ESSAY

XVIII.

The SCEPTIC.

I

HAVE long entertained a suspicion, with regard to the decifions of philofophers upon all subjects, and found in myself a greater inclination to dispute, than affent to their conclufions. There is one mistake, to which they seem liable, almoft without exception; they confine too much their principles, and make no account 、 of that vast variety, which nature has fo much affected in all her operations. When a philosopher has once laid hold of a favourite principle, which perhaps accounts for many natural effects, he extends the fame principle over the whole creation, and reduces to it every phænomenon, though by the most violent and abfurd reasoning. Our own mind being narrow and contracted, we cannot extend our conception to the variety and extent of nature; but imagine, that fhe is as much bounded in her operations, as we are in our fpeculation.

But if ever this infirmity of philosophers is to be fuspected on any occafion, it is in their reafonings concerning human life, and the methods of attaining happiness. In that cafe, they are led aftray, not only by the narrowness of their understandings, but by that alfo of their paffions. Almost every one has a predominant inclina

tion,

tion, to which his other defires and affections fubmit, and which governs him, though, perhaps, with fome intervals, through the whole courfe of his life. It is difficult for him to apprehend, that any thing, which appears totally indifferent to him, can ever give enjoyment to any perfon, or can poffefs charms, which altogether escape his obfervation. His own pursuits are always, in his account, the most engaging: The objects of his passion, the most valuable: And the road, which he pursues, the only one that leads to happiness.

But would these prejudiced reasoners reflect a moment, there are many obvious instances and arguments, fufficient to undeceive them, and make them enlarge their maxims and principles. Do they not fee the vast variety of inclinations and pursuits among our fpecies; where each man seems fully fatisfied with his own course of life, and would esteem it the greateft unhappiness to be confined to that of his neighbour? Do they not feel in themfeives, that what pleases at one time, displeases at another, by the change of inclination; and that it is not in their power, by their utmost efforts, to recall that taste or appetite, which formerly beftowed charms on what now appears indifferent or difgreeable? What is the meaning therefore of thofe general preferences of the town or country life, of a life of action or one of pleasure, of retirement or fociety; when, befides the different inclinations of different men, every one's experience may convince him, that each of these kinds of life is agreeable in its turn, and that their variety or their judicious mixture chiefly contributes to the rendering all of them agreeable?

But fhall this bufinefs be allowed to go altogether at adventures? And must a man confult only his humour

and

and inclination, in order to determine his course of life, without employing his reason to inform him what road is preferable, and leads moft furely to happiness? Is there no difference then between one man's conduct and another?

I answer, there is a great difference. One man, following his inclination, in chufing his course of life, may employ much furer means for fucceeding than another, who is led by his inclination into the fame courfe of life, and pursues the same object. Are riches the chief object of your defires? Acquire skill in your profeffion; be diligent in the exercise of it; enlarge the circle of your friends and acquaintance; avoid pleasure and expence; and never be generous, but with a view of gaining more than you could fave by frugality. Would you acquire the public efteem? Guard equally against the extremes of arrogance and fawning. Let it appear that you fet a value upon yourself, but without defpifing others. If If you fall into either of the extremes, you either provoke men's pride by your infolence, or teach them to despise you by your timorous fubmiffion, and by the mean opinion which you seem to entertain of yourfelf.

Thefe, you say, are the maxims of common prudence, and difcretion; what every parent inculcates on his child, and what every man of sense pursues in the course of life, which he has chofen.-What is it then you defire more? Do you come to a philofopher as to a cunning man, to learn fomething by magic or witchraft, beyond what can be known by common prudence. and discre tion? Yes; we come to a philofopher to be instructed, how we shall chufe our ends, more than the means for attaining thefe ends: We want to know what defire we fhall gratify, what paffion we fhall comply

2

with,

with, what appetite we fhall indulge. As to the reft, we truft to common sense, and the general maxims of the world for our inftruction.

I am forry then, I have pretended to be a philofo pher: For I find your questions very perplexing; and am in danger, if my anfwer be too rigid and fevere, of paffing for a pedant and scholaftic; if it be too eafy and free, of being taken for a preacher of vice and immorality. However, to fatisfy you, I fhall deliver my opinion upon the matter, and shall only defire you to efteem it of as little confequence as I do myself. By that means you will neither think it worthy of your ridicule nor your anger.

If we can depend upon any principle, which we learn from philofophy, this, I think, may be confidered as certain and undoubted, that there is nothing, in itself, valuable or defpicable, defirable or hateful, beautiful or deformed; but that these attributes arise from the particular conftitution and fabric of human fentiment and affection. What seems the most delicious food to one animal, appears loathfome to another: What affects the feeling of one with delight, produces uneafiness in another. This is confeffedly the cafe with regard to all the bodily fenfes But if we examine the matter more accurately, we fhall find, that the fame obfervation holds even where the mind concurs with the body, and mingles its fentiment with the exterior appetite.

Defire this paffionate lover to give you a character of his mistress: He will tell you, that he is at a lofs for words to defcribe her charms, and will afk you very feriously, if ever you were acquainted with a goddess or an angel? If you answer that you never were: He will then fay, that it is impoffible for you to form a concep