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from the pitiful figure which even Mr. Hume makes in thus violently exhaufting his last strength in an abortive attempt to traduce or difcredit them.

The two very mafter ly Letters from the Eloifa of Rouffeau on the fubject of Suicide, have been much celebrated, and we hope will be confidered as materially increafing the value of this curious collection.

The admirers of Mr. Hume will be pleafed with Seeing the remains of a favorite author rescued in this manner from that oblivion to which the prejudices of his countrymen had, in all appearance, configned them; and even the religious part of mankind have fome reafon of triumph from the ftriking inftance here given of truth's fuperiority to error, even when error has all the advantage of an elegant genius, and a great literary reputation to recommend it.

ESSAY I

On SUICIDE.

ONE confiderable advantage that arises from

Philofophy, confifts in the fovereign antidote which it affords to fuperftition or falfe religion. All other remedies against that peftilent diftemper are vain, or at least uncertain. Plain good sense and the practice of the world, which alone ferve most purposes of life, are here found ineffectual: History as well as daily experience furnish inftances of men endowed with the ftrongeft capacity for business and affairs, who have all their lives crouched under flavery to the groffeft fuperftition. Even gaiety and sweetness of temper, which infuse a balm into every other wound, afford no remedy to fo virulent a poifon; as we may particularly obferve of the fair fex, who though commonly poffest of these rich prefents of nature, feel many of their joys blafted by this importunate intruder: But when found Philofophy once gained poffeffion of the mind, fuperftition is effectually excluded, and one may fairly affirm that her triumph over this enemy is more complete than

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over most of the vices and imperfections incident to human nature. Love or anger, ambition or avarice, has its root in the temper and affections, which the foundest reason is scarce ever able fully to correct; but fuperftition being founded on false opinion, muft immediately vanish when true philofophy has inspired juster sentiments of fuperior powers. The conteft is here more equal between the distemper and the medicine, and nothing can hinder, the latter from proving effectual but its being falfe and fophifticated.

It will here be fuperfluous to magnify the merits of Philofophy by displaying the pernicious tendency of that vice of which it cures the human mind. (1) The fuperftitious man, fays Tully *, is miserable in every scene, in every incident of life; even fleep itself, which banishes all other cares of unhappy mortals, affords to him matter of new terror; while he examines his dreams, and finds in thofe vifions of the night prognoftications of future calamities. I may add that though death alone can put a full period to his misery, he dares not fly to this refuge, but still prolongs a miferable existence from a vain fear left he offend his Maker, by ufing the power, with which that beneficent Being has endowed him. The prefents of God and nature are ravished from us by this cruel enemy, and notwithstanding that one step would remove us from the regions of pain and forrow, her menaces still chain us down

* De Divin. lib. i

to a hated being which fhe herself chiefly contributes to render miferable.

'Tis obferved by fuch as have been reduced by the calamities of life to the neceffity of employing this fatal remedy, that if the unseasonable care of their friends deprive them of that species of Death which they propofed to themselves, they feldom venture upon any other, or can fummon up so much resolution a fecond time as to execute their purpose. So great is our horror of death, that when it presents itself under any form, befides that to which a man has endeavoured to reconcile his imagination, it acquires new terrors, and overcomes his feeble courage: But when the menaces of superstition are joined to this natural timidity, no wonder it quite deprives men of all power over their lives, fince even many pleasures and enjoyments, to which we are carried by a ftrong propenfity, are torn from us by this inhuman tyrant. Let us here endeavour to reftore men to their native liberty, by examining all the common arguments against Suicide, and fhowing that that action may be free from every imputation of guilt or blame, according to the fentiments of all the ancient philofophers. (2)

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If Suicide be criminal, it must be a tranf greffion of our duty either to God, our neighbour, or ourselves. To prove that Suicide is no tranfgreffion of our duty to God, the following confiderations may perhaps fuffice. In order to govern the material world, the almighty Creator has established general and immutable laws, by

which all bodies, from the greatest planet to the smallest particle of matter, are maintained in their proper sphere and function. To govern the animal world, he has endowed all living creatures with bodily and mental powers; with fenfes, paffions, appetites, memory, and judgment, by which they are impelled or regulated in that courfe of life to which they are deftined. These two diftinct principles of the material and animal world, continually encroach upon each other, and mutually retard or forward each other's operation. The powers of men and of all other animals are reftrained and directed by the nature and qualities of the furrounding bodies; and the modifications and actions of these bodies are inceffantly, altered by the operation of all animals. Man is ftopt by rivers in his paffage over the surface of the earth ; and rivers, when properly directed, lend their force to the motion of machines, which ferve to the use of man. But though the provinces of the material and animal powers are not kept entirely separate, there refults from thence no difcord or disorder in the creation; on the contrary, from the mixture, union, and contraft of all the various powers of inanimate bodies and living creatures arise that sympathy, harmony, and proportion, which afford the fureft argument of Supreme Wisdom. The providence of the Deity appears not immediately in any operation, but governs every thing by thofe general and immutable laws, which have been established from the beginning of time. All events, in one fense, may be pronounced the action of the

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