174: HUME viii 



without a cause, and the original cause of this universe 

 (whatever it be) we call God, and piously ascribe to him 

 every species of perfection." (II. p. 439.) 



The expositor of Hume,, who wishes to do his 

 work thoroughly,, as far as it goes,, cannot hut fall 

 into perplexity * when he contrasts this language 

 with that of the sections of the third part of the 

 " Treatise," entitled, Why a Cause is Always Neces- 

 sary and Of the Idea of Necessary Connexion. 



It is there shown at large that, " every demon- 



* A perplexity which is increased rather than diminished 

 by some passages in a letter to Gilbert Elliot of Minto 

 (March 10, 1751). Hume says, "You would perceive by 

 the sample I have given you that I make Cleanthes the 

 hero of the dialogue; whatever you can think of, to 

 strengthen that side of the argument, will be most accept- 

 able to me. Any propensity you imagine I have to the 

 other side crept in upon me against my will ; and 'tis not 

 long ago that I burned an old manuscript book, wrote be- 

 fore I was twenty, which contained, page after page, the 

 gradual progress of my thoughts on this head. It began 

 with an anxious scent after arguments to confirm the com- 

 mon opinion; doubts stole in, dissipated, returned; were 

 again dissipated ; returned again ; and it was a perpetual 

 struggle of a restless imagination against inclination 

 perhaps against reason. ... I could wish Cleanthes' argu- 

 ment could be so analysed as to be rendered quite formal 

 and regular. The propensity of the mind towards it un- 

 less that propensity were as strong and universal as that to 

 believe in our senses and experience will still, I am afraid, 

 be esteemed a suspicious foundation. 'Tis here I wish for 

 your assistance. We must endeavour to prove that this 

 propensity is somewhat different from our inclination to 

 find our o'wn figures in the clouds, our faces in the moon, our 

 passions and sentiments even in inanimate matter. Such an 

 inclination may and ought to be controlled, and can never 

 be a legitimate ground of assent." (Burton, Life, I. pp. 

 331-3.) The picture of Hume here drawn unconsciously by 

 his own hand, is unlike enough to the popular conception of 

 him as a careless sceptic, loving doubt for doubt's sake. 



