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Essays Moral, Political, Literary, edited and with a Foreword, Notes, and Glossary by Eugene F. Miller, with an appendix of variant readings from the 1889 edition by T.H. Green and T.H. Grose, revised edition (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1987).

Author: David Hume
Editor: Eugene F. Miller

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VARIANT READINGS

Hume revised his essays continually throughout his lifetime, and there are many significant differences between earlier editions of the essays and the 1777 edition, which was corrected by Hume shortly before his death. The principal variations of earlier editions are recorded by T. H. Green and T. H. Grose in their edition of the Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary (1874, and after). The variations printed below are taken from Green and Grose, New Edition (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1889). The reader should keep in mind that Green and Grose do not consider all relevant editions of the essays and that their listing of variants is deficient in other ways as well. Also, editions E, F, and G are not part of the genealogy of the Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary. Superscript letters in the present text indicate where the variations occur. Green and Grose identify the editions of Hume’s essays by letter, as follows:

*Edition*
A	Essays, Moral and Political. Edinburgh, 1741.
B	Essays, Moral and Political. Second edition, corrected, Edinburgh, 1742.
C	Essays, Moral and Political. Vol. 2. Edinburgh, 1742.
D	Essays, Moral and Political. Third edition, corrected with additions; London and Edinburgh, 1748.
E	Philosophical Essays concerning Human Understanding. London, 1748.
F	Philosophical Essays concerning Human Understanding. Second edition, with additions and corrections; London, 1751.
G	An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals. London, 1751.
H	Political Discourses. Edinburgh, 1752.
I	Political Discourses. Second edition; Edinburgh, 1752.
K	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1753–54. Four volumes.
L	Four Dissertations. London, 1757.
M	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1758. One volume.
N	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1760. Four volumes.
O	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1764. Two volumes.
P	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. Edinburgh and London, 1768. Two volumes.
Q	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1770. Four volumes.
R	Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects. London and Edinburgh, 1777. Two volumes.

VARIANT READINGS TO PART I

PART TITLE PAGE

I.

OF THE DELICACY OF TASTE AND PASSION

II.

OF THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS

III.

THAT POLITICS MAY BE REDUCED TO A SCIENCE

IV.

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VARIANT READINGS - David Hume, Essays Moral, Political, Literary (LF ed.) [1777]

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VARIANT READINGS

VARIANT READINGS TO PART I

PART TITLE PAGE

I.

OF THE DELICACY OF TASTE AND PASSION

II.

OF THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS

III.

THAT POLITICS MAY BE REDUCED TO A SCIENCE

IV.

OF THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT

VI.

OF THE INDEPENDENCY OF PARLIAMENT

VII.

WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT INCLINES MORE TO ABSOLUTE MONARCHY, OR TO A REPUBLIC

VIII.

OF PARTIES IN GENERAL

IX.

OF THE PARTIES OF GREAT BRITAIN

X.

OF SUPERSTITION AND ENTHUSIASM

XI.

OF THE DIGNITY OR MEANNESS OF HUMAN NATURE

XII.

OF CIVIL LIBERTY

XIII.

OF ELOQUENCE

XIV.

OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES

XV.

THE EPICUREAN

XVIII.

THE SCEPTIC

XIX.

OF POLYGAMY AND DIVORCES

XX.

OF SIMPLICITY AND REFINEMENT IN WRITING

XXI.

OF NATIONAL CHARACTERS

VARIANT READINGS TO PART II

TITLE PAGE

I.

OF COMMERCE

II.

OF REFINEMENT IN THE ARTS

III.

OF MONEY

IV.

OF INTEREST

V.

OF THE BALANCE OF TRADE

VII.

OF THE BALANCE OF POWER

VIII.

OF TAXES

IX.

OF PUBLIC CREDIT

X.

OF SOME REMARKABLE CUSTOMS

XI.

OF THE POPULOUSNESS OF ANCIENT NATIONS

XII.

OF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT

XIII.