Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical notes
- A note on the text and the edition
- Biographical notes
- Bibliography
- Political Essays
- 1 Of the liberty of the press
- 2 That politics may be reduced to a science
- 3 Of the first principles of government
- 4 Of the origin of government
- 5 Of the independency of Parliament
- 6 Whether the British government inclines more to absolute monarchy, or to a republic
- 7 Of parties in general
- 8 Of the parties of Great Britain
- 9 Of superstition and enthusiasm
- 10 Of civil liberty
- 11 Of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences
- 12 Of national characters
- 13 Of commerce
- 14 Of refinement in the arts
- 15 Of money
- 16 Of interest
- 17 Of the balance of trade
- 18 Of the jealousy of trade
- 19 Of the balance of power
- 20 Of taxes
- 21 Of public credit
- 22 Of some remarkable customs
- 23 Of the original contract
- 24 Of passive obedience
- 25 Of the coalition of parties
- 26 Of the Protestant succession
- 27 Idea of a perfect commonwealth
- Appendix: Excerpts from Hume's History of England
- Notes
- Index
- Title in the Series
22 - Of some remarkable customs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical notes
- A note on the text and the edition
- Biographical notes
- Bibliography
- Political Essays
- 1 Of the liberty of the press
- 2 That politics may be reduced to a science
- 3 Of the first principles of government
- 4 Of the origin of government
- 5 Of the independency of Parliament
- 6 Whether the British government inclines more to absolute monarchy, or to a republic
- 7 Of parties in general
- 8 Of the parties of Great Britain
- 9 Of superstition and enthusiasm
- 10 Of civil liberty
- 11 Of the rise and progress of the arts and sciences
- 12 Of national characters
- 13 Of commerce
- 14 Of refinement in the arts
- 15 Of money
- 16 Of interest
- 17 Of the balance of trade
- 18 Of the jealousy of trade
- 19 Of the balance of power
- 20 Of taxes
- 21 Of public credit
- 22 Of some remarkable customs
- 23 Of the original contract
- 24 Of passive obedience
- 25 Of the coalition of parties
- 26 Of the Protestant succession
- 27 Idea of a perfect commonwealth
- Appendix: Excerpts from Hume's History of England
- Notes
- Index
- Title in the Series
Summary
I shall observe three remarkable customs in three celebrated governments; and shall conclude from the whole, that all general maxims in politics ought to be established with great caution; and that irregular and extraordinary appearances are frequently discovered in the moral, as well as in the physical world. The former, perhaps, we can better account for, after they happen, from springs and principles, of which every one has, within himself, or from observation, the strongest assurance and conviction: But it is often fully as impossible for human prudence, before-hand, to foresee and foretel them.
I. One would think it essential to every supreme council or assembly, which debates, that entire liberty of speech should be granted to every member, and that all motions or reasonings should be received, which can any wise tend to illustrate the point under deliberation. One would conclude, with still greater assurance, that, after a motion was made, which was voted and approved by that assembly in which the legislative power is lodged, the member who made the motion must for ever be exempted from future trial or enquiry. But no political maxim can, at first sight, appear more undisputable, than that he must, at least, be secured from all inferior jurisdiction; and that nothing less than the same supreme legislative assembly, in their subsequent meetings, could render him accountable for those motions and harangues, to which they had before given their approbation.
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- Hume: Political Essays , pp. 179 - 185Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1994
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