Hume on Curiosity. A Conclusion to Treatise Book II?

Hume published only three books of the Treatise (the examination of politics and criticism was supposed to “compleat” it). Of the Understanding and Of Morals have a final section entitled “Conclusion of this book”; Of the Passions ends up with “Of curiosity, or the love of truth”. Each final section has its scandalous image: back-gammon, hunting or gaming, and anatomy. The final section of Book I is a proper conclusion, that of Book III is almost such, while that of Book II is something different, especially its last paragraphs on the “insatiable desire” of knowing the actions of our neighbours. The conclusion of Book I (“before I launch out…”) marks the transition to Book II and that of Book II (“before we leave …”) the transition to Book III; yet Hume allows to have been “inattentive” in running over “so many” parts of the mind and passions, without considering “that love of truth, which was the first source of all our enquiries”. It is time to analyse Hume’s account, its structure, images and connections with the philosophical tradition.