I am aware, it will be said, in reference to the pernicious influence which necessity is found to exercise, that the evil does not arise from the right construction and application of the doctrine, but from its perversion; the best doctrines, it may be remarked, may be applied to the worst purposes. But this is at best but a miserable apology for the infliction of positive evil. I have looked with some degree of care into those statements and arguments brought forward by eminent necessarians on this branch of their system, that of rebutting the charge of immorality; and I have always thought these statements and arguments vastly more specious than solid. There are some systems of human nature, which, though not susceptible of a logical refutation, being of such an equivocal character as to appear suspended, as it were, between truth and falsehood, yet do, notwithstanding, exercise as unfriendly an influence over our moral feelings and habits, as if they were positively and decidedly erroneous, and their error capable of a complete demonstration; and this I conceive, is exactly the case with the doctrine of philosophical necessity. It is a doctrine liable from its very nature to be misconstrued and abused. I do not know a more destructive instrument that can be put into a young man's hand, on his setting out on the journey of life, than one of those epitomes of the necessarian hypothesis, which are generally drawn up and circulated by the disciples of this system. With respect to the language of this Essay, I must throw myself on the charitable indulgence of the reader; and particularly for those few typographical errors which have crept into the work, from my living at a considerable distance from the place of publication. I advance no pretensions to fine classical writing; but I may be allowed to observe, that I have endeavoured to be as perspicuous as I could, or as the nature of the subject would allow; being firmly convinced, that the most important qualification which either writing or speaking can possess, is that of being readily understood. Morpeth, 3d January 1831. Illustrations of the connexion between our notions on Mo- On what are termed the Intellectual Virtues, and on the ESSAY, &c. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. I SHOULD Consider myself guilty, in some degree, of arrogance and presumption, were I to look upon the remarks and opinions contained in this small essay, worthy of constituting any thing like a new view or theory of morals. I wish what I have here said to be looked upon only as hints which may, perhaps, be found not unworthy of the consideration of others who have more learning and talents than what have fallen to my lot to possess. Moral and metaphysical systems have been very numerous, have all been supported with nearly the same degree of evidence, and have all nearly met with the same fate. This consideration ought to B. |