A Free Inquiry Into the Nature and Origin of Evil: In Six Letters to - |
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Page 46
... learning , nor strength , nor beauty , nor virtue , nor religion , nor even life itself , being of any importance but as they contribute to its production . All these are in themfelves neither Good nor Evil ; Happiness alone is their ...
... learning , nor strength , nor beauty , nor virtue , nor religion , nor even life itself , being of any importance but as they contribute to its production . All these are in themfelves neither Good nor Evil ; Happiness alone is their ...
Page 112
... Learning and Impartiality , to lead the human Mind thro ' unknown regions of fpeculation , and to produce the moft furprifing and ufeful difcoveries in Ethicks , Metaphy- ficks , and in Chriftianity too : I add Christianity , because it ...
... Learning and Impartiality , to lead the human Mind thro ' unknown regions of fpeculation , and to produce the moft furprifing and ufeful difcoveries in Ethicks , Metaphy- ficks , and in Chriftianity too : I add Christianity , because it ...
Page 123
... learning , abilities and leisure than myself , ( and much more , I am fure , of all it would require ) encouraged by your Fa- vour , and affifted by your Sagacity , would undertake it , and condefcend to fill up thefe out - lines fo ...
... learning , abilities and leisure than myself , ( and much more , I am fure , of all it would require ) encouraged by your Fa- vour , and affifted by your Sagacity , would undertake it , and condefcend to fill up thefe out - lines fo ...
Page 167
... learning , want ma- terials to work with ; others having learn- ing , and no fenfe , become more absurd by having amaffed much matter to mi- ftake about fo that to raise any tolera- . ble fyftem of Religion , or Morals , from human ...
... learning , want ma- terials to work with ; others having learn- ing , and no fenfe , become more absurd by having amaffed much matter to mi- ftake about fo that to raise any tolera- . ble fyftem of Religion , or Morals , from human ...
Page 1
... learning and philosophy ; we need not fear being vainly puff'd up , or falling into that falfe way of wisdom , which the scripture calls vain philofophy . When the improve- ment of our minds , and the advancement of our reason , is all ...
... learning and philosophy ; we need not fear being vainly puff'd up , or falling into that falfe way of wisdom , which the scripture calls vain philofophy . When the improve- ment of our minds , and the advancement of our reason , is all ...
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Common terms and phrases
abfolute abfurd abuſe affairs againſt alſo anſwer arife becauſe beſt buſineſs cafe cauſe Chriftian circumſtances confequences confiftent corruption cou'd creatures Dear SIR defign divine exiftence exiſtence falfe fame feems felf felves fenfe fervant ferve fervice fhall fhew fhou'd fince fincere firſt fome foon friendſhip fubject fuch fufferings fufficiently fuperior fupport fure fyftem goodneſs Government greateſt happineſs higheſt himſelf honeft human imperfect impoffible infinite Power intereft itſelf juftice kind leaft leaſt lefs LETTER lord lord Somers lordſhip mankind Mifery minifters moft Moral Evil moſt muft muſt myſelf nation Natural Evils neceffary neceffity never numbers occafion ourſelves perfect Philofophers pleaſure poffible preferve prevented publick puniſhment raiſe reafon receiv'd Religion reſpect ſay ſee ſeem ſenſe SHAFTESBURY ſhall ſhe ſome ſpeak ſtate ſtill ſtudy ſuch thefe themſelves theſe things thofe thoſe thouſand tion treaſurer truth underſtand univerfal uſe vices virtue wiſdom wiſh wou'd yourſelf
Popular passages
Page 4 - Here will I hold. If there's a power above us — And that there is, all nature cries aloud Through all her works — He must delight in virtue; And that which He delights in must be happy.
Page 5 - No one has done more towards the recalling of philosophy from barbarity into use and practice of the world, and into the company of the better and politer sort, who might well be ashamed of it in its other dress. No one has opened a better or clearer way to reasoning.
Page 38 - Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn, For him as kindly spread the flowery lawn : Is it for thee the lark ascends and sings ? Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings.
Page 34 - It is a cordial administered by the gracious hand of Providence ; of which they ought never to be deprived by an ill-judged and improper education.
Page 33 - Ignorance, or the want of knowledge and literature, the appointed lot of all born to poverty, and the drudgeries of life, is the only opiate capable of infusing that insensibility which can enable them to endure the miseries of the one and the fatigues of the other.
Page 30 - S 3 enjoying enjoying happinefs themfelves, and contributing to that of others, they muft necefiarily be filled with inferior Beings, that is, with fuch as are lefs perfect, but from whofe exiftence, notwithftanding that lefs perfection, more felicity upon the whole accrues to the Univerfe, than if no fuch had been created. It is moreover highly probable, that there is fuch a...
Page 36 - ... chain can be broke, the fame reafon for difquiet muft remain to thofe who fucceed to that chafm, which muft be occafioned by our preferment. A man can have no reafon to repine, that he is not an angel, nor a horfe that he is not a man ; much lefs, that in their feveral ftations they pofTefs not the faculties of another; for this would be an infufferable misfortune.
Page 184 - ... interests; and if connected, it 'must inevitably be perverted by them. Whenever temporal 'advantages are annexed to any religious profession, they will 'be sure to call in all those who have no religion at all: knaves 'will embrace it for the sake of interest; fools will follow them 'for the sake of fashion ; and when once it is in such hands, 'Omnipotence itself can never preserve its purity. That very 'order of men, who are maintained to...
Page 38 - Has God, thou fool ! work'd folely for thy good, Thy joy, thy paftime, thy attire, thy food ? Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn, for him as kindly fpread the flow'ry lawn.