Although these essays are usually read apart from their original context, Hume clearly intended the four works -- The Natural History of Religion, A Dissertation on the Passions, Of Tragedy, and Of the Standard of Taste -- to stand together as a unified whole, showcasing his psychology of the passions and demonstrating its applications to both religion and aesthetics. This edition also includes Hume's extended Dedication, a passionate endorsement of intellectual and artistic freedom which has been out of print since the original publication in 1757.