"Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

by it in all their actions.

Secondly, Those principles of causes, which are fitted to
operate on a multitude, are always of a grosser and more
stubborn nature, less subject to accidents, and less
influenced by whim and private fancy, than those which operate
on a few only. The latter are commonly so delicate and
refined, that the smallest incident in the health, education,
or fortune of a particular person, is sufficient to divert
their course, and retard their operation; nor is it possible
to reduce them to any general maxims or observations. Their
influence at one time will never assure us concerning their
influence at another; even though all the general
circumstances should be the same in both cases.

To judge by this rule, the domestic and the gradual
revolutions of a state must be a more proper subject of
reasoning and observation, than the foreign and the violent,
which are commonly produced by single persons, and are more
influenced by whim, folly, or caprice, than by general
passions and interests. The depression of the lords, and rise
of the commons in England, after the statutes of alienation
and the encrease of trade and industry, are more easily
accounted for by general principles, than the depression of
the Spanish, and rise of the French monarchy, after the death
of Charles V. Had Harry IV, Cardinal Richlieu and Louis XIV
been Spaniards; and Philip II, III, and IV, and Charles II
been Frenchmen, the history of these two nations had been
entirely reversed.

For the same reason, it is more easy to account for the rise
and progress of commerce in any kingdom, than for that of
learning; and a state, which should apply itself to the
encouragement of the one, would be more assured of success,
than one which should cultivate the other. Avarice, or the
desire of gain, is an universal passion, which operates at all
times, in all places, and upon all persons: But curiosity, or
the love of knowledge, has a very limited influence, and
requires youth, leisure, education, genius, and example, to
make it govern any person. You will never want booksellers,
while there are buyers of books: But there may frequently be
readers where there are no authors. Multitudes of people,
necessity and liberty, have begotten commerce in Holland: But
study and application have scarcely produced any eminent
writers.

We may, therefore, conclude, that there is no subject, in
which we must proceed with more caution, than in tracing the
history of the arts and sciences; lest we assign causes which
never existed, and reduce what is merely contingent to stable