hume - essays-733, książki, Philosphy
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
ESSAYS ON SUICIDE AND THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL:THE COMPLETE 1783 EDITIONDavid Hume5/1/95Copyright 1995, James Fieser (jfieser@utm.edu). See end note fordetails on copyright and editing conventions. This is a workingdraft; please report errors.[1]Editor's Note: Hume's essays on the suicide and the immortality ofthe soul were completed around 1755 and printed as part of a book ofessays titled <Five Dissertations>. When pre-release copies of <FiveDissertations> provoked controversy among influential readers, Humeand his printer Andrew Millar agreed to have the two essaysphysically removed from the printed copies. They were replaced withan essay titled "Of the Standard of Taste," and the book of essaysappeared in 1757 under the title <Four Dissertations>. Rumors aboutthe two withdrawn essays circulated for years, and clandestinecopies appeared anonymously in French (1770) and later in English(1777). In 1783 the two essays were published more openly, and thistime with Hume's name attached. Like the 1770 and 1777 publications,the 1783 publication was not authorized by Hume. Along with Hume'stwo essays, the anonymous editor of the 1783 edition included hisown critical notes to Hume's two pieces, and excerpts fromRousseau's <La Nouvelle Heloise> on the subject of suicide. Thecontents, then, of the 1883 publication are as follows:Preface p. iiiEssay I. On Suicide (Hume) p. 1Essay II. On the immortality of the soul (Hume) p. 23Anti-Suicide (anonymous editor) p. 39Immortality of the Soul (anonymous editor) p. 53Letter 114 from Rousseau's <Eloisa> p. 67Letter 115 from Rousseau's <Eloisa> p. 90A copy of the original two essays as they were printed in <FiveDissertations> is in the possession of the National Library ofScotland. That copy contains nineteen corrections in Hume's hand andis Hume's final surviving revision of the essays. None of thesecorrections appear in the 1783 edition.* * * *ESSAYSON<SUICIDE>,AND<THE IMMORTALITY>OF THE<SOUL>,ASCRIBED TO THE LATE<DAVID HUME>, E/SQ\.Never before published.With REMARKS, intended as an Antidote to thePoison contained in these Performances,BY THE EDITOR.TO WHICH IS ADDED,TWO LETTERS ON SUICIDE,F/ROM\ R/OSSEAU'S\ E/LOISA.\----Printed for M. S/MITH\; and sold by the booksellers in piccadilly,Fleet-street, and Paternoster-row.1783(Price 3 <s>. 6 <d>. sewed){iii}PREFACETHESE two Essays on <Suicide> and <the Immortality of the Soul>,though not published in any edition of his works, are generallyattributed to the late ingenious Mr. Hume.The well-known contempt of this eminent philosopher for thecommon convictions of mankind, raised an apprehension of thecontents from the very title of these pieces. But the celebrity ofthe author's name, renders them, notwithstanding, in some degreeobjects of great curiosity.Owing to this circumstance, a few copies have beenclandestinely circulated, at a large price, for some time, butwithout any comment. The very mystery attending this mode of sellingthem, made them more an object of request than they would otherwisehave been. {iv}The present publication comes abroad under no such restraint,and possesses very superior advantages. The <Notes> annexed areintended to expose the sophistry contained in the original Essays,and may shew how little we have to fear from the adversaries ofthese great truths, from the pitiful figure which even Mr. Humemakes in thus violently exhausting his last strength in an abortiveattempt to traduce or discredit them.The two very matterly Letters from the Eloisa of Rosseau on thesubject of <Suicide>, have been much celebrated, and we hope will beconsidered as materially increasing the value of this curiouscollection.The admirers of <Mr. Hume> will be pleased with seeing theremains of a favourite author rescued in this manner from thatoblivion to which the prejudices of his countrymen had, in allappearance, consigned them; and even the religious part of mankindhave some reason of triumph from the striking instance here given oftruth's superiority to error, even when error has all the advantageof an elegant genius, and a great literary reputation to recommendit.{1}ESSAY I.ON <SUICIDE>.O/NE\ considerable advantage that arises from Philosophy, consistsin the sovereign antidote which it affords to superstition and falsereligion. All other remedies against that pestilent distemper arevain, or at least uncertain. Plain good sense and the practice ofthe world, which alone serve most purposes of life, are here foundineffectual: History as well as daily experience furnish instancesof men endowed with the {2} strongest capacity for business andaffairs, who have all their lives crouched under slavery to thegrossest superstition. Even gaiety and sweetness of temper, whichinfuse a balm into every other wound, afford no remedy to sovirulent a poison; as we may particularly observe of the fair sex,who tho' commonly possest of their rich presents of nature, feelmany of their joys blasted by this importunate intruder. But whenfound Philosophy has once gained possession of the mind,superstition is effectually excluded, and one may fairly affirm thather triumph over this enemy is more complete than over most of thevices and imperfections incident to human nature. Love or anger,ambition or avarice, have their root in the temper and affection,which the soundest reason is scarce ever able fully to correct, butsuperstition being founded on false opinion, must immediately vanishwhen true philosophy has inspired juster sentiments of superiorpowers. The contest is here more equal between the distemper and themedicine, {3} and nothing can hinder the latter from provingeffectual but its being false and sophisticated.I/T\ will here be superfluous to magnify the merits ofPhilosophy by displaying the pernicious tendency of that vice ofwhich it cures the human mind. ([editor's note] 1) The superstitiousman says Tully[2] is miserable in every scene, in every incident inlife; even sleep itself, which banishes all other cares of unhappymortals, affords to him matter of new terror; while he examines hisdreams, and finds in those visions of the night prognostications offuture calamities. I may add that tho' death alone can put a fullperiod to his misery, he dares not fly to this refuge, but stillprolongs a miserable existence from a vain fear left he offend hisMaker, by using the power, with which that beneficent being hasendowed him. The presents of God and nature are ravished from us bythis {4} cruel enemy, and notwithstanding that one step would removeus from the regions of pain and sorrow, her menaces still chain usdown to a hated being which she herself chiefly contributes torender miserable.'T/IS\ observed by such as have been reduced by the calamitiesof life to the necessity of employing this fatal remedy, that if theunseasonable care of their friends deprive them of that species ofDeath which they proposed to themselves, they seldom venture uponany other, or can summon up so much resolution a second time as toexecute their purpose. So great is our horror of de...
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]