168 HUME vm 



too often care merely to supply the market of 

 establishments; and disdain neither the aid of 

 the snares of superstition, nor the cover of the 

 darkness of ignorance. 



Unless some foundation was given for this im- 

 pression by the theological writers whose works 

 had fallen in Hume's way, it is difficult to account 

 for the depth of feeling which so good-natured a 

 man manifests on the subject. 



Thus he writes in the " Natural History of 

 Religion," with quite unusual acerbity: 



"The chief objection to it [the ancient heathen my- 

 thologyj with regard to this planet is, that it is not ascer- 

 tained by any just reason or authority. The ancient 

 tradition insisted on by heathen priests and theologers is 

 but a weak foundation : and transmitted also such a num- 

 ber of contradictory reports, supported all of them by equal 

 authority, that it became absolutely impossible to fix a 

 preference among them. A few volumes, therefore, must 

 contain all the polemical writings of pagan priests : And 

 their whole theology must consist more of traditional stories 

 and superstitious practices than of philosophical argument 

 and controversy. 



" But where theism forms the fundamental principle of 

 any popular religion, that tenet is so conformable to sound 

 reason, that philosophy is apt to incorporate itself with 

 such a system of theology. And if the other dogmas of 

 that system be contained in a sacred book, such as the 

 Alcoran, or be determined by any visible authority, like 

 that of the Roman pontiff, speculative reasoners naturally 

 carry on their assent, and embrace a theory, which has 

 been instilled into them by their earliest education, and 

 which also possesses some degree of consistence and uni- 

 formity. But as these appearances are sure, all of them, to 



