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Unit 20: David Hume-Of Essay Writing ...

than such Essays as these with which I endeavour to entertain the public. In this view, I cannot but Notes
consider myself as a kind of resident or ambassador from the dominions of learning to those of
conversation; and shall think it my constant duty to promote a good correspondence betwixt these
two states, which have so great a dependence on each other. I shall give intelligence to the learned
of whatever passes in company, and shall endeavour to import into company whatever commodities
I find in my native country proper for their use and entertainment. The balance of trade we need
not be jealous of, nor will there beany difficulty to preserve it on both sides. The materials of this
commerce must chiefly be furnished by conversation and common life: the manufacturing of them
alone belongs tolearning. As ’t would be an unpardonable negligence in an ambassador not to pay
his respects to the sovereign of the state where he is commissioned to reside; so it would be
altogether inexcusable in me not to address myself, with a particular respect, to the fair sex, who
are the sovereigns of the empire of conversation. I approach them with reverence; and were not
my countrymen, the learned, a stubborn independent race of mortals, extremely jealous of their
liberty, and unaccustomed to subjection, I should resign into their fair hands the sovereign authority
over the republic of letters. As the case stands, my commission extends no farther, than to desire
aleague, offensive and defensive, against our common enemies, against the enemies of reason and
beauty, people of dull heads and cold hearts. From this moment let us pursue them with these
verest vengeance: let no quarter be given, but to those of sound understandings and delicate
affections; and these characters, ’tis to be presumed, we shall always find in separable. To be
serious, and to quit the allusion before it be worn thread-bare, I am of opinion, that women, that
is, women of sense and education (for to such alone I address myself) are much better judges of all
polite writing than men of the same degree of understanding; and that ’tis a vain pannic, if they
be so far terrified with the common ridicule that is levelled against learned ladies, as utterly to
abandon every kind of books and study to our sex. Let the dread of that ridicule have no other
effect, than to make them conceal their knowledge before fools, who are not worthy of it, nor of
them. Such will still presume upon the vain title of the male sex to affect a superiority above them:
but my fair readers may be assured, that all men of sense, who know the world, have a great
deference for their judgment of such books are within the compass of their knowledge, and repose
more confidence in the delicacy of their taste, though unguided by rules, than in all the dull
labours of pedants and commentators. In a neighbouring nation, equally famous for good taste,
and forgallantry, the ladies are, in a manner, the sovereigns of the learned world, as well as of the
conversible; and no polite writer pretends to venture upon the public, without the approbation of
some celebrated judges of that sex. Their verdict is, indeed, sometimes complained of; and, in
particular, I find, that the admirers of Corneille, to save that great poet’s honour upon the ascendant
that Racine began to take over him, always said, that it was not to be expected, that so old a man
could dispute the prize, before such judges, with so young a man as his rival. But this observation
has been found unjust, since posterity seems to have ratified the verdict of that tribunal: and
Racine, though 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. Would 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

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