“Where am I, or what? From what
causes do I derive my existence, and to what condition shall I return? ... I am
confounded with all these questions, and begin to fancy myself in the most
deplorable condition imaginable, environed with the deepest darkness, and
utterly deprived of the use of every member and faculty." – David Hume, An
Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, 1793.
Hume was a Scottish philosopher,
historian, economist, and essayist known especially for his philosophical
empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the
history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment. Hume wrote a
great deal on religion. The question of what were Hume's personal views on
religion is a difficult one. The Church of Scotland seriously considered
bringing charges of infidelity against him. Many sources label him as an
agnostic, others considered him a heretic. James Boswell saw Hume a few weeks
before his death (which was from some form of abdominal cancer). Hume told him
he sincerely believed it a "most unreasonable fancy" that there might
be life after death.
The death of David Hume was
similar to (Thomas) Paine's, contrary to popular belief. Robert Haldane had a
neighbor, Mr. Abercromby of Lullibody, who, in the autumn, of 1776, was
travelling in a stage-coach to Haddington. One of the topics of conversation
was the recent death of David Hume. Mr. Abercromby's son-in-law, Colonel
Edmonstone of Newton, had been one of Hume's intimate friends, and had said
that Hume had died in an atmosphere of buoyant cheerfulness. Alexander Haldane
writes:
"Whilst the conversation was
running on in this strain, a respectable-looking female dressed in black, who
made a fourth in the coach, begged permission to offer a remark.
"Gentlemen," she said, "I attended Mr. Hume on his deathbed, but
I can assure you I hope never again to attend the death-bed of a
philosopher." They then cross-examined her as to her meaning, and she told
them, that when his friends were with him, Mr. Hume was cheerful even to
frivolity, but that when alone he was often overwhelmed with unutterable gloom,
and had, in his hours of depression, declared that he had been in search of
light all his life, but was now in greater darkness than ever. The anecdote has
been told by those who probably had it from some of the other travellers. Mr.
Haldane's version is substantially the same, and Mrs. Joass often repeated the
circumstances as related by her venerable father." - Alexander Haldane, Memoirs
of the Lives of Robert Haldane of Airthrey, and of His Brother, James Alexander
Haldane (London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co., 1852), p. 581.
All Rights Reserved / Copyright David John Drew 2013.
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