THE WORKS 4233-224 OF GEORGE BERKELEY, D.D., = BISHOP OF CLOYNE. INCLUDING HIS LETTERS TO THOMAS PRIOR, Esq., DEAN GERVAIS, TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE. IN THIS EDITION THE LATIN ESSAYS ARE RENDERED INTO ENGLISH, AND THE INTRODUCTION TO EDITOR'S PREFACE. ALTHOUGH the several treatises of the author in defence of Christianity,-in support of the diffusion of knowledge, on discovering new means for the alleviation of human suffering,-and on promoting the study of metaphysics and mathematics, have obtained the applause of the learned, yet their association with his new and difficult theory in pneumatology militated so far against their reception with the public in general, that one perfect edition only of his works has hitherto ever appeared. This was a circumstance much to be regretted; since no other writer, of the literary age in which he flourished, has left more able, original, or useful advice, in religion, philosophy, and politics. His tracts, his treatises and essays, are brought together in this edition, in which the author's letters are also included, having first been carefully collated with those published by George Monck Berkeley in his "Literary Relics:" and the treatises, Arithmetica absque Algebra aut Euclide Demonstrata; Miscellanea Mathematica; and De Motu, written originally in Latin, are here presented in literal English versions. "The Principles of Human Knowledge," however, seemed to require a greater degree of editorial attention than the other learned labours of the author, from their novelty, their difficulty, and the misrepresentations that have been circulated with respect to them by the ignorant or the envious. The editor of the quarto edition of Berkeley's works, appears to have taken unauthorized liberties with the text of this particular treatise, as printed in the original edition, which had the benefit of the philosopher's own revision, by omitting very many passages, some of which materially affect the meaning. These passages have been restored, either in the text itself, or in the form of notes,-sectional heads have been prefixed, and the leading terms, or sentences, or paragraphs in each section, either printed in italics or included within brackets: indices are placed before the illustrations or examples, and notes, referring to attempted refutations of the author's arguments by Reid and others, added, with a caution not likely to disturb the reader's train of thought in penetrating the intricacies of this ingenious system. These prefatory notices, intended solely to establish the superior care that has been bestowed upon this complete edition of the author's writings, afford no opportunity for entering upon a defence of his theory. It will not, however, be misplaced to observe, that Dr. Reid, the only adversary who has assailed "The Principles of Human Knowledge" with any degree of plausibility, has not gone deep enough in the investigation; he imagined that when he should have overthrown the philosophic scheme of Ideas, Berkeley's theory would necessarily become involved in the general ruin; but Berkeley's theory does not depend on the truth or falsehood of that ancient hypothesis, but on this fact, that "there is no necessary connexion in reason and language between our perceptions and the existence of external objects; since we know it not unfrequently happens, that objects appear to be present to the senses when disordered, although we know they are not present." Reid has not refuted Berkeley, nor even struck at the leading root of his system; no other antagonist has assailed his doctrines with equal ability or success; Berkeley, therefore, remains unanswered. G. N. W. Coed Celyn, Llanrwst, Denbighshire, 1843. |