"Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

think of, to strengthen that Side of the Argument, will be

most acceptable to me. Any Propensity you imagine I have to

the other Side, crept in upon me against my Will ... I have

often thought, that the best way of composing a Dialogue,

wou'd be for two Persons that are of different Opinions

about any Question of Importance, to write alternately the

different Parts of the Discourse, & reply to each other. By

this Means, that vulgar Error woud be avoided, of putting

nothing but Nonsense into the Mouth of the Adversary: And at

the same time, a Variety of Character & Genius being upheld,

woud make the whole look more natural & unaffected. Had it

been my good Fortune to live near you, I shou'd have taken

on me the Character of Philo, in the Dialogue, which you'll

own I coud have supported naturally enough: And you woud not

have been averse to that of Cleanthes. I believe, too, we

coud both of us have kept our Temper very well; only, you

have not reach'd an absolute philosophical Indifference on

these Points. What Danger can ever come from ingenious

Reasoning & Enquiry? The worst speculative Sceptic ever I

knew, was a much better Man than the best superstitious

Devotee & Bigot. I must inform you, too, that this was the

way of thinking of the Antients on this Subject. ... I

cou'd wish that Cleanthes' Argument coud be so analys'd, as

to be render'd quite formal & regular. The Propensity of the

Mind towards it, unless that Propensity were as strong &