AN ESSAY ON NOTHING. THE INTRODUCTION IT IS SURPRIZING, THAT WHILE SUCH TRIFLING MATTERS EMPLOY THE MASTERLY PENS OF THE PRESENT AGE, THE GREAT AND NOBLE SUBJECT OF THIS ESSAY SHOULD HAVE PASSED TOTALLY NEGLECTED; AND THE RATHER, AS IT IS A SUBJECT TO WHICH THE GENIUS OF MANY OF THOSE WRITERS WHO HAVE UNSUCCESSFULLY APPLIED THEMSELVES TO POLITICS, RELIGION, ETC. IS MOST PECULIARLY ADAPTED. PERHAPS THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO HANDLE WHAT IS OF SUCH IMPORTANCE, MAY NOT IMPROPERLY BE ASCRIBED TO THEIR MODESTY; THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE REMARKABLY ADDICTED TO THIS VICE ON EVERY OCCASION. INDEED I HAVE HEARD IT PREDICATED OF SOME, WHOSE ASSURANCE IN TREATING OTHER SUBJECTS HATH BEEN SUFFICIENTLY NOTABLE, THAT THEY HAVE BLUSHED AT THIS. FOR SUCH IS THE AWE WITH WHICH THIS NOTHING INSPIRES MANKIND, THAT I BELIEVE IT IS GENERALLY APPREHENDED OF MANY PERSONS OF VERY HIGH CHARACTER AMONG US, THAT WERE TITLE, POWER, OR RICHES TO ALLURE THEM, THEY WOULD STICK AT IT. BUT WHATEVER BE THE REASON, CERTAIN IT IS, THAT EXCEPT A HARDY WIT IN THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. NONE EVER HATH DARED TO WRITE ON THIS SUBJECT. I MEAN OPENLY AND AVOWEDLY; FOR IT MUST BE CONFESSED, THAT MOST OF OUR MODERN AUTHORS, HOWEVER FOREIGN THE MATTER WHICH THEY ENDEAVOUR TO TREAT MAY SEEM AT THEIR FIRST SETTING OUT, THEY GENERALLY BRING THE WORK TO THIS IN THE END.

I HOPE, HOWEVER, THIS ATTEMPT WILL NOT BE IMPUTED TO ME AS AN ACT OF IMMODESTY; SINCE I AM CONVINCED THERE ARE MANY PERSONS IN THIS KINGDOM, WHO ARE PERSUADED OF MY FITNESS FOR WHAT I HAVE UNDERTAKEN. BUT AS TALKING OF A MAN'S SELF IS GENERALLY SUSPECTED TO ARISE FROM VANITY, I SHALL, WITHOUT ANY MORE EXCUSE OR PREFACE, PROCEED TO MY ESSAY. SECT. I. OF THE ANTIQUITY OF NOTHING. THERE IS NOTHING FALSER THAN THAT OLD PROVERB, WHICH(LIKE MANY OTHER FALSEHOODS) IS IN EVERY ONE'S MOUTH; EX NIHILO NIHIL FIT. THUS TRANSLATED BY SHAKESPEARE, IN LEAR. NOTHING CAN COME OF NOTHING. WHEREAS IN FACT, FROM NOTHING PROCEEDS EVERY THING. AND THIS IS A TRUTH CONFESSED BY THE PHILOSOPHERS OF ALL SECTS: THE ONLY POINT IN CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THEM BEING, WHETHER SOMETHING MADE THE WORLD OUT OF NOTHING, OR NOTHING OUT OF SOMETHING. A MATTER NOT MUCH WORTH DEBATING AT PRESENT, SINCE EITHER WILL EQUALLY SERVE OUR TURN. INDEED THE WITS OF ALL AGES SEEM TO HAVE RANGED THEMSELVES ON EACH SIDE OF THIS QUESTION, AS THEIR GENIUS TENDED MORE OR LESS TO THE SPIRITUAL OR MATERIAL SUBSTANCE. FOR THOSE OF THE MORE SPIRITUAL SPECIES HAVE INCLINED TO THE FORMER, AND THOSE WHOSE GENIUS HATH PARTAKEN MORE OF THE CHIEF PROPERTIES OF MATTER, SUCH AS SOLIDITY, THICKNESS, ETC. HAVE EMBRACED THE LATTER.

BUT WHETHER NOTHING WAS THE ARTIFEX OR MATERIES ONLY, IT IS PLAIN IN EITHER CASE, IT WILL HAVE A RIGHT TO CLAIM TO ITSELF THE ORIGINATION OF ALL THINGS. AND FARTHER, THE GREAT ANTIQUITY OF NOTHING IS APPARENT FROM ITS BEING SO VISIBLE IN THE ACCOUNTS WE HAVE OF THE BEGINNING OF EVERY NATION. THIS IS VERY PLAINLY TO BE DISCOVERED IN THE FIRST PAGES, AND SOMETIMES BOOKS OF ALL GENERAL HISTORIANS; AND INDEED, THE STUDY OF THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT FILLS UP THE WHOLE LIFE OF AN ANTIQUARY, IT BEING ALWAYS AT THE BOTTOM OF HIS ENQUIRY, AND IS COMMONLY AT LAST DISCOVERED BY HIM WITH INFINITE LABOUR AND PAINS. SECT. II. OF THE NATURE OF NOTHING. ANOTHER FALSEHOOD WHICH WE MUST DETECT IN THE PURSUIT OF THIS ESSAY, IS AN ASSERTION, THAT NO ONE CAN HAVE AN IDEA OF NOTHING: BUT MEN WHO THUS CONFIDENTLY DENY US THIS IDEA, EITHER GROSSLY DECEIVE THEMSELVES, OR WOULD IMPOSE A DOWNRIGHT CHEAT ON THE WORLD: FOR SO FAR FROM HAVING NONE, I BELIEVE THERE ARE FEW WHO HAVE NOT MANY IDEAS OF IT; THOUGH PERHAPS THEY MAY MISTAKE THEM FOR THE IDEA OF SOMETHING. FOR INSTANCE; IS THERE ANY ONE WHO HATH NOT AN IDEA OF IMMATERIAL SUBSTANCE?--NOW WHAT IS IMMATERIAL SUBSTANCE, MORE THAN NOTHING? BUT HERE WE ARE ARTFULLY DECEIVED BY THE USE OF WORDS: FOR WERE WE TO ASK ANOTHER WHAT IDEA HE HAD OF IMMATERIAL MATTER, OR UNSUBSTANTIAL SUBSTANCE, THE ABSURDITY OF AFFIRMING IT TO BE SOMETHING, WOULD SHOCK HIM, AND HE WOULD IMMEDIATELY REPLY, IT WAS NOTHING. SOME PERSONS PERHAPS WILL SAY THEN, WE HAVE NO IDEA OF IT: BUT AS I CAN SUPPORT THE CONTRARY BY SUCH UNDOUBTED AUTHORITY,

I SHALL, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO CONFUTE SUCH IDLE OPINIONS, PROCEED TO SHEW, FIRST, WHAT NOTHING IS; SECONDLY, I SHALL DISCLOSE THE VARIOUS KINDS OF NOTHING; AND LASTLY, SHALL PROVE ITS GREAT DIGNITY, AND THAT IT IS THE END OF EVERY THING. IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO DEFINE NOTHING IN POSITIVE TERMS, I SHALL THEREFORE DO IT IN NEGATIVE. NOTHING THEN IS NOT SOMETHING. AND HERE I MUST OBJECT TO A THIRD ERROR CONCERNING IT, WHICH IS, THAT IT IS IN NO PLACE; WHICH IS AN INDIRECT WAY OF DEPRIVING IT OF ITS EXISTENCE; WHEREAS INDEED IT POSSESSES THE GREATEST AND NOBLEST PLACE ON THIS EARTH, VIZ. THE HUMAN BRAIN. BUT INDEED THIS MISTAKE HATH BEEN SUFFICIENTLY REFUTED BY MANY VERY WISE MEN; WHO HAVING SPENT THEIR WHOLE LIVES IN THE CONTEMPLATION AND PURSUIT OF NOTHING, HAVE AT LAST GRAVELY CONCLUDED--THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD. FARTHER; AS NOTHING IS NOT SOMETHING, SO EVERY THING WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING, IS NOTHING; AND WHEREVER SOMETHING IS NOT, NOTHING IS: A VERY LARGE ALLOWANCE IN ITS FAVOUR, AS MUST APPEAR TO PERSONS WELL SKILLED IN HUMAN AFFAIRS. FOR INSTANCE; WHEN A BLADDER IS FULL OF WIND, IT IS FULL OF SOMETHING; BUT WHEN THAT IS LET OUT, WE APTLY SAY, THERE IS NOTHING IN IT. THE SAME MAY BE AS JUSTLY ASSERTED OF A MAN AS OF A BLADDER. HOWEVER WELL HE MAY BE BEDAWBED WITH LACE, OR WITH TITLE, YET IF HE HAVE NOT SOMETHING IN HIM, WE MAY PREDICATE THE SAME OF HIM AS OF AN EMPTY BLADDER. BUT IF WE CANNOT REACH AN ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE ESSENCE OF NOTHING, NO MORE THAN WE CAN OF MATTER, LET US, IN IMITATION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHERS, EXAMINE SOME OF ITS PROPERTIES OR ACCIDENTS. AND HERE WE SHALL SEE THE INFINITE ADVANTAGES WHICH NOTHING HATH OVER SOMETHING: FOR WHILE THE LATTER IS CONFINED TO ONE SENSE, OR TWO PERHAPS AT THE MOST, NOTHING IS THE OBJECT OF THEM ALL.

FOR FIRST; NOTHING MAY BE SEEN, AS IS PLAIN FROM THE RELATION OF PERSONS WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM HIGH FEVERS; AND PERHAPS MAY BE SUSPECTED FROM SOME (AT LEAST) OF THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN APPARITIONS, BOTH ON EARTH, AND IN THE CLOUDS. NAY, I HAVE OFTEN HEARD IT CONFESSED BY MEN, WHEN ASKED WHAT THEY SAW AT SUCH A PLACE AND TIME, THAT THEY SAW NOTHING. ADMITTING THEN THAT THERE ARE TWO SIGHTS, VIZ. A FIRST AND SECOND SIGHT, ACCORDING TO THE FIRM BELIEF OF SOME, NOTHING MUST BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A VERY LARGE SHARE OF THE FIRST; AND AS TO THE SECOND, IT HATH IT ALL ENTIRELY TO ITSELF. SECONDLY; NOTHING MAY BE HEARD: OF WHICH THE SAME PROOFS MAY BE GIVEN, AS OF THE FOREGOING. THE ARGIVE, MENTIONED BY HORACE, IS A STRONG INSTANCE OF THIS. --FUIT HAUD IGNOBILIS ARGIS QUI SE CREDEBAT MIROS ACEDIRE TRAGAEDOS IN VACUO LAETOS SESSOR, PLAUSORQUE THEATRO. THAT NOTHING MAY BE TASTED AND SMELT, IS NOT ONLY KNOWN TO PERSONS OF DELICATE PALATES AND NOSTRILS. HOW COMMONLY DO WE HEAR, THAT SUCH A THING SMELLS OR TASTES OF NOTHING? THE LATTER I HAVE HEARD ASSERTED OF A DISH COMPOUNDED OF FIVE OR SIX SAVORY INGREDIENTS. AND AS TO THE FORMER, I REMEMBER AN ELDERLY GENTLEWOMAN WHO HAD A GREAT ANTIPATHY TO THE SMELL OF APPLES; WHO UPON DISCOVERING THAT AN IDLE BOY HAD FASTENED SOME MELLOW APPLE TO HER TAIL, CONTRACTED A HABIT OF SMELLING THEM, WHENEVER THAT BOY CAME WITHIN HER SIGHT, THOUGH THERE WERE THEN NONE WITHIN A MILE OF HER. LASTLY, FEELING; AND SURE IF ANY SENSE SEEMS MORE PARTICULARLY THE OBJECT OF MATTER ONLY, WHICH MUST BE ALLOWED TO BE SOMETHING, THIS DOTH. NAY, I HAVE HEARD IT ASSERTED(AND WITH A COLOUR OF TRUTH) OF SEVERAL PERSONS, THAT THEY CAN FEEL NOTHING BUT A CUDGEL. NOTWITHSTANDING WHICH, SOME HAVE FELT THE MOTIONS OF THE SPIRIT; AND OTHERS HAVE FELT VERY BITTERLY THE MISFORTUNES OF THEIR FRIENDS, WITHOUT ENDEAVOURING TO RELIEVE THEM. NOW THESE SEEM TWO PLAIN INSTANCES, THAT NOTHING IS AN OBJECT OF THIS SENSE. NAY, I HAVE HEARD A SURGEON DECLARE, WHILE HE WAS CUTTING OFF A PATIENT'S LEG, THAT HE WAS SURE HE FELT NOTHING.

NOTHING IS AS WELL THE OBJECT OF OUR PASSIONS AS OUR SENSES. THUS THERE ARE MANY WHO LOVE NOTHING, SOME WHO HATE NOTHING, AND SOME WHO FEAR NOTHING, ETC. WE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THREE OF THE PROPERTIES OF A NOUN, TO BELONG TO NOTHING; WE SHALL FIND THE FOURTH LIKEWISE TO BE AS JUSTLY CLAIM'D BY IT: AND THAT NOTHING IS AS OFTEN THE OBJECT OF THE UNDERSTANDING, AS OF THE SENSES. INDEED SOME HAVE IMAGINED, THAT KNOWLEDGE, WITH THE ADJECTIVE HUMAN PLACED BEFORE IT, IS ANOTHER WORD OF NOTHING. AND ONE OF THE WISEST MEN IN THE WORLD DECLARED, HE KNEW NOTHING. BUT WITHOUT CARRYING IT SO FAR, THIS I BELIEVE MAY BE ALLOWED, THAT IT IS AT LEAST POSSIBLE FOR A MAN TO KNOW NOTHING. AND WHOEVER HATH READ OVER MANY WORKS OF OUR INGENIOUS MODERNS, WITH PROPER ATTENTION AND EMOLUMENT, WILL, I BELIEVE, CONFESS, THAT IF HE UNDERSTANDS THEM RIGHT, HE UNDERSTANDS NOTHING. THIS IS A SECRET NOT KNOWN TO ALL READERS; AND WANT OF THIS KNOWLEDGE HATH OCCASIONED MUCH PUZZLING; FOR WHERE A BOOK, OR CHAPTER, OR PARAGRAPH, HATH SEEMED TO THE READER TO CONTAIN NOTHING, HIS MODESTY HATH SOMETIMES PERSUADED HIM, THAT THE TRUE MEANING OF THE AUTHOR HATH ESCAPED HIM, INSTEAD OF CONCLUDING, AS IN REALITY THE FACT WAS, THAT THE AUTHOR, IN THE SAID BOOK, ETC. DID TRULY, AND BONA FIDE, MEAN NOTHING. I REMEMBER ONCE, AT THE TABLE OF A PERSON OF GREAT EMINENCE, AND ONE NO LESS DISTINGUISHED BY SUPERIORITY OF WIT THAN FORTUNE, WHEN A VERY DARK PASSAGE WAS READ OUT OF A POET, FAMOUS FOR BEING SO SUBLIME, THAT HE IS OFTEN OUT OF THE SIGHT OF HIS READER, SOME PERSONS PRESENT DECLARED THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE MEANING. THE GENTLEMAN HIMSELF, CASTING HIS EYES OVER THE PERFORMANCE, TESTIFIED A SURPRIZE AT THE DULNESS OF HIS COMPANY; SEEING NOTHING COULD, HE SAID, POSSIBLY BE PLAINER THAN THE MEANING OF THE PASSAGE WHICH THEY STUCK AT. THIS SET ALL OF US TO PUZZLING AGAIN; BUT WITH LIKE SUCCESS; WE FRANKLY OWNED WE COULD NOT FIND IT OUT, AND DESIRED HE WOULD EXPLAIN IT.-- EXPLAIN IT! SAID THE GENTLEMAN, WHY HE MEANS NOTHING.

IN FACT, THIS MISTAKE ARISES FROM A TOO VULGAR ERROR AMONG PERSONS UNACQUAINTED WITH THE MYSTERY OF WRITING, WHO IMAGINE IT IMPOSSIBLE THAT A MAN SHOULD SIT DOWN TO WRITE WITHOUT ANY MEANING AT ALL; WHEREAS IN REALITY, NOTHING IS MORE COMMON: FOR, NOT TO INSTANCE IN MYSELF, WHO HAVE CONFESSEDLY SAT DOWN TO WRITE THIS ESSAY, WITH NOTHING IN MY HEAD, OR, WHICH IS MUCH THE SAME THING, TO WRITE ABOUT NOTHING; IT MAY BE INCONTESTABLY PROVED, AB EFFECTU, THAT NOTHING IS COMMONER AMONG THE MODERNS. THE INIMITABLE AUTHOR OF A PREFACE TO THE POSTHUMOUS ECLOGUES OF A LATE INGENIOUS YOUNG GENTLEMAN, SAYS,--THERE ARE MEN WHO SIT DOWN TO WRITE WHAT THEY THINK, AND OTHERS TO THINK WHAT THEY SHALL WRITE. BUT INDEED THERE IS A THIRD, AND A MUCH MORE NUMEROUS SORT, WHO NEVER THINK EITHER BEFORE THEY SIT DOWN, OR AFTERWARDS; AND WHO WHEN THEY PRODUCE ON PAPER WHAT WAS BEFORE IN THEIR HEADS, ARE SURE TO PRODUCE NOTHING. THUS WE HAVE ENDEAVOURED TO DEMONSTRATE THE NATURE OF NOTHING, BY SHEWING FIRST, DEFINITIVELY, WHAT IT IS NOT; AND SECONDLY, BY DESCRIBING WHAT IT IS. THE NEXT THING THEREFORE PROPOSED, IS TO SHEW ITS VARIOUS KINDS. NOW SOME IMAGINE THESE SEVERAL KINDS DIFFER IN NAME ONLY. BUT WITHOUT ENDEAVOURING TO CONFUTE SO ABSURD AN OPINION, ESPECIALLY AS THESE DIFFERENT KINDS OF NOTHING OCCUR FREQUENTLY IN THE BEST AUTHORS, I SHALL CONTENT MYSELF WITH SETTING THEM DOWN, AND LEAVE IT TO THE DETERMINATION OF THE DISTINGUISHING READER, WHETHER IT IS PROBABLE, OR INDEED POSSIBLE, THAT THEY SHOULD ALL CONVEY ONE AND THE SAME MEANING. THESE ARE, NOTHING PER SE NOTHING; NOTHING AT ALL; NOTHING IN THE LEAST; NOTHING IN NATURE; NOTHING IN THE WORLD; NOTHING IN THE WHOLE WORLD; NOTHING IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSAL WORLD. AND PERHAPS MANY OTHERS, OF WHICH WE SAY--NOTHING.

SECT. III. OF THE DIGNITY OF NOTHING; AND AN ENDEAVOUR TO PROVE, THAT IT IS THE END AS WELL AS BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS. NOTHING CONTAINS SO MUCH DIGNITY AS NOTHING. ASK AN INFAMOUS WORTHLESS NOBLEMAN (IF ANY SUCH BE) IN WHAT HIS DIGNITY CONSISTS? IT MAY NOT BE PERHAPS CONSISTENT WITH HIS DIGNITY TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER; BUT SUPPOSE HE SHOULD BE WILLING TO CONDESCEND SO FAR, WHAT COULD HE IN EFFECT SAY? SHOULD HE SAY HE HAD IT FROM HIS ANCESTORS, I APPREHEND A LAWYER WOULD OBLIGE HIM TO PROVE, THAT THE VIRTUES TO WHICH THIS DIGNITY WAS ANNEXED, DESCENDED TO HIM. IF HE CLAIMS IT AS INHERENT IN THE TITLE, MIGHT HE NOT BE TOLD, THAT A TITLE ORIGINALLY IMPLIED DIGNITY, AS IT IMPLIED THE PRESENCE OF THOSE VIRTUES TO WHICH DIGNITY IS INSEPARABLY ANNEXED; BUT THAT NO IMPLICATION WILL FLY IN THE FACE OF DOWNRIGHT POSITIVE PROOF TO THE CONTRARY. IN SHORT, TO EXAMINE NO FARTHER, SINCE HIS ENDEAVOUR TO DERIVE IT FROM ANY OTHER FOUNTAIN WOULD BE EQUALLY IMPOTENT, HIS DIGNITY ARISES FROM NOTHING, AND IN REALITY IS NOTHING. YET, THAT THIS DIGNITY REALLY EXISTS; THAT IT GLARES IN THE EYES OF MEN, AND PRODUCES MUCH GOOD TO THE PERSON WHO WEARS IT, IS, I BELIEVE, INCONTESTABLE. PERHAPS THIS MAY APPEAR IN THE FOLLOWING SYLLOGISM. THE RESPECT PAID TO MEN ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR TITLES, IS PAID AT LEAST TO THE SUPPOSAL OF THEIR SUPERIOR VIRTUES AND ABILITIES, OR IT IS PAID TO NOTHING. BUT WHEN A MAN IS A NOTORIOUS KNAVE OR FOOL, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THERE SHOULD BE ANY SUCH SUPPOSAL. THE CONCLUSION IS APPARENT. NOW THAT NO MAN IS ASHAMED OF EITHER PAYING OR RECEIVING THIS RESPECT, I WONDER NOT, SINCE THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF NOTHING SEEMS, I THINK, TO BE PRETTY APPARENT: BUT THAT THEY SHOULD DENY THE DEITY WORSHIPPED, AND ENDEAVOUR TO REPRESENT NOTHING AS SOMETHING, IS MORE WORTHY REPREHENSION. THIS IS A FALLACY EXTREMELY COMMON. I HAVE SEEN A FELLOW, WHOM ALL THE WORLD KNEW TO HAVE NOTHING IN HIM, NOT ONLY PRETEND TO SOMETHING

HIMSELF; BUT SUPPORTED IN THAT PRETENSION BY OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN LESS LIABLE TO BE DECEIVED. NOW WHENCE CAN THIS PROCEED, BUT FROM THEIR BEING ASHAMED OF NOTHING? A MODESTY VERY PECULIAR TO THIS AGE. BUT NOTWITHSTANDING ALL SUCH DISGUISE AND DECEIT, A MAN MUST HAVE VERY LITTLE DISCERNMENT, WHO CAN LIVE LONG IN COURTS, OR POPULOUS CITIES, WITHOUT BEING CONVINCED OF THE GREAT DIGNITY OF NOTHING; AND THOUGH HE SHOULD, THROUGH CORRUPTION OR NECESSITY, COMPLY WITH THE VULGAR WORSHIP AND ADULATION, HE WILL KNOW TO WHAT IT IS PAID, NAMELY TO NOTHING. THE MOST ASTONISHING INSTANCE OF THIS RESPECT, SO FREQUENTLY PAID TO NOTHING, IS WHEN IT IS PAID (IF I MAY SO EXPRESS MYSELF) TO SOMETHING LESS THAN NOTHING; WHEN THE PERSON WHO RECEIVES IT IS NOT ONLY VOID OF THE QUALITY FOR WHICH HE IS RESPECTED, BUT IS IN REALITY NOTORIOUSLY GUILTY OF VICES DIRECTLY OPPOSITE TO THE VIRTUES, WHOSE APPLAUSE HE RECEIVES. THIS IS, INDEED, THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF NOTHING, OR, (IF I MAY BE ALLOWED THE WORD) THE NOTHINGEST OF ALL NOTHINGS. HERE IT IS TO BE KNOWN, THAT RESPECT MAY BE AIMED AT SOMETHING, AND REALLY LIGHT ON NOTHING. FOR INSTANCE; WHEN MISTAKING CERTAIN THINGS CALLED GRAVITY, CANTING, BLUSTRING, OSTENTATION, POMP, AND SUCH LIKE, FOR WISDOM, PIETY, MAGNANIMITY, CHARITY, TRUE GREATNESS, ETC., WE GIVE TO THE FORMER THE HONOUR AND REVERENCE DUE TO THE LATTER. NOT THAT I WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD SO FAR TO DISCREDIT MY SUBJECT, AS TO INSINUATE THAT GRAVITY, CANTING, ETC. ARE REALLY NOTHING; ON THE CONTRARY, THERE IS MUCH MORE REASON TO SUSPECT,(IF WE JUDGE FROM THE PRACTICE OF THE WORLD) THAT WISDOM, PIETY, AND OTHER VIRTUES, HAVE A GOOD TITLE TO THAT NAME. BUT WE DO NOT, IN FACT, PAY OUR RESPECT TO THE FORMER, BUT TO THE LATTER: IN OTHER WORDS, WE PAY IT TO THAT WHICH IS NOT, AND CONSEQUENTLY PAY IT TO NOTHING. SO FAR THEN FOR THE DIGNITY OF THE SUBJECT ON WHICH I AM TREATING. I AM NOW TO SHEW, THAT NOTHING IS THE END AS WELL AS BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS. THAT EVERY THING IS RESOLVABLE, AND WILL BE RESOLVED INTO ITS FIRST PRINCIPLES, WILL BE, I BELIEVE, READILY ACKNOWLEDGED BY ALL PHILOSOPHERS. AS THEREFORE WE HAVE SUFFICIENTLY PROVED THE WORLD

CAME FROM NOTHING, IT FOLLOWS, THAT IT WILL LIKEWISE END IN THE SAME: BUT AS I AM WRITING TO A NATION OF CHRISTIANS, I HAVE NO NEED TO BE PROLIX ON THIS HEAD; SINCE EVERY ONE OF MY READERS, BY HIS FAITH, ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE WORLD IS TO HAVE AN END, I.E. IS TO COME TO NOTHING. AND AS NOTHING IS THE END OF THE WORLD, SO IS IT OF EVERY THING IN THE WORLD. AMBITION, THE GREATEST, HIGHEST, NOBLEST, FINEST, MOST HEROIC AND GODLIKE OF ALL PASSIONS, WHAT DOTH IT END IN?--NOTHING. WHAT DID ALEXANDER, CAESAR, AND ALL THE REST OF THAT HEROIC BAND, WHO HAVE PLUNDERED, AND MASSACRED SO MANY MILLIONS, OBTAIN BY ALL THEIR CARE, LABOUR, PAIN, FATIGUE, AND DANGER?--COULD THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, MUST THEY NOT OWN, THAT THE END OF ALL THEIR PURSUIT WAS NOTHING? NOR IS THIS THE END OF PRIVATE AMBITION ONLY. WHAT IS BECOME OF THAT PROUD MISTRESS OF THE WORLD,--THE CAPUT TRIUMPHATI ORBIS? THAT ROME, OF WHICH HER OWN FLATTERERS SO LIBERALLY PROPHESIED THE IMMORTALITY, IN WHAT HATH ALL HER GLORY ENDED? SURELY IN NOTHING. AGAIN, WHAT IS THE END OF AVARICE? NOT POWER, OR PLEASURE, AS SOME THINK, FOR THE MISER WILL PART WITH A SHILLING FOR NEITHER: NOT EASE OR HAPPINESS; FOR THE MORE HE ATTAINS OF WHAT HE DESIRES, THE MORE UNEASY AND MISERABLE HE IS. IF EVERY GOOD IN THIS WORLD WAS PUT TO HIM, HE COULD NOT SAY HE PURSUED ONE. SHALL WE SAY THEN, HE PURSUES MISERY ONLY? THAT SURELY WOULD BE CONTRADICTORY TO THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN NATURE. MAY WE NOT THEREFORE, NAY, MUST WE NOT CONFESS, THAT HE AIMS AT NOTHING? ESPECIALLY IF HE BE HIMSELF UNABLE TO TELL US WHAT IS THE END OF ALL THIS BUSTLE AND HURRY, THIS WATCHING AND TOILING, THIS SELF-DENIAL, AND SELF-CONSTRAINT!

IT WILL NOT, I APPREHEND, BE SUFFICIENT FOR HIM TO PLEAD, THAT HIS DESIGN IS TO AMASS A LARGE FORTUNE, WHICH HE NEVER CAN NOR WILL USE HIMSELF,NOR WOULD WILLINGLY QUIT TO ANY OTHER PERSON; UNLESS HE CAN SHEW US SOME SUBSTANTIAL GOOD WHICH THIS FORTUNE IS TO PRODUCE, WE SHALL CERTAINLY BE JUSTIFIED IN CONCLUDING, THAT HIS END IS THE SAME WITH THAT OF AMBITION. THE GREAT MR. HOBBES SO PLAINLY SAW THIS, THAT AS HE WAS AN ENEMY TO THAT NOTABLE IMMATERIAL SUBSTANCE WHICH WE HAVE HERE HANDLED, AND THEREFORE UNWILLING TO ALLOW IT THE LARGE PROVINCE WE HAVE CONTENDED FOR, HE ADVANCED A VERY STRANGE DOCTRINE, AND ASSERTED TRULY,--THAT IN ALL THESE GRAND PURSUITS, THE MEANS THEMSELVES WERE THE END PROPOSED, VIZ. TO AMBITION, PLOTTING, FIGHTING, DANGER, DIFFICULTY, AND SUCH LIKE:--TO AVARICE, CHEATING, STARVING, WATCHING, AND THE NUMBERLESS PAINFUL ARTS BY WHICH THIS PASSION PROCEEDS. HOWEVER EASY IT MAY BE TO DEMONSTRATE THE ABSURDITY OF THIS OPINION, IT WILL BE NEEDLESS TO MY PURPOSE, SINCE IF WE ARE DRIVEN TO CONFESS THAT THE MEANS ARE THE ONLY END ATTAINED,--I THINK WE MUST LIKEWISE CONFESS, THAT THE END PROPOSED IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. AS I HAVE HERE SHEWN THE END OF OUR TWO GREATEST AND NOBLEST PURSUITS, ONE OR OTHER OF WHICH ENGAGES ALMOST EVERY INDIVIDUAL OF THE BUSY PART OF MANKIND, I SHALL NOT TIRE THE READER WITH CARRYING HIM THROUGH ALL THE REST, SINCE I BELIEVE THE SAME CONCLUSION MAY BE EASILY DRAWN FROM THEM ALL. I SHALL THEREFORE FINISH THIS ESSAY WITH AN INFERENCE, WHICH APTLY ENOUGH SUGGESTS ITSELF FROM WHAT HATH BEEN SAID: SEEING THAT SUCH IS ITS DIGNITY AND IMPORTANCE, AND THAT IT IS REALLY THE END OF ALL THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE SUPPORTED WITH SO MUCH POMP AND SOLEMNITY, AND LOOKED ON WITH SUCH RESPECT AND ESTEEM, SURELY IT BECOMES A WISE MAN TO REGARD NOTHING WITH THE UTMOST AWE AND ADORATION; TO PURSUE IT WITH ALL HIS PARTS AND PAINS; AND TO SACRIFICE TO IT HIS EASE, HIS INNOCENCE, AND HIS PRESENT HAPPINESS.

TO WHICH NOBLE PURSUIT WE HAVE THIS GREAT INCITEMENT, THAT WE MAY ASSURE OURSELVES OF NEVER BEING CHEATED OR DECEIVED IN THE END PROPOSED. THE VIRTUOUS, WISE, AND LEARNED MAY THEN BE UNCONCERNED AT ALL THE CHANGES OF MINISTRIES AND OF GOVERNMENT; SINCE THEY MAY BE WELL SATISFIED, THAT WHILE MINISTERS OF STATE ARE ROGUES THEMSELVES, AND HAVE INFERIOR KNAVISH TOOLS TO BRIBE AND REWARD; TRUE VIRTUE, WISDOM, LEARNING, WIT, AND INTEGRITY, WILL MOST CERTAINLY BRING THEIR POSSESSORS--NOTHING. $ //// ****