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To: Wings-n-Wind

Let's wait and see what he believes when he is on his deathbed.


5 posted on 12/09/2006 10:01:10 AM PST by Melinda
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To: Melinda
Let's wait and see what he believes when he is on his deathbed.

Not to mention his post-deathbed.

7 posted on 12/09/2006 10:03:29 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standards at all.)
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To: Melinda
Let's wait and see what he believes when he is on his deathbed.

With respect to that sentiment, here's a pertinent paragraph:

Though Boswell was energetic in his pursuit of biographical material, he was capable of ignoring facts that seemed irreconcilable with a wider truth, or even of inventing facts to suit his purpose when the psychological need to do so was strong enough. In 1776, for example, he had conducted a long interview with the dying philosopher David Hume, whose biography he was hoping to write. Boswell was distressed by Hume's consistent atheism, and earnestly tried to persuade Hume to recant. When Hume died, having steadfastly refused to so, Boswell was very disturbed. That such a powerful intellect could contemplate oblivion composedly was upsetting; for years Boswell read and re-read Hume's works, and practised arguments to refute them. At last, nearly eight years later, he dreamed that he had found Hume's diary, "and read some beautiful passages in it", revealing that Hume had indeed been "a Christian and a very pious man". This dream reassured him, and afterwards he was tranquil again.

(from the essay, "Doctor Johnson's Second Wife", by Adam Sisman)


28 posted on 12/09/2006 2:23:35 PM PST by snarks_when_bored
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