"David Hume - Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hume David)

on none but their sovereign, for the security of their
property. He is so far removed from them, and is so much
exempt from private jealousies or interests, that this
dependence is scarcely felt. And thus a species of government
arises, to which, in a high political rant, we may give the
name of Tyranny, but which, by a just and prudent
administration, may afford tolerable security to the people,
and may answer most of the ends of political society.

But though in a civilized monarchy, as well as in a republic,
the people have security for the enjoyment of their property;
yet in both these forms of government, those who possess the
supreme authority have the disposal of many honours and
advantages, which excite the ambition and avarice of mankind.
The only difference is, that, in a republic, the candidates
for office must look downwards, to gain the suffrages of the
people; in a monarchy, they must turn their attention upwards,
to court the good graces and favour of the great. To be
successful in the former way, it is necessary for a man to
make himself useful, by his industry, capacity, or knowledge:
To be prosperous in the latter way, it is requisite for him to
render himself agreeable, by his wit, complaisance, or
civility. A strong genius succeeds best in republics: A
refined taste in monarchies. And consequently the sciences are
the more natural growth of the one, and the polite arts of the
other.

Not to mention, that monarchies, receiving their chief
stability from a superstitious reverence to priests and
princes, have commonly abridged the liberty of reasoning, with
regard to religion, and politics, and consequently metaphysics
and morals. All these form the most considerable branches of
science. Mathematics and natural philosophy, which only
remain, are not half so valuable.

Among the arts of conversation, no one pleases more than
mutual deference or civility, which leads us to resign our own
inclinations to those of our companion, and to curb and
conceal that presumption and arrogance, so natural to the
human mind. A good-natured man, who is well educated,
practises this civility to every mortal, without premeditation
or interest. But in order to render that valuable quality
general among any people, it seems necessary to assist the
natural disposition by some general motive. Where power rises
upwards from the people to the great, as in all republics,
such refinements of civility are apt to be little practised;
since the whole state is, by that means, brought near to a
level, and every member of it is rendered, in a great measure,
independent of another. The people have the advantage, by the
authority of their suffrages: The great, by the superiority of