Essays on the Principles of Morality and Natural Religion. Lord Kames (Henry Home)
that it is not a delusion of nature, but of passion only. Candour I shall always esteem essential in addressing the public, no less than in private dealings; and now I am happy in thinking that morality rests on a foundation that has no delusion in it.
In the second edition however, there is another error that I was not able to disintangle myself from. In the Essay of Liberty and Necessity, our notions of chance and contingency are held to be delusive; and consequently, that so far we are led by our nature to deviate from truth. It is a harsh doctrine that we should be so led astray in any instance. As that doctrine never sat easy upon me, I discovered it to be also erroneous; and the error is corrected in the present edition, where I hope it is made clearly out, that the notion we have of chance and contingency, is intirely conformable to the necessary chain of causes and effects. And now, rejoice with memy good reader, in being at last relieved from so many distressing errors.
In correcting the Essay on Personal Identity, having discovered its intimate connection with the moral system, I transferred it from the second Part to the first. And in its place are put several new Essays contributing in some degree to the demonstration given of the Deity.
HENRY HOME.
1779.
CONTENTS
ESSAY I. Our Attachment to Objects of Distress
ESSAY II. Foundation and Principles of Morality
Chap. I. Foundation of Morality
Chap. III. Duty and Obligation
Chap. IV. Different Ranks of Moral Virtues
Chap. VI. Justice and Injustice
Chap. VII. Primary Laws of Nature
Chap. IX. Various Opinions concerning the Foundation of Morality
ESSAY III. Liberty and Necessity
Appendix. Containing the substance of a pamphlet wrote in defence of the third Essay
Sect. I. Perceptions of External Sense
Sect. II. Substance and Quality
Sect. III. Primary and Secondary Qualities
Sect. IV. Veracity of the External Senses
ESSAY III. Different Theories of Vision
ESSAY V. Power, Cause and Effect
ESSAY VI. Knowledge of Future Events
ESSAY VII. Dread of Supernatural Powers in the Dark
ESSAY VIII. Knowledge of the Deity
Power and Intelligence of the Deity
ESSAYS
ON THE
PRINCIPLES
OF
MORALITY
AND
NATURAL RELIGION
Our Attachment to Objects of Distress
A noted French critic,* treating of poetry and painting, undertakes a subject attempted by others unsuccessfully, which is, to account for the strong attachment we have to objects of distress, imaginary as well as real.
It is not easy (says he) to account for the pleasure we take in poetry and painting, which has often a strong resemblance to affliction, and of which the symptoms are sometimes the same with those of them ostlively sorrow. The arts of poetry and painting are never more applauded than when they succeed in giving pain. A secret charm attaches us to representations of this nature, at the very time our heart, full of anguish, rises up against its proper pleasure. I dare undertake this paradox, (continues our author), and to explain the foundation of this sort of pleasure which we have in poetry and painting; an undertaking that may appear bold, if not rash, seeing it promises to account to every man for what passes in his own breast, and for the secret springs of his approbation