the mind will return gladly and eagerly to its old endearments. One thing we certainly know; the fashion of sceptical and metaphysical systems soon passeth away. Those unnatural productions, the vile effusion of a hard and stupid heart, that mistakes its own restlessness for the activity of genius, and its own captiousness for sagacity of understanding, may, like other monsters, please a while by their singularity; but the charm is soon over; and the succeeding age will be astonished to hear, that their forefathers were deluded, or amused with such fooleries. The measure of scepticism seems indeed to be full; it is time. for truth to vindicate her rights, and we trust they shall be yet completely vindicated. Such are the hopes and the earnest wishes of one, who has seldom made controversy his study, who never took pleasure in argumentation, and who disclaims all ambition of being reputed a subtle disputant, but who, as a friend to human nature, would account it his honour to be instrumental in promoting, though by means unpleasant to himself, the cause of virtue and true science, and in bringing to contempt that sceptical sophistry which is equally subversive of both.

Xx

POSTSCRIPT.

To

November, 1770.

O read and criticise the modern systems of seepticism is so disagreeable a task, that nothing but a regard to duty could ever have determined me to engage in it. I found in them neither instruction. nor amusement; I wrote against them with all the disgust that one feels in wrangling with an unreasonable adversary; and I published what I had written with the certain prospect of raising many enemies, and with such an opinion of my performance as allowed me not to entertain any sanguine hopes of success. I thought it however possible, nay, and probable too, that this book might do good. I knew that it contained some matters of importance, which, if I was not able to set them in the best light, might, however, by my means, be suggested to others more capable to do them justice.

Since these papers were first published, I have laid myself out to obtain information of what has been said of them, both by their friends, and by their enemies; hoping to profit by the censures of the latter, as well as by the admonitions of the former. I do not hear, that any person has accused me of misconceiving or misrepresenting my adversaries' doctrine. Again and again have I requested it of those whom I know to be masters of the whole controversy, to give me their thoughts freely on this point; and they have repeatedly told me, that in their judgment, nothing of this kind can be laid to my charge.

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Most of the objections that have been made, I had foreseen, and, as I thought, sufficiently obviated by occasional remarks in the course of the essay. But, in regard to some of them, I find it necessary now to be more particular. I wish to give the fullest satisfaction to every candid mind: and I am sure I do not on these subjects, entertain a single thought which I need to be ashamed or afraid to lay before the public.

I have been much blamed for entering so warmly into this controversy. In order to prepossess the minds of those who had not read this performance with an unfavourable opinion of it and of its author, insinuations have been made, and carefully helped about, that it treats only of some abstruse points of speculative metaphysics; which, however, I am accused of having discussed, or attempted to discuss, with all the zeal of the most furious bigot, indulging myself in an indecent vehemence of language, and uttering the most rancorous invectives against those who differ from me in opinion. Much, on this occasion, has been said in praise of moderation and scepticism moderation, the source of candour, goodbreeding, and good nature; and scepticism, the child of impartiality, and the parent of humility. When men believe, with full conviction, nothing, it seems, is to be expected from them but bigotry and

* In justice to the public I must here observe, that the clamour against me on account of this book, however loud and alarming at first, appears now to have been raised and propagated by a few persons of a particular party in Scotland; and to have owed its rise to prejudice, and its progress to defamation; two engines of malignity which an honest man would be much more sorry to see employed for him than against him.

bitterness: when they suffer themselves in their inquiries to be biassed by partiality, or warmed with affection, they are philosophers no longer, but revilers and enthusiasts;-If this were a just account of the matter and manner of the Essay on Truth, I should not have the face even to attempt an apology; for were any person guilty of the fault here complained of, I myself should certainly be one of the first to condemn him.

In the whole circle of human sciences, real or pretended, there is not any thing to be found which I think more perfectly contemptible than the speculative metaphysics of the moderns. It is indeed a most wretched medley of ill-digested notions, indistinct perceptions, inaccurate observations, perverted language, and sophistical argument; distinguishing where there is no difference, and confounding where there is no similitude; feigning difficulties where it cannot find them, and overlooking them when real, I know no end that the study of such jargon can answer, except to harden and stupify the heart, bewilder the understanding, sour the temper, and habituate the mind to irresolution, captiousness, and falsehood. For studies of this sort I have neither time nor inclination, I have neither head nor heart. To enter into them at all, is foolish; to enter into them with warmth, ridiculous; but to treat those with any bitterness, whose judgments concerning them may differ from ours, is in a very high degree odious and criminal. Thus far, then, my adversaries and I are agreed. Had the sceptical philosophers confined themselves to those inoffensive wranglings that shew only the subtlety and captiousness of the disputant, but affect not the principles of human

conduct, they never would have found an opponent in me. My passion for writing is not strong; and my love of controversy so weak, that if it could always be avoided with a safe conscience, I would never engage in it at all. But when doctrines are published subversive of morality and religion; doctrines of which I perceive and have it in my power to expose the absurdity, my duty to the public forbids me. to be silent; especially when I see, that by the influence of fashion, folly, or more criminal causes, those doctrines spread wider and wider every day, diffus. ing ignorance, misery, and licentiousness, wherever they prevail. Let us oppose the torrent, though we should not be able to check it. The zeal and example of the weak have often roused to action, and to victory, the slumbering virtue of the strong.

I likewise agree with my adversaries in this, that scepticism, where it tends to make men well-bred and good-natured, and to rid them of pedantry and petulence, without doing individuals or society any harm, is an excellent thing. And some sorts of scepticism there are, that really have this tendency. In philosophy, in history, in politics, yea, and even in theology itself, there are many points of doubtful disputation, in regard to which, a man's judgment may lean to either of the sides, or hang wavering between them, without the least inconvenience to himself, or others. Whether pure space exists, or how we come to form an idea of it; whether all the objects of human reason may be fairly reduced to Aristotle's ten categories; whether Hannibal, when he passed the Alps, had any vinegar in his camp; whether Richard III. was as remarkable for cruelty and a hump-back, as is commonly believed; whether Mary Queen of Scotland married