Till THEISM ; EVOLUTION OF THEOLOGY 167 



ness to be thought good shots), and by open and 

 legitimate methods ; their theological competitors 

 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 mythology] 

 with regard to this planet is, that it is not ascertained 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 number of contradictory reports, sup- 

 ported 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 tradi- 

 tional 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 con- 

 tained 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 em- 

 brace a theory, which has been instilled into them by their 

 earliest education, and which also possesses some degree of 

 consistence and uniformity. But as these appearances are sure, 



