The Project Gutenberg eBook, Human Nature, by Joseph Butler, Edited by
Henry Morley

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Title: Human Nature
and Other Sermons

Author: Joseph Butler

Editor: Henry Morley

Release Date: May 1, 2007 [eBook #3150]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HUMAN NATURE***

Transcribed from the 1887 Cassell & Co. edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org

HUMAN NATURE
AND
OTHER SERMONS

BY
JOSEPH BUTLER
BISHOP OF DURHAM.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED:
_LONDON_, _PARIS_, _NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_.
1887

INTRODUCTION.

Joseph Butler was born in 1692, youngest of eight children of a
linendraper at Wantage, in Berkshire. His father was a Presbyterian, and
after education at the Wantage Free Grammar School Joseph Butler was sent
to be educated for the Presbyterian ministry in a training academy at
Gloucester, which was afterwards removed to Tewkesbury. There he had a
friend and comrade, Secker, who afterwards became Archbishop of
Canterbury. Butler and Secker inquired actively, and there was
foreshadowing of his future in the fact that in 1713, at the age of
twenty-one, Butler was engaged in anonymous discussion with Samuel Clarke
upon his book on the _a priori_ demonstration of the Divine Existence and
Attributes.

When the time drew near for call to the ministry, Butler, like his friend
Secker, had reasoned himself into accordance with the teaching of the
Church of England. Butler's father did not oppose his strong desire to
enter the Church, and he was entered in 1714 at Oriel College, Oxford. At
college a strong friendship was established between Butler and a fellow-
student, Edward Talbot, whose father was a Bishop, formerly of Oxford and
Salisbury, then of Durham. Through Talbot's influence Butler obtained in
1718 the office of Preacher in the Rolls Chapel, which he held for the
next eight years. In 1722 Talbot died, and on his death-bed urged his
father on behalf of his friend Butler. The Bishop accordingly presented
Joseph Butler to the living of Houghton-le-Spring. But it was found that
costs of dilapidations were beyond his means at