This is the first ever critical edition of one of the most famous and popular literary works of the 18th century, David Hume's Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary. The editors' introduction discusses the context, genesis, revision, and reception of the essays; their annotations elucidate Hume' s sources, allusions, and citations.

VOLUME 1 Preface and Acknowledgments Abbreviations and Short Titles A Chronological Table of Hume's Lifetime A Table of the Appearances of Hume's Essays from 1741 to 1777 A Note on the Texts Withdrawn Essays Last Published in 1742 1: Of Essay Writing 2: Of Moral Prejudices 3: Of the Middle Station of Life 4: A Character of Sir Robert Walpole Withdrawn Essays Last Published Between 1760 and 1768 1: Of Impudence and Modesty 2: Of Love and Marriage 3: Of the Study of History 4: Of Avarice Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary: Part 1 1: Of the Delicacy of Taste and Passion 2: Of the Liberty of the Press 3: That Politics may be reduced to a Science 4: Of the First Principles of Government 5: Of the Origin of Government 6: Of the Independency of Parliament 7: Whether the British Government inclines more to Absolute Monarchy, or to a Republic 8: Of Parties in General 9: Of the Parties of Great Britain 10: Of Superstition and Enthusiasm 11: Of the Dignity or Meanness of Human Nature 12: Of Civil Liberty 13: Of Eloquence 14: Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences 15: The Epicurean 16: The Stoic 17: The Platonist 18: The Sceptic 19: Of Polygamy and Divorces 20: Of Simplicity and Refinement in Writing 21: Of National Characters 22: Of Tragedy 23: Of the Standard of Taste Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary: Part 2 1: Of Commerce 2: Of Refinement in the Arts 3: Of Money 4: Of Interest 5: Of the Balance of Trade 6: Of the Jealousy of Trade 7: Of the Balance of Power 8: Of Taxes 9: Of Public Credit 10: Of Some Remarkable Customs 11: Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations 12: Of the Original Contract 13: Of Passive Obedience 14: Of the Coalition of Parties 15: Of the Protestant Succession 16: Idea of a Perfect Commonwealth The Index to Essays and Treatises on Several Subjects A History of Hume's Essays A Bibliographical Schema of the Editions European Book Translations of the Essays Editorial Appendix of Emendations and Substantive Variants Appendix 1: The Scotticisms Insert in Political Discourses Appendix 2: The Dedication To the Reverend Mr. Hume in Four Dissertations Appendix 3: Facsimile Reproductions VOLUME 2 Abbreviations and Short Titles Editors Annotations Glossary Biographical Appendix Catalogue of Hume's References Reference List Editors Index to Volumes 1 and 2

All the editorial work has been done with enormous attention to detail and precision.... Beauchamp has also edited three other works by Hume for the Clarendon Edition ... All of these works have been edited and annotated to the same very high standard. Taken together, this is a significant and substantial contribution to Hume scholarship.

The first critical edition of Hume's Essays Each essay is extensively annotated Includes a detailed scholarly introduction discussing the history and development of the Essays in unprecedented detail Contains a full technical bibliographical schema of the history of Hume's many editions of his Essays

Tom L. Beauchamp is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University. His research interests are in the history of modern philosophy, in particular the works of David Hume. He is the editor of three previously published OUP volumes in The Clarendon Hume editions of the works of Hume, co-author with Alexander Rosenberg of Hume and the Problem of Causation, and has published scholarly articles on Hume in areas of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, philosophy of mind, and history of modern philosophy. Mark A. Box is Emeritus Professor of English at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He taught English literature at the University of Alaska Fairbanks from 1990 through 2010. His research interests have been in Hume's writings and in bibliography.

The first critical edition of Hume's Essays Each essay is extensively annotated Includes a detailed scholarly introduction discussing the history and development of the Essays in unprecedented detail Contains a full technical bibliographical schema of the history of Hume's many editions of his Essays