Hume's Natural History of Religion may, with his Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion be held to mark the beginning of the Philosophy of Religion. Not so clearly a text illustrating modern technology—indeed in its own day it was regarded as skeptical and subversive—the Natural History is remarkably illustrative of the development of religious thought and is a brilliant philosophical contribution to the interpretation of religion. The editor of this reprint discusses Hume's purpose in writing the Natural History and assesses its influence at the present day.