About the Book
The material reprinted in this two-volume set, first published in 1989, covers the first eighty-five years in responses to George Berkeley’s writings. David Berman identifies several key waves of eighteenth-century criticism surrounding Berkeley’s philosophies, ranging from hostile and discounted, to valued and defended. The first volume includes an account of the life of Berkeley by J. Murray and key responses from 1711 to 1748, whilst the second volume covers the years between 1745 and 1796. This fascinating reissue illustrates the breadth and diversity of the early reaction to Berkeley’s philosophies, and will help students and academics form a clear image of both Berkeley’s work and his reputation through the eyes of his contemporaries.
Table of Contents:
1. Andrew Baxter, ‘Dean Berkeley’s scheme against the existence of matter, and a material world examined, and shewn inconclusive ‘, from An Enquiry into the Nature of the Human Soutl (3rd ed, London, A. Millar, 1745) 2. T. D., An Essay on the Existence of Matter, wherein the Extraordinary Philosophy of the celebrates Dr Berkeley, Bishop of Cloyne, is impartially considered, and fully confuted (London, E. Cave, 1751) 3. Samuel Johnson, Chapter 1 from The Elements of Philosophy: containing, I. the most useful parts of Logic, including both Metaphysics and Dialectics (London, 3rd ed., corrected and enlarged, A. Millar, 1754) 4. Thomas Prior (and Berkeley), An Authentic Narrative of the Success of Tar-water, A New Edition (Dublin printed, London re-printed, W. Hitch et al., 1746) 5. Henry Home (Lord Kames), ‘Of Authority of our Senses’, from Essays on the Principles of Morality and Ntural Religion (Edinburgh, A. Kincaid and A. Donaldson, 1751) 6. Henry St John (Lord Bolingbroke), from The Philosophical Works of the late Right Honorable Henry St. John, Lord Viscount Bolingbroke.. Published by David Mallet (London, 1754) 7. Philip Doddridge, ‘Bishop Berkley’s [sic] Scheme Examined’, from A Course of Lectures on the Principal Subjects in Pneumatology, Ethics and Divinity; with references to the most considerable Authors on each Subject, S. Clark ed. (London, T. Buckland et al., 1763) 8. Thomas Reid, from An Inquiry into the Human Mind (Edinburgh, A. Millar, et al., 1974) 9. James Beattie, ‘Of the Existence of Matter’, from An Essay on the nature and the immutability of truth (3rd ed., Dublin, Thomas Ewing, 1773) 10. Joseph Priestley, from An Examination of Dr Reid’s Inquiry into the Human Mind…Dr Beattie’s Essay on the Nature of and Immutability of Truth and Dr Oswald’s Appeal to Common Sense (London, J. Johnson, 1774) 11. Adam Smith, from Essays on Philosophical Subjects (Dublin, Wogan et al., 1975) 12. A Catalogue of the valuable Library of the Late Right Reverend Dr Berkeley, Lord Bishop of Cloyne. Together with the Libraries of his Son and Grandson (London, Leigh & Sotheby, 1796)
