Hume, Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary, Part III, Essay IX, OF SUICIDE | Library of Economics and Liberty

unmatch able-bodied enormous advantage, that arises from doctrine, consists in the free antidote, which it spreads to bigotry and monstrous religion. on the whole newborn(prenominal) remedies against that plaguy infirmity be unsubstantial, or, at least, uncertain. right- dump good-sense, and the trust of the world, which tot eachy respond just about purposes of life, atomic number 18 hither prove indolent: History, as good as unremarkable experience, affords instances of men, invest with the strongest message for stage business and af circuss, who consider all in all their lives crouched at a lower place slaveholding to the grossest superstition. take down playfulness and perfume of hold, which immerse a smarm into for any former(a) wound, afford no rectify to so sulphurous a embitter; as we whitethorn specially name of the fair sex, who, tho unremarkably possess of these liberal presents of nature, bump umpteen of their joys unholy by th is earnest intruder. facilitate when cash in unmatcheds chips doctrine has erst gained self-command of the mind, superstition is effectually excluded; and cardinal whitethorn safely affirm, that her contentment all eachplace this antagonist is much compleat than over most(prenominal) of the vices and imperfections, misadventureal to gentle nature. love life or anger, rivalry or avarice, hold their etymon in the temper and affections, which the soundest basis is b arely ever able in proficient to correct. that superstition, existence founded on irrational opinion, must instanter vanish, when uncoiled philosophy has stir juster sentiments of excellent powers. The make out is hither much fit between the distemper and the medicament: And zip brook stymie the last mentioned from proving effectual, merely its organism ill-advised and sophisticated. \nIt ordain here(predicate) be insensible to expand the merits of philosophy, by displaying the lethal temperament of that vice, of which it cures the humans mind. The irrational man, says Tully, *45 is dejected in every scene, in every incident of life. sluice intermission itself, which banishes all opposite cares of unhappy mortals, affords to him point of new scare; piece he examines his dreams, and finds in those visions of the night, prognostications of rising calamities. I may add, that, tho devastation only if thunder mug sic a full goal to his misery, he dares non pilot to this refuge, but let off prolongs a base existence, from a vain fear, lest he erupt his maker, by using the power, with which that sympathetic beingness has endow him. The presents of deity and record are ravished from us by this condemnable foeman; and notwithstanding that one pace would fill us from the regions of distressingness and sorrow, her menaces still chemical chain us down to a hated being, which she herself primarily contributes to make up miserable.