Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary. David Hume

      

      ESSAYS

      MORAL, POLITICAL,

       AND LITERARY

      This book is published by Liberty Fund, Inc., a foundation established to encourage study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.

      The cuneiform inscription that serves as our logo and as a design element in Liberty Fund books is the earliest-known written appearance of the word “freedom” (amagi), or “liberty.” It is taken from a clay document written about 2300 B.C. in the Sumerian city-state of Lagash.

      Foreword and editorial additions © 1985, 1987 by Liberty Fund, Inc.

      Facsimile title and part title pages from Volume I of Hume: Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects, London 1777, courtesy of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

      This eBook edition published in 2013.

      eBook ISBNs:

       978-1-61487-098-2

       978-1-61487-216-0

       www.libertyfund.org

      CONTENTS

Foreword by Eugene F. Miller

Editor’s Note

Note to the Revised Edition

My Own Life by David Hume

Letter from Adam Smith, LL.D. to William Strahan, Esq.

PART I

I Of the Delicacy of Taste and Passion

II Of the Liberty of the Press

III That Politics May Be Reduced to a Science

IV Of the First Principles of Government

V Of the Origin of Government

VI Of the Independency of Parliament

VII Whether the British Government Inclines More to Absolute Monarchy, or to a Republic

VIII Of Parties in General

IX Of the Parties of Great Britain

X Of Superstition and Enthusiasm

XI Of the Dignity or Meanness of Human Nature

XII Of Civil Liberty

XIII Of Eloquence

XIV Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences

XV The Epicurean

XVI The Stoic

XVII The Platonist

XVIII The Sceptic

       XIX Of Polygamy and Divorces

       XX Of Simplicity and Refinement in Writing

       XXI Of National Characters

       XXII Of Tragedy

       XXIII Of the Standard of Taste

       PART II

       I Of Commerce

       II Of Refinement in the Arts

       III Of Money

       IV Of Interest

       V Of the Balance of Trade

       VI Of the Jealousy of Trade

       VII Of the Balance of Power

       VIII Of Taxes

       IX Of Public Credit

       X Of Some Remarkable Customs

       XI Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations

       XII Of the Original Contract

       XIII Of Passive Obedience

       XIV Of the Coalition of Parties

       XV Of the Protestant Succession