David Hume's Deathbed Wit

During his final illness, Hume imagines what excuses he might make to Charon, ferryman of the dead.

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Source: The Oxford Book of Literary Anecdotes, ed. James Sutherland (Oxford, 1987) ISBN 0192819364

Music: Among the Clouds, by Darren Curtis

Images:

Transcript:
I've always liked reading David Hume, because,
in addition to being very good prose, his
writing seems to crackle with the spark of
humanity and good cheer, qualities not found
in every philosopher's writing.
So I was very pleased to come across this
anecdote of David Hume's final days, in which
he maintained his wit and good cheer in the
face of his imminent death.
His friend, the Scottish printer and naturalist
William Smellie, relates this anecdote from
Hume’s final illness.
Adam Smith observed to Hume that though he
was quite ill, “your cheerfulness is so
great, and your spirit of life so strong,
that I must entertain some faint hopes of
your recovery.”
Mr. Hume answered, “Your hopes are groundless….”
Mr. Smith replied, “If it must be so, you
have at least the satisfaction of leaving
all your friends, your brother’s family
in particular, in great prosperity.”
Mr. Hume said he felt that satisfaction so
sensibly that, a few days before, when reading
Lucian’s Dialogues of the Dead, among all
the excuses which are usually made to Charon
by souls who are backward to be ferried in
his boat over the river Styx, he could not
find one that suited him.
He had no house to furnish, no children to
provide for, nor any enemies upon which he
wished to be revenged.
“I could not well imagine,” said he, “what
excuse I could make to Charon, in order to
obtain a little delay.
I have done every thing of consequence which
I ever meant to do, and I could at no time
expect to leave my relations and friends in
a better situation than that in which I am
now likely to leave them: I, therefore, have
all reason to die contented.”
He then amused himself with some whimsical
excuses which he supposed he might make to
Charon, and with imagining the surly answers
which it might suit the character of Charon
to return to them.
“Upon further consideration,” said he,
“I thought I might say to him, ‘Good Charon,
I have been correcting my works for a new
edition.
Allow me a little time that I may see how
the public receives the alterations.
But Charon would answer, ‘When you have
seen the effect of these, you will be for
making other alterations.
There will be no end of such excuses; so,
honest friend, please step into the boat.’”
But Mr. Hume said, “I might still urge,
‘Have a little patience, my good Charon,
I have been endeavouring to open the eyes
of the public.
If I live a few days longer, I may have the
satisfaction of seeing the downfall of some
of the prevailing systems of superstition.’
But Charon would then lose his temper and
decency.
‘You loitering rogue, that will not happen
these many hundred years.
Do you fancy I will grant you a lease for
so long a term?
Get into the boat this instant, you lazy loitering
rogue!’”
That’s an anecdote of David Hume’s final
weeks, from William Smellie’s book, Literary
and Characteristical Lives.
Thanks for watching today; goodbye.

[worldlyconcerns]

One of the greatest and, by all accounts, one of the most admirable of philosophers. Hume is a hero of mine. As Adam Smith concluded, "Upon the whole, I have always considered him, both in his lifetime and since his death, as approaching as nearly to the idea of a perfectly wise and virtuous man, as perhaps the nature of human frailty will permit."

[d.l.l.]

Jesus Christ said in John 3:13 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

[lovegod]

His last words were “I am in flames”
It was said to be a terrifying sight!

[d.l.l.]

That’s a sorry way to die. Arguing with a nasty boat pilot over a few more pitiful days? That isn’t wit, it’s recognizing he had no eternal hope. No hope? No assurance of a good eternity? At least when you follow Jesus Christ, you have assurance of a happy eternity in heaven.

[aziez]

What I find amazing is that there is no atheism philosophy or doctrine that promises any type of consequences for believing God and going to hellfire for believing in God. But God said in the holy Quran I didn’t create the earth and populate it with humans and abandon you without guidance to find me and worship me.
He promises an eternal punishment for the deniers and says that my promise will be true when I bring the deniers back to me just like to send them to earth in the first place. It’s the same process. It makes me sad humans are so stubborn and full of arrogance.