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Notes have ratify’d the Verdict of that Tribunal: And Racine, tho’ dead, is still the Favourite of the Fair
Sex, as well as of the best Judges among the Men. There is only one Subject, on which I am apt to
distrust the Judgment of Females, and that is, concerning Books of Gallantry and Devotion, which
they commonly affect° as high flown as possible; and most of them seem more delighted with the
Warmth, than with the justness of the Passion. I mention Gallantry and Devotion as the same
Subject, because, in Reality, they become the same when treated in this Manner; and we may
observe, that they both depend upon the very same Complexion. As the Fair Sex have a great
Share of the tender and amorous Disposition, it perverts their Judgment on this Occasion, and
makes them be easily affected, even by what has no Propriety in the Expression nor Nature in the
Sentiment. Mr. Addison’s elegant Discourses of Religion have no Relish with them, in Comparison
of Books of mystic Devotion: And Otway’s Tragedies are rejected for the Rants of Mr. Dryden.*3
Wou’d the Ladies correct their false Taste in this Particular; Let them accustom themselves a little
more to Books of all Kinds: Let them give Encouragement to Men of Sense and Knowledge to
frequent their Company: And finally, let them concur heartily in that Union I have projected
betwixt the learned and conversible Worlds. They may, perhaps, meet with more Complaisance
from their usual Followers than from Men of Learning; but they cannot reasonably expect so
sincere an Affection: And, I hope, they will never be guilty of so wrong a Choice, as to sacrifice the
Substance to the Shadow.
Self Assessment

1. Choose the correct options:
(i) David Hume was a
(a) British Philosopher (b) French Philosopher
(c) Scottish Philosopher (d) None of these
(ii) David Hume was born on
(a) 26 April 1712 (b) 26 April 1712
(c) 26 April 1715 (d) None of these
(iii) Hume was called the ......... of the Wittgensteinian revolution
(a) Father (b) Pioneer
(c) Prophet (d) None of these

19.6 Summary

• Hume advocated a compatibilist theory of free will that proved extremely influential on
subsequent moral philosophy. He was also a sentimentalist who held that ethics are based
on feelings rather than abstract moral principles. Hume also examined the normative is–
ought problem. He held notoriously ambiguous views of Christianity,but famously challenged
the argument from design in his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1777).
• Hume achieved great literary fame as a historian. His enormous The History of England,
tracing events from the Invasion of Julius Caesar to the Revolution of 1688, was a best-seller
in its day. In it, Hume presented political person as a creature of habit, with a disposition to
submit quietly to established government unless confronted by uncertain circumstances. In
his view, only religious difference could deflect people from their everyday lives to think
about political matters.
• Hume’s volume of Political Discourses (published by Kincaid & Donaldson, 1752) was the
only work he considered successful on first publication.
• From 1763 to 1765, Hume was secretary to Lord Hertford in Paris.

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