seem to entertain the same feeling towards theologians that
sportsmen cherish towards poachers. "There cannot be two passions more
nearly resembling each other than hunting and philosophy," says Hume.
And philosophic hunters are given to think, that, while they pursue
truth for its own sake, out of pure love for the chase (perhaps mingled
with a little human weakness to be thought good shots), and by open and
legitimate methods; their theological competitors too often care merely
to supply the market of establishments; and disdain neither the aid of
the snares of superstition, nor the cover of the darkness of ignorance.

Unless some foundation was given for this impression by the theological
writers whose works had fallen in Hume's way, it is difficult to account
for the depth of feeling which so good natured a man manifests on the
subject.

Thus he writes in the _Natural History of Religion_, with quite unusual
acerbity:--

"The chief objection to it [the ancient heathen mythology] with
regard to this planet is, that it is not ascertained by any just
reason or authority. The ancient tradition insisted on by heathen
priests and theologers is but a weak foundation: and transmitted
also such a number of contradictory reports, supported all of them
by equal authority, that it became absolutely impossible to fix a
preference among them. A few volumes, therefore, must contain all
the polemical writings of pagan priests: And their whole theology
must consist more of traditional stories and superstitious
practices than of philosophical argument and controversy.

"But where theism forms the fundamental principle of any popular
religion, that tenet is so conformable to sound reason, that
philosophy is apt to incorporate itself with such a system of
theology. And if the other dogmas of that system be contained in a
sacred book, such as the Alcoran, or be determined by any visible
authority, like that of the Roman pontiff, speculative reasoners
naturally carry on their assent, and embrace a theory, which has
been instilled into them by their earliest education, and which
also possesses some degree of consistence and uniformity. But as
these appearances are sure, all of them, to prove deceitful,
philosophy will very soon find herself very unequally yoked with
her new associate; and instead of regulating each principle,