BERKELEY

From Agepedia

BERKELEY, doctor George; bishop of Cloyne, in Ireland; celebrated for his ideal theory. He maintains that the belief in tlje existence of an exterior material world is false and inconsistent with itself; that those things which are called sensible material objects are not external, but exist in the mind, and are merely impressions made on our minds by the immediate act of God, according to certain rules termed laws of nature, from which he never deviates; and that the steady adherence of the Supreme Spirit to these rules is what constitutes the reality of things to his creatures; and so effectually distinguishes the ideas perceived by sense from such as are the work of the mind itself or of dreams, that there is no more danger of confounding them together on this hypothesis than on that of the existence of matter. He was born at Kilcrin, Ireland, in 1684; became fellow of Trinity college, Dublin, in 1707; travelled in Italy as far as Leghorn, in 1713 and 1714, and, at a later period, accompanied Mr. Ashe, son of the bishop of Clogher, on a tour through Italy, Sicily and France. In 1721, he was appointed chaplain to the lord lieutenant of Ireland, the duke of Grafton. He appeared with much applause as an author before, he was 20 years old. His works on philosophy and mathematics (among which his Theory of Vision, published in 1709, is the most "brilliant proof of the author's acuteness) procured him a widespread fame. By a legacy of Mrs. Vanhomrigh, the celebrated Vanessa, who has become so generally known through her love to Swift, his fortune was considerably increased. In 1724, he was promoted to the deanery of Deny, and resigned his fellowship He now published his Proposals for the Conversion of the American Savages to Christianity by the Establishment of a College in the Bermuda Islands. The project was very favorably received, and persons of the first rank raised considerable sums by subscription to aid it; and B., having resigned his preferment, set sail for Rhode Island, with several other persons of similar views, to make arrangements for carrying on his college. The assistance of parliament, which had been promised, not being afforded, his undertaking miscarried, after he had spent seven years and a considerable part of his fortune in his efforts. to accomplish it. He afterward wrote numerous philosophical, religious and politicoeconomical works. Towards his 60th year, he was attacked by a nervous colic, which he attempted to cure by the use of tarwater, whereby he was induced to publish two treatises on the utility of this water. He died suddenly at Oxford, in 1753. B. is said to have been acquainted with almost all branches of human knowledge. His character commanded the respect and love of all who knew him. Pope, his constant friend, describes him as possessed of " every virtue under heaven." His most celebrated philosophical works are, a Treatise on the Principles of Human Knowledge (London, 1710); Three Dialogues between Hylasand Philonous (London, 1713); Alciphron, or the Minute Philosopher (London, 1732). His Works appeared in London, 1784, 2 vols. 4to., preceded by a biography written by Arbuthnot.