a little play about The Death of David Hume which happened on this day in 1776--

BOSWELL
[ Reading ] On Sunday forenoon, the 7th of July 1776, being too late for Church, I went to see Mr David Hume, who was returned from London and Bath, just a dying. I found him alone, in a reclining posture in his drawing-room. He was lean, ghastly, and quite of an earthy appearance. He was drest in a suit of grey cloth with white metal buttons, and a kind of scratch wig. He was quite different from the plump figure which he used to present. He had before him Dr Campbell's Philosophy of Rhetorick. He seemed to be placid and even cheerful. He said he was just approaching to his end. I think those were his words. I know not how I contrived to get the subject of Immortality introduced. [ Pause ]. And, if I may be so bold as to ask, Mr Hume, Do you retain all of your opinions concerning Religion?

HUME
I have never entertained any belief in Religion, Mr Boswell, since I began to read Locke and Clarke.

BOSWELL
You were religious when you were young, then?

HUME
Oh, yes, yes, I was. I used to read The Whole Duty of Man. [ Cheerfully ]. I made an abstract from the Catalogue of Vices - at the end of it, you know - and I examined myself by this. Of course, I left out Murder and Theft and such other vices as I had no chance of committing having no inclination to commit them. `Twas strange work - to try if, notwithstanding my excelling my school-fellows, I had no pride or vanity. [ Pause; more seriously ]. The morality of every religion is bad, Mr Boswell. They all make up new species of crime and bring unhappiness in their train. When I hear a man is religious, I conclude he is a rascal [ pause ] though I know some instances of very good men being religious.

BOSWELL
But is it not possible that there may be a future state, where we shall all account for our sins?

HUME
`Tis possible that a piece of coal, put upon the fire, will not burn, but to suppose so is not at all reasonable. It is a most unreasonable fancy that we should exist forever. If it were at all, immortality must be general; the infant who dies before being possessed of reason; the half-wit; the Porter drunk with gin by ten o'clock - all must be preserved and new Universes must be created to contain such vast numbers.