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   Copyright 1995, Christopher MacLachlan (cjmm@st-andrews.ac.uk). See
   end note for details on copyright and editing conventions.[1]

   Editor's note: "Of Superstition and Enthusiasm" appeared in 1741 in
   the first volume of Hume's Essays, Moral and Political. The text file
   here is based on the 1875 Green and Grose edition. Spelling and
   punctuation have been modernized.

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   Of Superstition and Enthusiasm

           That the corruption of the best things produces the worst, is
           grown into a maxim, and is commonly proved, among other
           instances, by the pernicious effects of superstition and
           enthusiasm, 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, That superstition is favourable to
           priestly power, and enthusiasm not less or rather more
           contrary to it, than sound reason and philosophy. 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 second reflection with regard to these species of false
           religion is, that religions, which partake of enthusiasm are,
           on their first rise, more furious and violent than those which
           partake of superstition; but in a little time become more
           gentle and moderate. The violence of this species of religion,
           when excited by novelty, and animated by opposition, appears
           from numberless instances; of the anabaptists in Germany, the
           camisars in France, the levellers and other fanatics in
           England and the covenanters 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 quakers seem to approach
           nearly the only regular body of deists in the universe, the literati,
           or the disciples of Confucius in China.[4]

           My third observation on this head is, that superstition is an
           enemy to civil liberty, and enthusiasm a friend to it. 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 independents and
           deists, though the most opposite in their religious
           principles; yet were united in their political ones, and were
           alike passionate for a commonwealth. And since the origin of
           whig and tory, the leaders of the whigs have either been
           deists or profest latitudnarians in their principles; that is,
           friends to toleration, and indifferent to any particular sect
           of christians: While the sectaries, who have all a strong
           tincture of enthusiasm, have always, without exception,
           concurred with that party, in defence of civil liberty. The
           resemblance in their superstitions long united the high church
           tories, and the Roman catholics, in support of prerogative and
           kingly power; though experience of the tolerating spirit of
           the whigs seems of late to have reconciled the catholics to
           that party.

           The molinists and jansenists in France have a thousand
           unintelligible disputes, which are not worthy the reflection
           of a man of sense: But what principally distinguishes these
           two sects, and alone merits attention, is the different spirit
           of their religion. The molinists conducted by the jesuits, are
           great friends to superstition, rigid observers of external
           forms and ceremonies, and devoted to the authority of the
           priests, and to tradition. The jansenists are enthusiasts, and
           zealous promoters of the passionate devotion, and of the
           inward life; little influenced by authority; and, in a word,
           but half catholics. The consequences are exactly conformable
           to the foregoing reasoning. The jesuits are the tyrants of the
           people, and the slaves of the court: And the jansenists
           preserve alive the small sparks of the love of liberty, which
           are to be found in the French nation.

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           [1][COPYRIGHT: (c) 1995, Christopher MacLachlan
           (cjmm@st-andrews.ac.uk), all rights reserved. Unaltered copies
           of this computer text file may be freely distribute for
           personal and classroom use. Alterations to this file are
           permitted only for purposes of computer printouts, although
           altered computer text files may not circulate. Except to cover
           nominal distribution costs, this file cannot be sold without
           written permission from the copyright holder. When quoting
           from this text, please use the following citation: The
           Writings of David Hume, ed. James Fieser (Internet Release,
           1995).

   EDITORIAL CONVENTIONS: Note references are contained within square
   brackets (e.g., [1]). Spelling and punctuation have been modernized.

           [2]By Priests, I here mean only the pretenders to power and
           dominion, and to a superior sanctity of character, distinct
           from virtue and good morals. These are very different from
           clergymen, who are set apart by the laws, to the care of
           sacred matters, and to the conducting our public devotions
           with greater decency and order. There is no rank of men more
           to be respected than the latter.

           [3]Modern Judaism and popery (especially the latter), being
           the most unphilosophical and absurd superstitions which have
           yet been known in the world, are the most enslaved by their
           priests. As the church of England may justly be said to retain
           some mixture of Popish superstition, it partakes also, in its
           original constitution, of a propensity to priestly power and
           dominion; particularly in the respect it exacts to the
           sacerdotal character. And though, according to the sentiments
           of that Church, the prayers of the priest must be accompanied
           with those of the laity; yet is he the mouth of the
           congregation, his person is sacred, and without his presence
           few would think their public devotions, or the sacraments, and
           other rites, acceptable to the divinity.

           [4]The Chinese Literati have no priests or ecclesiastical
           establishment.

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   � 1996