HKB
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Often appears with: reason and the intellect · reason and mental health · prayer and worship · natural religion · medicine, disease, and healing · logic, method, and demonstration · justice as a virtue · god’s existence · dialogue-writing · addison’s *spectator* design
Usually: skepticism (2) · argument (1) · commentary or gloss (1) · crisis of belief (1) · curiosity (1) · detachment (1)
“Happily, these circumstances are all to be found in the subject of NATURAL RELIGION.” David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion · observation
Boswell discusses Johnson’s critical remarks about Addison’s design and includes observations on Johnson’s health and intellectual agitation, including his view that reason’s continuation is uncertain.
[229] See *post*, Oct. 6, 1769, and Boswell's *Hebrides*, Aug. 15, 1773. [230] In his *Life of Shenstone* he writes:--'From school Shenstone was sent to Pembroke College in Oxford, a society which for half a century has been eminent for English poetry and elegant literature. Here it appears that he found delight and advantage; for he continued his name in the book ten years, though he took no degree.' Johnson's *Wor…
Pamphilus argues that dialogue suits natural religion because key premises are obvious yet details about God’s nature and attributes are obscure and yield uncertainty, contradiction, and engaging conversation.
Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion by David Hume PAMPHILUS TO HERMIPPUS It has been remarked, my HERMIPPUS, that though the ancient philosophers conveyed most of their instruction in the form of dialogue, this method of composition has been little practised in later ages, and has seldom succeeded in the hands of those who have attempted it. Accurate and regular argument, indeed, such as is now expected of phil…