of superstition and enthusiasm-第1节

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OF　SUPERSTITION　AND　ENTHUSIASM

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　David　Hume

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1741

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　





　　　　　；

is　grown　into　a　maxim；　and　is　commonly　proved；　among　other

instances；　by　the　pernicious　effects　of　　and

；　the　corruptions　of　true　religion。

　　　　　These　two　species　of　false　religion；　though　both　pernicious；

are　yet　of　a　very　different；　and　even　of　a　contrary　nature。　The

mind　of　man　is　subject　to　certain　unaccountable　terrors　and

apprehensions；　proceeding　either　from　the　unhappy　situation　of

private　or　public　affairs；　from　ill　health；　from　a　gloomy　and

melancholy　disposition；　or　from　the　concurrence　of　all　these

circumstances。　In　such　a　state　of　mind；　infinite　unknown　evils

are　dreaded　from　unknown　agents；　and　where　real　objects　of　terror

are　wanting；　the　soul；　active　to　its　own　prejudice；　and　fostering

its　predominant　inclination；　finds　imaginary　ones；　to　whose　power

and　malevolence　it　sets　no　limits。　As　these　enemies　are　entirely

invisible　and　unknown；　the　methods　taken　to　appease　them　are

equally　unaccountable；　and　consist　in　ceremonies；　observances；

mortifications；　sacrifices；　presents；　or　in　any　practice；　however

absurd　or　frivolous；　which　either　folly　or　knavery　recommends　to

a　blind　and　terrified　credulity。　Weakness；　fear；　melancholy；

together　with　ignorance；　are；　therefore；　the　true　sources　of

Superstition。

　　　　　But　the　mind　of　man　is　also　subject　to　an　unaccountable

elevation　and　presumption；　arising　from　prosperous　success；　from

luxuriant　health；　from　strong　spirits；　or　from　a　bold　and

confident　disposition。　In　such　a　state　of　mind；　the　imagination

swells　with　great；　but　confused　conceptions；　to　which　no

sublunary　beauties　or　enjoyments　can　correspond。　Every　thing

mortal　and　perishable　vanishes　as　unworthy　of　attention。　And　a

full　range　is　given　to　the　fancy　in　the　invisible　regions　or

world　of　spirits；　where　the　soul　is　at　liberty　to　indulge　itself

in　every　imagination；　which　may　best　suit　its　present　taste　and

disposition。　Hence　arise　raptures；　transports；　and　surprising

flights　of　fancy；　and　confidence　and　presumption　still

encreasing；　these　raptures；　being　altogether　unaccountable；　and

seeming　quite　beyond　the　reach　of　our　ordinary　faculties；　are

attributed　to　the　immediate　inspiration　of　that　Divine　Being；　who

is　the　object　of　devotion。　In　a　little　time；　the　inspired　person

comes　to　regard　himself　as　a　distinguished　favourite　of　the

Divinity；　and　when　this　frenzy　once　takes　place；　which　is　the

summit　of　enthusiasm；　every　whimsy　is　consecrated：　Human　reason；

and　even　morality　are　rejected　as　fallacious　guides：　And　the

fanatic　madman　delivers　himself　over；　blindly；　and　with　out

reserve；　to　the　supposed　illapses　of　the　spirit；　and　to

inspiration　from　above。　Hope；　pride；　presumption；　a　warm

imagination；　together　with　ignorance；　are；　therefore；　the　true

sources　of　Enthusiasm。

　　　　　These　two　species　of　false　religion　might　afford　occasion　to

many　speculations；　but　I　shall　confine　myself；　at　present；　to　a

few　reflections　concerning　their　different　influence　on

government　and　society。

　　　　　My　first　reflection　is；　。　As　superstition　is

founded　on　fear；　sorrow；　and　a　depression　of　spirits；　it

represents　the　man　to　himself　in　such　despicable　colours；　that　he

appears　unworthy；　in　his　own　eyes；　of　approaching　the　divine

presence；　and　naturally　has　recourse　to　any　other　person；　whose

sanctity　of　life；　or；　perhaps；　impudence　and　cunning；　have　made

him　be　supposed　more　favoured　by　the　Divinity。　To　him　the

superstitious　entrust　their　devotions：　To　his　care　they　recommend

their　prayers；　petitions；　and　sacrifices：　And　by　his　means；　they

hope　to　render　their　addresses　acceptable　to　their　incensed

Deity。　Hence　the　origin　of　Priests；＇2＇　who　may　justly　be　regarded

as　an　invention　of　a　timorous　and　abject　superstition；　which；

ever　diffident　of　itself；　dares　not　offer　up　its　own　devotions；

but　ignorantly　thinks　to　recommend　itself　to　the　Divinity；　by　the

mediation　of　his　supposed　friends　and　servants。　As　superstition

is　a　considerable　ingredient　in　almost　all　religions；　even　the

most　fanatical；　there　being　nothing　but　philosophy　able　entirely

to　conquer　these　unaccountable　terrors；　hence　it　proceeds；　that

in　almost　every　sect　of　religion　there　are　priests　to　be　found：

But　the　stronger　mixture　there　is　of　superstition；　the　higher　is

the　authority　of　the　priesthood。＇3＇

　　　　　On　the　other　hand；　it　may　be　observed；　that　all　enthusiasts

have　been　free　from　the　yoke　of　ecclesiastics；　and　have　expressed

great　independence　in　their　devotion；　with　a　contempt　of　forms；

ceremonies；　and　traditions。　The　quakers　are　the　most　egregious；

though；　at　the　same　time；　the　most　innocent　enthusiasts　that　have

yet　been　known；　and　are；　perhaps；　the　only　sect；　that　have　never

admitted　priests　amongst　them。　The　independents；　of　all　the

English　sectaries；　approach　nearest　to　the　quakers　in　fanaticism；

and　in　their　freedom　from　priestly　bondage。　The　presbyterians

follow　after；　at　an　equal　distance　in　both　particulars。　In　short

this　observation　is　founded　in　experience；　and　will　also　appear

to　be　founded　in　reason；　if　we　consider；　that；　as　enthusiasm

arises　from　a　presumptuous　pride　and　confidence；　it　thinks　itself

sufficiently　qualified　to　approach　the　Divinity；　without　any

human　mediator。　Its　rapturous　devotions　are　so　fervent；　that　it

even　imagines　itself　actually　to　approach　him　by　the　way　of

contemplation　and　inward　converse；　which　makes　it　neglect　all

those　outward　ceremonies　and　observances；　to　which　the　assistance

of　the　priests　appears　so　requisite　in　the　eyes　of　their

superstitious　votaries。　The　fanatic　consecrates　himself；　and

bestows　on　his　own　person　a　sacred　character；　much　superior　to

what　forms　and　ceremonious　institutions　can　confer　on　any　other。

　　　　　My　　reflection　with　regard　to　these　species　of　false

religion　is；　。　The　violence　of　this　species　of　religion；　when

excited　by　novelty；　and　animated　by　opposition；　appears　from

numberless　instances；　of　the　　in　Germany；　the

　in　France；　the　l　and　other　fanatics　in

England　and　the　　in　Scotland。　Enthusiasm　being

founded　on　strong　spirits；　and　a　presumptuous　boldness　of

character；　it　naturally　begets　the　most　extreme　resolutions；

especially　after　it　rises　to　that　height　as　to　inspire　the

deluded　fanatic　with　the　opinion　of　divine　illuminations；　and

with　a　contempt　for　the　common　rules　of　reason；　morality；　and

prudence。

　　　　　It　is　thus　enthusiasm　produces　the　most　cruel　disorders　in

human　society；　but　its　fury　is　like　that　of　thunder　and　tempest；

which　exhaust　themselves　in　a　little　time；　and　leave　the　air　more

calm　and　pure　than　before。　When　the　first　fire　of　enthusiasm　is

spent；　men　naturally；　in　all　fanatical　sects；　sink　into　the

greatest　remissness　and　coolness　in　sacred　matters；　there　being

no　body　of　men　among　them；　endowed　with　sufficient　authority；

whose　interest　is　concerned　to　support　the　religious　spirit：　No

rites；　no　ceremonies；　no　holy　observances；　which　may　enter　into

the　common　train　of　life；　and　preserve　the　sacred　principles　from

oblivion。　Superstition；　on　the　contrary；　steals　in　gradually　and

insensibly；　renders　men　tame　and　submissive；　is　acceptable　to　the

magistrate；　and　seems　inoffensive　to　the　people：　Till　at　last　the

priest；　having　firmly　established　his　authority；　becomes　the

tyrant　and　disturber　of　human　society；　by　his　endless

contentions；　persecutions；　and　religious　wars。　How　smoothly　did

the　Romish　church　advance　in　her　acquisition　of　power　？　But　into

what　dismal　convulsions　did　she　throw　all　Europe；　in　order　to

maintain　it　？　On　the　other　hand；　our　sectaries；　who　were　formerly

such　dangerous　bigots；　are　now　become　very　free　reasoners；　and

the　　seem　to　approach　nearly　the　only　regular　body　of

　in　the　universe；　the　l；　or　the　disciples　of

Confucius　in　China。＇4＇

　　　　　My　　observation　on　this　head　is；　。　As

superstition　groans　under　the　dominion　of　priests；　and　enthusiasm

is　destructive　of　all　ecclesiastical　power；　this　sufficiently

accounts　for　the　present　observation。　Not　to　mention；　that

enthusiasm；　being　the　infirmity　of　bold　and　ambitious　tempers；　is

naturally　accompanied　with　a　spirit　of　liberty；　as　superstition；

on　the　contrary；　renders　men　tame　and　abject；　and　fits　them　for

slavery。　We　learn　from　English　history；　that；　during　the　civil

wars；　the　　and