[A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume]@TWC D-Link bookA Treatise of Human Nature PART II OF LOVE AND HATRED 12/118
Suppose I were travelling with a companion through a country, to which we are both utter strangers; it is evident, that if the prospects be beautiful, the roads agreeable, and the inns commodious, this may put me into good humour both with myself and fellow-traveller.
But as we suppose, that this country has no relation either to myself or friend it can never be the immediate cause of pride or love; and therefore if I found not the passion on some other object, that bears either of us a closer relation, my emotions are rather to be considerd as the overflowings of an elevate or humane disposition, than as an established passion.
The case is the same where the object produces uneasiness. Fourth Experiment.
Having found, that neither an object without any relation of ideas or impressions, nor an object, that has only one relation, can ever cause pride or humility, love or hatred; reason alone may convince us, without any farther experiment, that whatever has a double relation must necessarily excite these passions; since it is evident they must have some cause.
But to leave as little room for doubt as possible, let us renew our experiments, and see whether the event in this case answers our expectation.
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