Part 1 (2/2)

”I found that the moral philosophy transmitted to us by antiquity laboured under the same inconvenience that has been found in their natural philosophy, of being entirely hypothetical, and depending more upon invention than experience: every one consulted his fancy in erecting sche human nature, upon which every moral conclusion must depend”

This is the key-note of the _Treatise_; of which Huetically, in one of his letters, that it was planned before he enty-one and coe of twenty-five[5]

Under these circumstances, it is probably the most remarkable philosophical work, both intrinsically and in its effects upon the course of thought, that has ever been written Berkeley, indeed, published the _Essay Towards a New Theory of Vision_, the _Treatise Concerning the Principles of Hues of twenty-four and twenty-eight; and thus comes very near to Huations are more limited in their scope than those of his Scottish contemporary

The first and second volu Book I, ”Of the Understanding,” and Book II, ”Of the Passions,” were published in January, 1739[6] The publisher gave fifty pounds for the copyright; which is probably e would get for a similar work, at the present time But, in other respects, its success fell far short of Hume's expectations In a letter dated the 1st of June, 1739, he writes,--

”I am notreceived news from London of the success of e by the sale of the book, and if I may believe my bookseller”

This, however, indicates a very different reception froh the inverted telescope of old age, ascribes to the _Treatise_ in _My Own Life_

”Never literary attempt was more unfortunate than my _Treatise of Human Nature_ It fell _deadborn fro such a distinction as even to excite athe zealots”

As a matter of fact, it was fully, and, on the whole, respectfully and appreciatively, reviewed in the _History of the Works of the Learned_ for November, 1739[7] Whoever the reviewer may have been, he was a man of discernment, for he says that the work bears ”incontestable , and not yet thoroughly practised;” and he adds, that we shall probably have reason to consider ”this, coht as we view the juvenile works of a Milton, or the first manner of a Raphael or other celebrated painter” In a letter to Hutcheson, Hume merely speaks of this article as ”so and callow, seely wide-mouthed and hard to satiate

It must be confessed that, on this occasion, no less than on that of his other publications, Hu after ar success, as distinct from the pardonable, if not honourable, a fame, which would have harmonised better with his philosophy Indeed, it appears to be by no means improbable that this peculiarity of Huradually forsaking philosophical studies, after the publication of the third part (_On Morals_) of the _Treatise_, in 1740, and turning to those political and historical topics which were likely to yield, and did in fact yield, a much better return of that sort of success which his soul loved The _Philosophical Essays Concerning the Hu_, which afterwards becament and recast, for popular use, of parts of the _Treatise_, with the addition of the essays on Miracles and on Necessity In style, it exhibits a great improvement on the _Treatise_; but the substance, if not deteriorated, is certainly not i his mature powers to bear upon his early speculations, in the later work The crude fruits have not been ripened, but they have been ruthlessly pruned away, along with the branches which bore theh; but not the tree of knowledge, with its roots fir forth into new truths, which Huht have reared Perhaps, after all, worthy Mrs Huht Davie ake-minded,” not to see that the world of philosophy was his to overrun and subdue, if he would but persevere in the work he had begun

But no--he must needs turn aside for ”success”: and verily he had his reward; but not the crown he ht have won

In 1740, Hume seems to havefriendshi+p Adam Smith was, at that tiow; and Hume sends a copy of the _Treatise_ to ”Mr Smith,” apparently on the recommendation of the well-known Hutcheson, Professor of Moral Philosophy in the university

It is a remarkable evidence of Adam Se should be thought worthy of such a present

In 1741 Huh, the first volume of _Essays Moral and Political_, which was followed in 1742 by the second volume

These pieces are written in an aded without apparent athered from their contents Thus the third essay, _That Politics may be reduced to a Science_, defends that thesis, and dwells on the ireat is the force of laws and of particular forovernment, and so little dependence have they on the hueneral and certain may sometimes be deduced from them as any which the mathematical sciences afford us”--(III 15) (_See_ p 45)

Hume proceeds to exee, froe, and from elective monarchy, by historical examples, and concludes:--

”That an hereditary prince, a nobility without vassals, and a people voting by their representatives, form the best monarchy, aristocracy, and de passage of the sao, it would seees may have taken place, political warfare remains _in statu quo_:--

”Those who either attack or defend a overnment as ours, where the utmost liberty is allowed, always carry erate his ard to the public His enereatest enorement; and there is no ment, he is not capable Unnecessary wars, scandalous treaties, profusion of public treasure, oppressive taxes, every kind of e, his pernicious conduct, it is said, will extend its baneful influence even to posterity, by under that wise system of laws, institutions, and custo so overned

He is not only a wicked minister in hiainst wicked ministers for the future

”On the other hand, the partisans of the ainst him, and celebrate his wise, steady, and moderate conduct in every part of his administration The honour and interest of the nation supported abroad, public credit maintained at home, persecution restrained, faction subdued: the s is ascribed solely to the minister At the saious care of the best government in the world, which he has preserved in all its parts, and has transmitted entire, to be the happiness and security of the latest posterity”--(III 26)

Huyric and the accusation cannot both be true; and, that what truth there may be in either, rather tends to show that our much-vaunted constitution does not fulfil its chief object, which is to provide a reainst maladministration And if it does not--

”we are rather beholden to any minister who under a better in its place”--III 28