fays he, that
the lajiworksofcelebrated artists, whichthey left
imperfect, are always the most prized, such as
the Iris
of
Aristides,
the Tyndarides of
Nico-
machus,
the
MedeaofTimomachus,and the
Venusof Apelles. Thesearevaluedevenabove
theirfinijhed productions :
Thebroken lineaments
K2 of
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OFTRAGEDY.
i97
anceofa real
object,
it maybepainful ; yet is
so
smoothed,andsoftened, andmollified, when
raised bythe
finer
arts, that
it
affords the
highest
entertainment.
Toonfirmthis
reasoning,
wemayobserve,
that
if themovementsof
theimagination
be
not
predominant
abovethose
of the
passion,
acon
trary
effect
follows;
and
the
former,being
now
subordinate, is
converted
into
the
latter, nd
still farther encreasesthe painand
affliction
of
the susferer.
Who
ould
everthink
of
it
as
a
good
expe
dient for comforting
anafflicted parent, toex
aggerate, withall the forceoforatory,the ir
reparable loss, which he hasmetwithby the
death
ofa favorite child
?
The
morepower
of
imagination
and
expression
you
here
employ,
the
moreyouencreaschis despair
andaffliction.
Thehame, confusion, and terror of Ver-
rest nodoubt, rose in proportionto thenoble
eloquence and vehemence of Cicero ; So also
did
his painanduneasiness. These
former
pas
sions were too strong for the pleasurearising
from the
beauties
of
elocution
; andoperated,
K tbo'
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198
DISSERTATION
II.
tho' fromthesameprinciple, yetin acontrary
manner, to
the sympathy,
compassion,
and
indignation
of
the
audience.
Lord
Clarendon,
whenhe approaches the
catastropheof
the
royal
party,
supposes, that
his
narrationmust thenbecomeinfinitely disagree
ablei and he
hurries
over the King's
death,
without givingusone circumstanceofit.
He
considers it
as
too horrid
a scene to
becon
templatedwithanysatisfaction, oreven with
out
theutmost
pain
and aversion.
He
himself,
aswellas the
readers
ofthatage,were
too
deeply
interested
in
the
events,
and
selt
a
pain
from
subjects, which
an
historian
anda
reader
ofan
other age would regard
as
the most pathetic
andmost
interesting, and
byconsequence,
the
most agreeable.
An
action, representedin tragedy,
may
be
too
bloodyand
atrocious.
It
may
excite such
movementsof horror as will not softeft into
pleasure ;
and
thegreatest energyof
expression
bestowed
on
descriptions
of
that
nature
serves
only
to augment
ouruneasiness. Such is that
actionrepresented in the ambitious Stepmother,
whereavenerabk old man, raised to the
height
of
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tooDISSERTATION
II.
Ovid,
whose
fictions,
tho'
passionateandagree
able, arescarcenaturalor probableenoughfor
painting.
The
sameinversionofthat principle, which
is
here
insisted on,displays
itselfincommon
life,
as in the effects oforatory
and
poetry. Raiseso
the subordinate passion
that
it becomes
the
predominant, it swallows up that affection,
which it beforenourishedand
encreased.
Too
muchjealousy
extinguishes
love:Toomuch
difficulty renders
us
indifferent :
Too
much
sickness
and
infirnfity disgusts
a
selfish and
un
kindparent.
Wh
t
sodisagreeableas the
dismal,
gloomy,
disastrous stories, withwhichmelancholypeople
entertain
their
companions?Theuneasy
passion,
being there raised alone, unaccompaniedwith
any
spirit,
genius,
or
eloquence,
conveys
a
pure
uneasiness, and
is
attendedwithnothingthatcan
soften it into pleasure or
satisfaction.
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DISSERTATION
V.
O
F
TH
E
STANDARDF
TASTE.
L
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Vf
-/
O
I
T
t
a
3
e.
Id
1 ' . 1 -) - - . T- . j -.w; 2:3 JH
-L- .'.. -j
v s. iu;
twiUJ
oj
Joneuoivc'j
3 y.i ' ' .-..ram
f'om
Al
)o
nol-l
.doijami
- > ....>';- riOT>I* jf- j(;tm5ioi
aiste3r
. - . . ; . - .
'd
f.joji :ijs)j 'in -s..
.
.
/
' . >
.
iy
>
: i
-.
i
-j.-_.
I '
-
. -
« ' .-.
' .
.r ' i. .
. ;
. . j
odw
o*os,.
i
» .--?.
. *
v-
i I
j ; ; Mc'jjiii
InsJlib
. -
. '
- r-'-lnqiui
. ' . r -b I'JV.-
j . . i » -
i
.. j .
iisnojji
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206 DISS E
R
T.
AT
IONIV.
general precepts,wherehedelivers any such,
will neverbecontroverted; but
it
is veryob
vious, thatwhenhedraws
particular
picturesof
manners,
and
represents heroism inAchilhsand
prudencein Ulyjsts heintermixesa
muchgreater
degreeofserocity
in
theformer, andofcunning
andfraudin thelatter,thanFtnelonwouldadmit
of.
The
sageUlyjfes in
trje
Greek
poet
seems
to
delight in
lies
and
fictions, and
ofttn employs
them
withoutany necessity
oreven advantage:
But his morescrupulous sonin theFrenchepic
writer
exposes himself to themost
imminent
perils,
rather
than
depart
from
the
exactest
line
of
truth
and
veracity.
Theadmirersandfollowersof theAlcoran
insist
very
much
onthe
excellent
moralprecepts,
which
are
interspersed
throughout
that
wild
per
formance. But it is to be supposed, that the
Arabicwords, whichcorrespondtotheEnglijb,
equity,justice, temperance, meekness, charity,
weresuch
as,
from
the constant use
of that
tongue,
must
always
be
taken
in
a
good
sense
;
andit wouldhavearguedthegreatest ignorance,
notofmorals,
but
of
language,
to havemen
tionedthem withanyepithets, besides thoseof
applauseandapprobation.
But
wouldweknow,
whether
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OFTHESTANDARD
OFTASTE.
tt>j
whetherthe pretended prophet had really at
tained
a
just
sentiment
of
morals
?
Let
usattend
i8hJs'narration; andweshall soonfind, that he
bestows praiseonsuchinstancesoftreachery,in-
huinw&ity, cruelty, revenge, bigotry, as are
Utterly incompatiblewithcivilized society. No
steddyruleofright
seems
theretobe
attended
to ;
andeveryactionis blamedorpraised, so
far
only
as ifcis beneficial or
hurtful
to
the
truebelievers.
. 3gi n '- :vj i k- -;',. . ; - - ; - . J
...,;/. .:;:-
i
'iTHE
merit
of
delivering
true
general
precepts
inethics
is
indeedverysmall. Whoever
recom
mendsanymoral virtues, really does
no
more
than is
implied
in theterms themselves. The
people,
whoinvented the word modesty, and
used
it
in a
good
sense,
inculcated
moreclearly
andmuchmoreessicaciously, theprecept,bemo
de/},
than
any
pretended
legislator
or
prophet,
whoshould
insert
suchamaximin his
writings.
Ofall expressions,
those,
which, togetherwith
their other meaning, implya degree either of
blame
or
approbation,
are theleast
liable
to be
perverted
or
mistaken.
.
.
. .
*
.
-
.
'
.'
-
It is verynatural for usto seek .Standard, of
Taste;a
rule,
by whichthe various sentiments
ofmenmaybe reconciled;or at least* a-de-
L4
cision
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208
DTS~S
ERTATTOHV.
cfsion
afforded, confirming onesentiment,
and
condemninganother. : „ • • • • : . > - .u. ^.{*
<'..i ' . . < • ; } J . j .
ca
'i.j.jisq jni/n
Theres a speciesof
philosophy,
whichcuts
offall hopesofsuccess in fochanattempt,
and
represents
the
impossibilityof
everattainingany.
standardoftaste. Thedifference, it is
said,
is
verywidebetweenjudgment
and
sentiment. All
sentiment
is
right ; becausesentimenthasare
ferenceto nothing beyond itself, and is always
real,
wherever
a
man
is consciousofit, Buta.'l
determinations
of
the understanding
are not
right
;
because
they
have
a reserenceto
some
thing
beyondthemselves,
to wit, real matterof
fact ; and arenot alwaysconformable to that
standard. Among
a
thousanddifferentopinions
Whichdifferent
menmay
entertain ofthefame
subject,
there
is
one,
and
but
one,
that
is
just
andtrue; andtheonly
dissiculty
is to fix and
ascertain
it.
Onthecontrary,athousanddiffe
rent
sentiments, excited
by
the
fameobject,
are
all right :
Because
no
sentiment
representsWhat
is
really in
the
object.
It
only
marks
a
certain
conformityor relation betwixt the object and
theorgansorfacultiesof themind;
and
if that
Conformity didnot really exist, the sentiment
couldnever
poffibfy
havea
being. ' BeMatyWno
1
'
quality
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OF
THE
STANDARDOFTASTE-
aoo
quality
in
thingsthemselves
: It
existsmerely
in
the
mind
which
contemplates
them
;
and
each-
mindperceivesa different
beauty.
Oneperson
mayeven
perceive
deformity,where
anotheris
sensible of
beauty; and
every
individualought
toacquiescein his
own
sentiment, withoutpre
tendingto regulatethose of others. Toseek
thereal beauty, or real deformity is as fruitless
an
enquiry,
as to pretendto alcertain
the
real
sweet
or real
bitter. According
to
thedisposition
of
the
organs,
the
fame
object
maybebothsweet
and
bitter ;
and
theproverb has justly deter
mined
it
to
be
fruitless
to
dispute
concerning
tastes. It is verynatural, and even quitene
cessary, to extendthis
axiom
to
mental,
as well
asbodilytaste ; andthuscommonsense, which
isso often atvariancewithphilosophy,especially
with
the
sceptical
kind,
is
found,
in
one
instance
at
least,
toagreein pronouncingthe
farne
de
cision
. j .
- .: . : - .
Butthough this axiom, by passing into a
proverb,
seems
to
have
attained
the
fanction
of
commonsense ;
there
is certainly aspecies of
commonsense which
opposes
it,
oratleast serves
to modify and restrain it. Whoeverwould
afleitanequalityofgeniusand
elegance
betwixt
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2io
D
I S S
E
R
TA
T
O
IV. .
Ogilby and Milton, or Bunyan and Addisony
would
be
thought
to
desend
no
kss
an
extrava
gance, than
if
he
had'maintained
amolehill to
beas htghas
Teneriffe,
or a pond as extensive
as theocean.
Though
there
may
be
found
per
sons,
whogive
thepreference
totheformerau
thors
;
no
one
pays
attention
to
such a
taste
;
andwe
pronouncewithout
scruplethe
sentiment
bf'these
pretended
critics to beabsurd
aHS
ridN
culous. Theprinciple of thenatural equality
oftastes is then
totally
forgot;
and
while
we
ad
mit
of
it onsomeoccasions,
where
the objects
seemnearanequality, it
appears
anextravagant
paradox, or ratherapalpable
absurdity,
where
objectsso
disproportioned
arecomparedtogether.
:.*....'.. .. i . .
, i . i
It
is
evident, that noneofthe rules ofcom
position
are
fixed
by
reasonings
a
priori,
or
can
beesteemed abstract conclusionsof the
under
standing, from comparing thosehabitudes and
relations of ideas, which are eternal and im
mutable.
Theirfoundation is the fame
with
that
of
all
the
practical
sciences,
experience
;
nor
aretheyany
thing
but
generalobservations,
concerningwhat hasbeen universally found to
pleaseinall countriesandin all ages. Manyof
the
beauties
ofpoetry
and
even of eloquence
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OFTHESTANDARDOF
TASTE, zi
i
arefoundedon
falshoodandfiction, on
hyper
boles, metaphors, andanabuseorperversionof
expressions from their natural meaning. To
checkthesallies ofthe
imagination,
andto re
duce
every
expression
to
geometrical truthand
exactness,wouldbethemostcontraryto thelaws
ofcriticism
; becauseit
would
produce
a work,
which,
by
universal
experience
has
been
found
the most insipid
and
disagreeable. Butthough
poetry
cannever
submit
to exact truth,
it
must
beconfinedby rules of art, discovered to the
authoreither
by
genius
orobservation. Ifsome
negligent
or
irregular
writers
have
pleased,
they
have
not pleased
by
their transgressions
of rule
ororder, butin spite of these
transgressions
:
They
have
possessed
other
beauties,
which
were
conformableto just criticism ; andthe
force
of
these
beauties
has
been
able
to
overpower
cen
sure, andgive
the
mindasatisfaction superiorto
thedisgust
arising
fromtheblemishes. Arioso
pleases; but
not
byhis monstrous
and
impro
bablefictions, byhis
bizarre
mixtureof the
se
rious
and
comic
styles, bythewantof
coherence
in his stories, orby the continual interruptions
of
his narration. Hecharms by the
force
and
clearness of
his expression,
by
the
readiness
and
variety of his
inventions,
andby
his natural
L pictures
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*i DI S SERTATIONIV.
picturesofthe passions, especially
those
of
the
gayand
amorous
kind
:
And
however
his
faults
maydiminish
oursatisfaction, they
are
notable
entirely todestroy it. Did ourpleasure really
arisefromthoseparts ofhis poem,
which
wede
nominate faults,
this
wouldbeno
objection
to
criticism
in
general :
It
would onlybe an ob
jection
to
those particular rules
of
criticism,
which
would
establish such circumstancesto be
faults,
andwouldrepresent
themas
universally
blameable.
If they are
sound
to
please,
they
cannot
be faults; let the
pleasure,
whichthey
produce, be
ever
so
unexpected
and
unac
countable.
Butthough ail the general
rules
of art are
soundedonlyonexperience
and
onthe
observa
tion
of
the
common
sentiments
of
human
nature,
we
mustnot
imagine,
that, onevery
occasion,
theseelings ofmen
will
beconformableto these
rules. Those finer
emotions
of
the
mind
are
of avery
tenderand delicate
nature, and
require
the
concurrence
of
many
favourable
cir
cumstancesto
makethem
playwith
facility
and
exactness, according to their general and esta
blished principles. Theleastexteriorhindrance
to such
small
springs, ortheleast internal
dis
order,
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OF
THE
STANDARDOFTASTE,tij
order,
disturbs
their
motion,
and confounds
the
operation
of
the
whole
machine.
When
we
would
makeanexperimentof this nature,and
Would
try
the
force of
any
beautyordeformity,
we
mustchoosewith
care a proper
time and
place, andbringthefancy to a suitable situation
and
disposition.
Aperfect serenity of mind, a
recollection
of
thought,
a
dueattention t<> the
object ; if anyofthese circumstancesbewanting
ourexperimentwill be fallacious, andweshall
be
unable
to
judge
of
the
catholic anduniverfal
beauty. Therelation, whichnaturehasplaced
betwixttheformandthe sentiment,will at least
be moreobscure; and it will require greater
accuracytotraceand
discern
it.
We
hall be
ableto ascertain its insluence not somuchfrom
theoperationofeachparticular
beauty,
as from
the
durableadmiration,
which
attends
those
works,
that havesurvived
all
the caprices of
mode
andfashion, all the mistakesofignorance
andenvy.
The
fame
Homer,
who
pleased
at
jithenf
andRometwothoufandyearsago,is still admired
at Paris and at London. All the changesof
climate,
government,
religion, and language
havenot beenable to obfcure
his
glory. Au-
.
- - .
thoiity
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2i4DISSERTATION.
V.
thorityorprejudicemaygivea
temporaryvogue
to a
bad
poet
or
orator;
but
bis
reputation
will
never
bedurableorgeneral.- Whenhis
comr
positions arc examined by posterity or by
so-,
reigners,
theenchantment is dissipated, and
his-
faults
appear
in their truecolours. Onthecon
trary, a
real
genius,thelonger
hisworksendure,-
andthe morewide theyare spread,
the
more
sincere is
theadmiration
which
he
meetswith.
Envyand jealousy have
too
muchplacein a
narrowcircle ; and even familiar acquaintance
with
his
person
may
diminish
the applause
due
to
his
performances
:
But
when
these
obstructions
are removed,
the
beauties, which
arenaturally
fitted to
exciteagreeable
sentimentsimmediately
display
their energy; and while theworld en
dures, they maintain their authorityover the
minds
of
men.
It appearsthen, thatamidst all thevariety
and
caprices
of taste, there
are certain
general
principles of approbationorblame, whose in
fluence
a
careful
eye
may
trace
in
all
operations
ofthe mind.Someparticular formsorqualities*
fromtheoriginal structure oftheinternal fabric,
arecalculatedto
please, and
othersto
displease
;
and
if
theyfail oftheir effect in
any
particular
instance,
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OF
THE
STANDARDOFTASTE. 215
instance, it is fromsomeapparent
desect or
im
persection
in
theorgan.
A
man
in
a
sever
would
not insist onhis palate as abre to decide con
cerning
flavours ;
nor
would one, affected with
the
jaundice,
pretend
to givea
verdict with
re
gardto colours. In eachcreature,
thereis
a
soundand
a
defective
state
;
and
the
former
alone
canbe
supposed to afford us atruestandard
of
taste and
'sentiment.
If inthesoundstateof
the
organs,
therebeanentireoraconsiderableuni
formity of
sentiment amongmen,wemay
thence
deriveanideaof the persect and uni
versal beauty
; in like manneras
theappearance
ofobjects inday-light to theeyeof a
man
in
health is denominated theirtrueandreal colour,
evenwhile
colour
is allowedto be merely a
phantasmof
the
senses.
Manyandfrequentare thedesects
in
the
in
ternal
organs, which
preventorweakenthe in
fluenceofthosegeneral principles,onwhichde
pends our sentiment
of beauty or deformity
Though
some
objects,
by
the
structure
of
the
mind,be
naturally
calculatedto give
pleasure, it
is not to beexpected, that
in every
individual
thepleasurewill be
equally
selt. Particularin
cidentsandsituations occur, whicheitherthrow
*.* -
a
false
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2i6DISSSR
TAT
ONIV.
a
false
light
on
the
objects,
or
binder
the true
from
conveying
to
the
imagination
the
proper
sentimentandperception. i; r . v
.. . .m v
i) .1 y, i i - i ' j v
;-(d y'jlt eavf.
Onebvious cause, whymanyfeel not
the
proper
sentimentofbeauty, is
the
wantofthat
delicacy of
imagination,
which
is
requisite t r
convey a sensibility of those
finer
emotions.
This
delicacy
every
one
pretends
to
: Everyone
talksof it ; andwouldreduceeverykindof
taste
orsentiment to its standard. But as ourinten
tion in this
dissertation
is tominglesomelightof
-the
understanding
with
the
feelings
of
sentiment,
it will be
proper
to giveamoreaccuratedefi
nition
of delicacy, than
has
hithertobeen:at
tempted. Andnot to draw our philosophy
fromtooprofounda source,weshall have re->
course
to a
noted
story
in
DonQuixote.
jTis with good reason, fays Sancho tOj.tbe
squire
with
thegreat
nose,that I pretendto have
a
judgment
in wine : This is aquality hermit-
taryin
our
family. Twofmy
kinsmen
were
oncecalled to givetheir
opinion
of a hogshead,
which was
supposed
tobeexcellent, being old
andof
agoodvintage. One
of
them
tastsft&
i
considers
it, and
after mature reflection .pro
nounces
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OF
THESTANDARDOF
TASTE.2i7
nounces
the
wineto begood, wereit not for a
small
taste
of
leather,
which
he
perceived
in
it.
Theother, aster using the fame precautions,
givesalso his verdict in favourofthewine; but
with
the
reserve of a
taste
of iron,
which
he
could easily distinguish.
Youcannot imagine
howmuchtheywere bothridiculed for their
judgment. Butwholaughed in the
end
? On
emptying the hogshead, there was found at
thebottom, an
oldkey
with a
leathern
thong
tied to it.
The
great
resemblance
between
mental
and-
bodilytaste
will
easily
teachusto applythis
story.
Though
t
becertain, thatbeautyanddeformity,
nomorethansweetandbitter, arenotqualities
in objects, butbelong entirely to thesentiment,
internal
or
external
;
it
must
be
allowed,
that
thereare certain qualities
in objects,
which
are
sitted bynaturetoproducethose particular feel
ings. Nows these
qualitiesmay
be
found
in
asmalldegreeormaybemixtand confounded
with
each
other,
it
often
happens,
that
the
taste
is
not
affected
with suchminutequalities,
oris.
not
abletodistinguish
all
the
particular
flavours,
amidstthedisorder, inwhichtheyarepresented.
Wherethe
organsare
sofine, as toallownothing
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220DISSERTtrblt1IVa.' '
ofeachpart, notwithstandingits minutenessand
its contusionwiththe rest. Inlike manner, a
quick
andacuteperceptionofbeautyanddefor
mitymust be
the
persectionofour
mental
taste,
nor
canamanbe
fatisfied
withhimself, while
he
suspects,
that
any
excellenceor
blemish
ina
discourse has passed himunobserved. In this
case,
the
perfection
ofthe
man,
and
the
persec
tionof
the
sense or
seeling, are
foundto beunited.
Aery delicate
palate,
on
many
occasions,
may
bea
great
inconveniencebothto a
man
himself
andto his friends ; but a delicate tasteofwitor
beauty
must
always
be
a
desirable
quality
; be
causeit is thesource of all thefinest andmost
innocentenjoyments, ofwhich human
nature
is
susceptible.
In this decision,
the
sentiments
of
all
mankindare agreed. Whereveryoucan
fix
or
ascertain
a
delicacyof
taste,
it
is
sure
to
beapprovedof;
and
the
best
wayoffixing It is
to
appeal
to those modelsand principles, which
havebeenestablished bytheuniformapprobation
andexperienceofnationsandages.
But though therebe naturallya verywide
difference inpointofdelicacybetween
one
person
andanother, nothingstendsfurtherto encrease
andimprovethis talent, thanpraftlct in a par
ticular
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OF
THE
STANDARD
OF
TASTE,azt
ticular
art,
andthefrequent surveypr
contem
plationofa
particular
speciesofbeauty.
Whe
objects
of
any
kind
are
first
presented
to
the
eje
or
imagination, the
sentiment,
which. a tnds
them, is
obscure
and
confused
: and. the
min4
is,
ina
greatmeasure,
incapableofpronouncing
concerning their merits ordesects. The
taste
cannot
perceive
the
several
excellencies
of
the
performance; muchless distinguish the- partir
cularcharacterof each excellency, andascec-
tain its
quality
and
degree.
Jf it.pranouncethe
wholein general to be beautiful or. deformed
*ti §
the
utmost
which
can
be
expected';
and
eventhisjudgmentaperson, so unpractised, will
beapt to deliver with great hesitation andre.
serve. But
allow
him
to
acquire
experiencein
thoseobjects, his seeling becomes moreexact
andnice: Henot only perceives
the beauties
and
desects ofeach
part, but
marks
the
distir*-
guishingspecies ofeach quality, and assigns it
suitable praise orblame. Alear and distinct
sentiment
attendshimthroughthewholesurvey
ofthe
objects
; and he discerns that veryde
gree
and
kind
of
aaprobation or
displeasure,
whicheachpart is naturally fitted to produce.
The.
mist
dissipates, which-
seemed
formerly
to
hangover the
objsctj: .The
*rgan
acquires
. .
.*
greater
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222 DI
S St
R
T
AT0:N
IV.'
greaterpersection in its operations;
and
canpro
nounce,
without
danger
of
mistake,
concerning
the
merits
of
each
performance.
In
a
word,
the fameaddressand dexterity,
which
practice
givesto
the
executionof
any
work,
is
also ac
quired, by
the
famemeans,in
the
judgingof
it.
. 1 . ti . *
So
advantageous
is
practice
to
the
discernment
ofbeauty, thatbeforewecanpronouncejudg
mentonanyworkofimportance,
it
will even
be
requisite,
that that very individual perform
ancebe more than once
perused
by
us,
and
be
surveyed
in
different
lights,
with
attention
anddeliberation.
There
is
a flutter or hurry
of
thought, whichattends
the
first
perusal ofany
piece,
and
which confounds
thegenuin senti
mentofbeauty. Thereferenceof theparts is
not
discerned
:
The
true
characters
of
style
are
little
distinguished
: Theseveral
persectionsand
desects
seemwrappedup in a
species
ofconfu
sion,
andpresent themselves indistinctly to
the
imagination.
Notto
mention,
that
there
is a
species
ofbeauty, which, as
it
is florid
and
su
perficial,
pleases at
first;
butbeing
found
incom
patible witha just expressioneither.ofreason or
passion,
soonpalls
upon
the
taste, andis then
re
jectedwith
disdain,
at
least
ratedatamuchlower
value. It
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OFTHE
STANDARD
OF
TASTE.
223
Ifis impossibleto continuein the practice of
contemplating
any
order
of
beauty,
without
being
frequentlyobligedto form comparisonsbetween
theseveral species
and
degreesofexcellency,and
estimating their
proportion
to each other. A
man,whohashad
no
opportunityofcomparing
the
different
kinds
ofbeauty,
is
indeed
totally
un
qualified to pronounce anopinionwithregard
toanyobjectpresented
to
him. Bycomparison
alone
we
fix theepithetsof
praise
orblame,and
learn
how
to assign theduedegreeofeach.The
coarsest
dawbing
of a sign-post containsa cer
tainlustre ofcoloursandexactnessofimitation,
which
are
so far beauties, andwould affect
the
mind
ofapeafantorIndianwith
thehighest
ad
miration. The
most
vulgarballads arenot
en
tirely
destitute
of
harmony
or
nature; andnone
but
a
person, familiarized
to
superior
beauties,
wouldpronouncetheirnumbersharsh,ornarra
tion
uninteresting.
A
reat
inseriorityofbeauty
givespainto a
person
converfant in
the
highest
excellencyof the kind, and
is
for that
reason
pronounced
a
deformity
:
As
the
most
finished
object,
withwhich
weare
acquainted,
is
natu
rally supposed to
have
reached
the
pinnacle
of
perfection,
andto be
entitled
to the
highestap-
.' • '* plause.
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« Z4
DISSERTATIONV,
plause.
A
manwhohas
had
opportunitiesof
seeing,
and
examining,
andweighingtheseveral
performances,
admired
in
different
ages
and
na
tions, can
alone
rate the
merits
ofaworkexhi
bited to
his view, and aflign its properrank
amongtheproductionsofgenius.
But
to
enable
himthe
more
fully
to
execute
this undertaking, hemust preserve hismindfree
from
all
prejudice, andallownothingtoenterinto
hisconsideration, buttheveryobject, which it
submitted
to
his
examination.We
mayobserve,
that everyworkofart, in ordertoproduceits
dueeffect on the mind, must besurveyed
in
a
certain
point
of view, and
cannot
be fully re
lished by persons,
whose
situation,real or
imagi
nary, is notconformableto that requiredby
the
performance.
Anoratoraddresses
himself
to a
particular
audience,
andmust
have
a
regard
to
theirparticular genius,
interests,
opinions, pas
sions,
and
prejudices
; otherwisehehopes
in
vain
to
govern their
resolutions, and
inflame
their
affections. Should theyevenhaveentertained
some
prepossessions
against
him,
however
unrea
sonable, hemust
notoverlook
this
difadvantage;
butbefore
heenters
uponthesubject, must
en
deavourto
conciliate
their affection,
and
acquire
their
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OF
THESTANDARD
OF
TASTE,ilj
please by
means
of
the
passions and the imagi
nation. Theseendswemust
carry constantly
inour
view,
when
we
peruse
any
performance
;
andwemust beableto judgehowfar themeans
employedareadapted
to their respective
purposes.
Besides, every kind cf composition, evert the
mostpoetical,
is nothingbut
a
chain
ofproposi
tions
and
reasonings;
not
always
indeed
the
justest and most exact, but still plausible and
specious,however
disguised bythecolouring of
the imagination. Thepersons,
introduced
in
tragedyand
epic
poetry, must
be
represented
as
reasoning
and
thinking,
and
concluding
and
acting, suitable
to
their
charactersand
circum
stances
;
and
withoutjudgment, as well as taste
andinvention,
a
poetcanneverhope
to
succeed
in so delicateanundertaking. Notto mention,
that
thesameexcellence
of
facultieswhichcon
tributes to the
improvement
ofreason, thesame
clearnessofconception,
the
same exactness of
distinction,
the
fame
vivacity
ofapprehension,are
essential
to
the
operationsoftruetaste,
andareits
infallible concomitants. Itleldom,ornever
hap
pens,
that
a
man
of
sense,
who
has
experience
in
any
art,
cannotjudgeofits beauty; andit is
no
less rareto meetwitha man,
who
hasa just
taste, without
asoundunderstanding.
M
Thus,
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iz8
DISSERTATIONV.
Thus,though
the
principles
of
taste
be
uni
versal, andnearly, ifnot
entirely
thesame
in
all
men yet
sew
are qualified to givejudgmenton
anyworkofart,or
establish theirownsentiment
as
the
standardof
beauty.
The
organs
of
inter
nal sensation
are
seldom
so
persect
as toallow
the general
principles
their
full
play,
and
pro
ducea seelingcorrespondent to thoseprinciples.
Theyeither labour under some desect, orare
vitiated bysomedisorder; and bythat
means,
excite a
sentiment,
which maybepronounced
erroneous.
When
the
critic
has
no
delicacy,
he
judges without any distinction,
and
is
only
affected bythegrosser
and
morepalpablequalities
cftheobject : Thefinertouchespass unnoticed
and disregarded. Wherehe is not aidedby
practice,
his
verdict
is
attended
with
confusion
andhesitation. Wherenocomparisonhas been
employed,
the
most frivolous beauties, suchas
rathermerit
thename
of
desects, are theobjects
ofhis admiration. Whereheliesunderthein
fluence
of
prejudice,
all
his
natural
sentiments
areperverted.
Where
good sense
is
wanting,
he
is not qualified
to
discern thebeauties
ofde
sign and reasoning,whichare the highestand
most excellent. Undersome oxotherofthese
4 imper
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OFTHESTANDARDOFTASTE.229
impersections, the generality of
men
labour;
andhencea
true
judge
in
thefiner
arts is
ob
served, evenduring the most polished ages,
to
beso rare a
character
:
Strongsense,
united to
delicate sentiment, improvedby practice, per
sected
bycomparison, andclearedofall
preju
dice, can alone entitle critics to this valuable
character; and
the
joint
verdict
ofsuch,
where-
evertheyare to be
found,
is
the
true
standard
oftaste
and
beauty.
Butwhere
are
such
critics to
befound?
By
what
marks
are
they
to
be
known
?
Hows
di
stinguish them from pretenders
?- These
que
stions
areembarrassing
; andseem to
throw
us
back into the fameuncertainty, from which?
duringthecourse
of this dissertation, wehave
endeavoured
to
extricate
ourselves.
Butifweconsider
thematter
aright, these
are
questions
of fact, notofsentiment. Whe
ther
any
particular
personbeendowed
with
good
sense
and
a
delicate
imagination,
free
from
pre
judice,mayoftenbe
thesubject
ofdispute,
and
be liable
to
great discussion and
enquiry
:
But
that sucha
character is valuable and
estimable
will be agreed by all mankind.
Wherethese
M doubt*
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2)0 DI S8 ERT
A
TIONIV. .
doubtsoccujVmencandonomorethanin other
disputable
questions,
which
are
submittedto
the
understanding
:-
Theymustproducethebest ar
gumentswhichtheirinventionsuggeststo them;
theymostacknowledgea trueanddecisivestan
dard to txist somewhere, towit, real existence
andmatter
offact ; andthey must haveindul
gence
to
such
as
differ
from
them
in
their
ap
peals to this standard. It is sussicient for our
present purpose, if wehave proved, that
the
taste of all individuals is not upon an equal
footing, andthat somemenin general, however
dissicult
to
be
particularly
pitched
upon,
will
be
acknowledgedbyuniverfal sentiment to have a
preserenceaboveothers.
•
Butin reality thedissiculty offinding, even
in
particulars,
the
standard
of
taste,
is
not
so
great
as is represented.
Though
in speculation,
wemayreadilyavowa certain
criterion
in sci
enceanddeny it insentiment,thematter
is
found
in practice to
be
much
morehard
to ascertain in
the
former.case thaninthelatter.
Theories
of
abstract
philosophy,
systemsofprofoundtheology
haveprevailedduring
one
age: In a
successive
period, these
have been univerfally exploded :
Theirabsurdityhasbeendetected: Othertheo
i
ries
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OFTHESTANDARDOFTASTE. 23*
ries
and
systemshavesupplied theirplace, which
again
gave
way
to
their
successors :
And
nothing
hasbeen
experienced
moreliabkto
the
revolu
tionsofchanceandfashion thart thesepretended
decisionsofscience. Thecafe
is
notthefame
withthebeautiesofeloquenceand
poetry.
Just
expressions
ofpassion
and
nature are sure, aster
a little time, to gainpublicvogue, whichthey
maintain for ever. jirifiotlenWt PIaio,
and
Epi
curus arid Defcaripi may.successively yield to-
eachother: BtTerenceandVirgilmaintainan
universal,
undisputed
empireover
theminds
of
men.
The
abstract
philosophy
of
Cicero
has
lost-
itscredit : Thevehemenceof his oratory is still
theobjectof
our
admiration.
Though
menof
delicate
taste arerare,the
areeasily to be distinguished in society, by
the
soundnessof
their understanding andthe
supe
riority
of
their faculties abovethe
rest ofman
kind.
The
ascendant,
whichtheyacquire,gives
a prevalence to that lively approbation, with
whichthey
receive
any productionsof
genius,
and
renders
it
generally
predominant.
Many
men,when
left to
themselves,
have
but
afaint
and
dubious
perceptionofbeauty, whoyet
ara
capableof
relilhing
anyfine
stroke, which
is
pointedouttothem. Every
convert
tothead-
M
miration
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z32 'fl'W'sfe
rA?T
I'ON
IV.
miration
ofthe true poetororatoris thecauseof
some
new
conversion.
And
though
prejudices
may
prevail
for a time, theyneverunitein cele
bratinganyrival to
the
truegenius, but
yield
at
last to theforce of
nature
andjust sentiment.
Andthusthoughacivilized nationmayeasily be
mistakenin the choiceoftheir admiredphiloso
pher,
they
never
havebeen
found
long
to
err
in
their
affection
fora
favourite
epicortragicauthor.
But
otwithstanding
all ourendeavoursto
fix
a
standard
of
taste, andreconcile
thevariousap
prehensions
of
men,
there
still
remain
two
sources
of variation,
which, tho' theybenotsusficient
to
confoundall theboundaries
ofbeauty
and
de
formity, will
often
serve to vary
thedegreesof
Airapprobation
or
blame.Theone
is
thediffe
renthumoursof
particularmen
theother, the
particular
manners
and
opinionsof
ourage
and
country.Thegeneralprinciples oftaste areuni
forminhumannature: Where
men
vary in
theirjudgments,somedesector
perversion
inthe
faculties
maycommonly
be
remarked;pro
ceeding
either
from
prejudice,
from
want
of
practice, orwantofdelicacy; andthereis just
reasonfor approving
one
taste
and
condemning
another. Butwherethereis sucha diversity in
the
internal frame
or
external
situation asis
en-
-i-
-- -t
« tirely
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OFTHE
STANDARDOFTASTE.Z33
tirelyblamelessonbothsides,and
leavesno
room
to
give
one
the preserence
above
the
other
;
in
thatcaseacertain
diversity
of
judgment
is un
avoidable, andweseek in vainfor a
standard,
bywhichwecan reconcilethecontrary senti
ments.
1 -
A
young
man,
whose
passions
are
warm,
will
bemoresensiblytouchedwithamorousandten
derimages, thana
manmore
advanced
inyears
who
takes
pleasurein
wise
andphilosophical
pre-
sections concerning
the
conduct oflise
and
mo
deration
of
thepassions. At
twenty, Ovid
may
be
the
favourite
author
;
Horace
at
forty
;
and
perhapsTacitusat fifty. Vainlywouldwe, in
suchcases, endeavourto enter into the senti
mentsof
others,
and
divest ourselves
of those
propensities, which
arenaturalto us.
We
huse
our
favourite
author
as
we
do
our
friend,
from
aconformitylofhumoursanddispositions. Mirth
orpassion,
sentiment
or reflection; whichever
Ofthesemostpredominates in
our
temper, it
givesus a peculiar sympathywith thewriter,
whoresemblesus;
Oneersonis morepleasedwiththesublime;
anotherwith
the
tender; athird withraillery.
Onehasastrongsensibility to blemishes,
and is
extremely
studious ofcorrectness : Anotherhas
?o
.
M
a
more
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OFTHESTANDARDOFTASTE.255
not so sensibly
touched
withthem. For this
reason,comedys
not
transserred easilyfrom
one
ageornationto another. ArenchmanoxEng-
UJhttian is notpleased withthe
Andria
ofTerence,
orCili'taof
Macbiavel,where
the fine
lady,upon
whomll
the play
turns,
neveronce
appears
to
thespectators, but is always kept behind
the
scenes,
suitable
to
the
reserved
humour
of
the
antient
Greeks
andmodern
Italians.. A
manof
learningand
reflection canmakeallowance
for
these peculiarities
of
manners
;
but
a
common
audience cannever
divest
themselves so
far.
of
their usual ideas
and
sentiments
as
to
relish
pic
tureswhich
no
wayresemblethem.
And
here
there
occurs a reflection, which
may,perhaps, beuseful
in examiningthe cele
bratedcontroversy concerning antient andmo
dern
learning
;
where
we
often
find
the
one
side
excusing
anyseeming
absurdity in theantients
from themannersoftheage, andtheothers
re
fusing
to
admit
this
excuse,
orat
least,
admit
ting it only
as
an
apologyfor
theauthor, hot
for
the
performance.
In
my
opinion, the
pro
perboundsin this subjecthaveseldombeenfixed
betweenthecontending parties.
Where
anyin
nocent peculiarities ofmarinersarerepresented,
suchas thoseabovementioned, theyought cer-
't 3i
'M'63ir'- -'
' '
' •
tainly
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236DISSERTATIONV.
tainly
to
beadmitted; and
a
man
whos
shocked
withthem, givesanevidentproofoffalse deli
cacy
and
refinement.
The
poets
monument
more
durablethanbrass-, must
fall
to the ground like
commonbrick orclay, werementomakeno
allowancefor thecontinual
revolutions
ofman
nersandcustoms, andwouldadmitnothingbut
what
was
suitable
to
the
prevailing
fashion.
Must
wethrowaside thepictures of our ancestors,
becauseoftheir ruffsandfardinyiles ? Butwhere
the
ideas
of
morality
and
decency
alter from
one
ageto another, andwherevicious mannersare
described, withoutbeing
marked
withtheproper
characters of blame and disapprobation; this
mustbe
allowed
to disfigurethepoem,andto be
areal deformity. I cannot, nor is it properI
should,enterinto such
sentiments
;
andhowever
Imayexcusethepoet,onaccountofthemanners
of
his
age,
I
never
can
relish
the
composition.
Thewantof
humanity
andofdecency, socon
spicuous in
the
charadters drawnby
several
of
the
antient poets, even
sometimes
by
Homer
andtheGreektragedians, diminishesconsidera
blythemeritof theirnobleperformances, and
gives modern
authors
a
great
advantage over
them. Werenot interested in thefortunes
andsentiments
of suchroughheroes :
We
re
displeased to find
thelimits
ofviceand
virtue
so
con
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OFTHESTANDARDOFTASTE.237
confounded
Andwhatever
indulgence
we
may
givethewriteronaccountofhis prejudices, we
cannot
prevail
on
ourselves
toenterinto
hisscn-
timcnts,orbearanaffection to characters,which
weplainly
discover
to bebla-meable.
Thease
is
not
the
famewithmoral
princi
ples
as
with
speculative
opinions of
any
kind.
Theseare incontinual fluxandrevolution.
The
son
embraces
a
different
systemfrom
the
father.
Nay,therescarce is any man,who
can
boastof
greatconstancyanduniformityin this particular.
Whateverspeculative errorsmaybefoundinthe
polite
writings
of
any
age
or
country,
they
de
tract but little
from
the
valueof thosecomposi
tions. There
needsbut
a certain turnofthought
or
imagination
to
make
us
enter
into
all theopi
nions,whichthenprevailed, andrelishthesen
timents
or
conclusionsderived
from
them.
But
averyviolent effort is requisite to change our
judgment
of
manners,
and
excite sentiments
of
approbationorblame,loveor hatred, different
from those to whichthemindfromlongcustom
has
been
familiarized.
And
where
amans
con
fident
of
the
rectitude
of
that
moral
standard,
by
which
he
judges,
he
is
jujllyjealousof
it, and
will
notpervertthe sentimentsof his
heart
for amo
ment,
incomplaisanceto anywriter
whatever.
Of
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238
DISSERTATION
T.
Ofll speculative errors, thosewhichregard
religion,
arethe
most
excusable
in
compositions
of genius;
nor is
it
ever permittedto
judge
of
the
civilityor
wisdom
of
anypeople,
orevenof
single
persons,
by the grossness
or
refinement
of
their theological principles. Thefame good
sense,
that
directs
men
in
the
ordinary
occur
rencesoflise, is not hearkened to in religious
matters,
which are
supposed tobeplaced en
tirely above
the
cognizance
of
human
reason.
Upon
this
account, all theabsurdities ofthepa
gan
system
of theologymust be
overlooked
by
overy critic,whowouldpretend to formajust
notion
of
antientpoetry;and
ourposterity, in
their turn, musthave
the
fame
indulgence
to
their
forefathers.
Noeligious
principles
can
everbeimputedas afault toanypoet,
while
they
remain
merely
principles,
and
take
not
such
strong
possessionof
his
heart, as to
layhimunder
the
imputationof
bigotry
orsuperjiitim. Where
that
happens,
they
confound the sentiments of
moralityandalter thenatural
boundaries
ofvice
andvirtue. Theyre therefore eternal blemishes,
accordingto the
principle
abovementioned;
nor
aretheprejudices andfalse opinionsof theage
sussicient to
justify
them.
'Tis
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OFTHE
STANDARD
OFTASTE.239
'Tisessential
to the
Rmnancatholic
religion
tqjnfpire
a
violenthatred
to
every
other
worship
andrepresentall pagans, mahometans, andhe
retics as the objects ofdivine
wrathandvenge
ance.Suchsentiments,thoughtheyare in reality
.extremely blameable, are
considered
as virtues
by thezealotsofthat
communion,
andare re
presented
in
their
tragedies
and
epic
poems
as
a
kindofdivine
heroism.
This
bigotry
has
disfi
gured
two
veryfine tragedies ofthe
French
thea
tre, PolleuSleandAthalia; whereanintemperate
zeal for particular modes ofworship is set off
with
all
the
pomp
imaginable,
and
forms
the
predominant characteroftheheroes. What
is
this, fays theheroicJoadto Josabet,
finding
her
in
discourse
with
Mattan, the
priest of
Baal, DoesthedaughterofDavidspeak to
\il this
traitor? Areyou
not
afraid,
lest
theearth
r
'
Jthould
open
and
pour
forth
flames
to
devour
jhuoth? Orthattheseholywallsslaould
fall
you
together?Whats his
purpose?
Why
comes
thatenemyof
Godhither
to poi-
*e
sonthe
air, which
webreath,
withhis horrid
'presence? Such
sentiments
are receivedwith
greatapplause on thetheatreofPan's; butat
'Eondbn
the spectators
would be full asmuch
pleased to heardcbillei &.
Agamemnon,
thathe
1
was
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240DISSERTATION
V.
wasadog in hisforeheadanda deerinhisheart,
orJupiterthreatenJuntwithafounddrubbing,
if
she
will
notbe
quiet.
Religiousprinciples are
also a
blemish
in
any politecomposition,whenthey
rise
upto su
perstition, and intrude themselves into every
sentiment,however
remote
fromany
connection
with
religion.
'Tis
no
excuse
for
the
poet,
that
the
customsof
his
countryhad
burthened
life
with so
manyreligious ceremoniesand obser
vances, thatnopartofit
wasexempt
from that
yoak.
It
mustbe
for
ever
ridiculous
in
Petrarch
to comparehis
mistress,
Laura, to JesusChjrijt,
Noris it less ridiculous
in that agreeable
liber
tine, Beccace,
very
scriousty
to give
thanks
to
GodAlmighty,andthe ladies, for their assistance
in
desendinghimagainst
his enemies.
.
ERRATA.
P.
7.
L. 13.
r.
set. P. 9. L.
12.
r. be
buried.
P. 42. L.
5. r. conditions.
P. 70. L.4. from the
Bottom, readforetel the issue. P. 116. L'. 16. read
corrupt.
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