"Essays on Suicide and the Immortality of the Soul" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

remains of a favourite author rescued in this manner from that
oblivion to which the prejudices of his countrymen had, in all
appearance, consigned them; and even the religious part of mankind
have some reason of triumph from the striking instance here given of
truth's superiority to error, even when error has all the advantage
of an elegant genius, and a great literary reputation to recommend
it.

{1}

ESSAY I.



ON .




O/NE\ considerable advantage that arises from Philosophy, consists
in the sovereign antidote which it affords to superstition and false
religion. All other remedies against that pestilent distemper are
vain, or at least uncertain. Plain good sense and the practice of
the world, which alone serve most purposes of life, are here found
ineffectual: History as well as daily experience furnish instances

of men endowed with the {2} strongest capacity for business and
affairs, who have all their lives crouched under slavery to the
grossest superstition. Even gaiety and sweetness of temper, which
infuse a balm into every other wound, afford no remedy to so
virulent a poison; as we may particularly observe of the fair sex,
who tho' commonly possest of their rich presents of nature, feel
many of their joys blasted by this importunate intruder. But when
found Philosophy has once gained possession of the mind,
superstition is effectually excluded, and one may fairly affirm that
her triumph over this enemy is more complete than over most of the
vices 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, but
superstition being founded on false opinion, must immediately vanish
when true philosophy has inspired juster sentiments of superior
powers. The contest is here more equal between the distemper and the
medicine, {3} and nothing can hinder the latter from proving
effectual but its being false and sophisticated.

I/T\ will here be superfluous to magnify the merits of
Philosophy by displaying the pernicious tendency of that vice of
which it cures the human mind. ([editor's note] 1) The superstitious
man says Tully[2] is miserable in every scene, in every incident in
life; even sleep itself, which banishes all other cares of unhappy
mortals, affords to him matter of new terror; while he examines his

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