A Treatise of Human Nature
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Section summary
Hume’s note to the first two volumes (1739). His design is set out in the Introduction; these volumes cover only the understanding and the passions, which form a complete chain of reasoning. He publishes them to test the public’s taste, promising morals, politics and criticism if they succeed.
My design in the present work is sufficiently explain’d in the introduction. The reader must only observe, that all the subjects I have there plann’d out to my self, are not treated of in these two volumes. The subjects of the understanding and passions make a compleat chain of reasoning by themselves; and I was willing to take advantage of this natural division, in order to try the taste of the public. If I have the good fortune to meet with success, I shall proceed to the examination of morals, politics, and criticism; which will compleat this Treatise of human nature. The approbation of the public I consider as the greatest reward of my labours; but am determin’d to regard its judgment, whatever it be, as my best instruction.