Chapter I: Front Matter

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LIFE AND

CORRESPONDENCE OF

DAVID HUME.

LIFE

AND

CORRESPONDENCE

OF

DAVID HUME.

FROM THE PAPERS BEQUEATHED BY HIS NEPHEW TO THE
ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH; AND OTHER
ORIGINAL SOURCES.

BY JOHN HILL BURTON, ESQ.
ADVOCATE.

VOLUME II.

EDINBURGH:
WILLIAM TAIT, 107, PRINCE'S STREET.
MDCCCXLVI.

EDINBURGH:
Printed by WILLIAM TAIT, 107, Prince's Street.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME SECOND.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOL. II.

Portrait of Hume from a Bust, _Frontispiece_.

Fac simile of a page of the History of England, Page 79

Fac simile of a letter from Rousseau, 326

CHAPTER X.

1756-1759. ÆT. 45-48.

The second volume of the History of the Stuarts--His Apologies
for his Treatment of Religion--The Four Dissertations--The Two
Suppressed Dissertations--Resigns his Office of Librarian--
Home's Douglas--Commences the History of the Tudors--
Wilkie's Epigoniad--Hume's Nationalism--Warburton--Colonel
Edmondstoune--Dr. Robertson--Negotiations as to Ferguson's
Chair--Hume goes to London--Writes Letters of Fictitious and
Extravagant News--Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments--
Publication of the History of the House of Tudor--General View
of the Constitutional Principles of the History. 1

CHAPTER XI.

1760-1762. ÆT. 49-51.

Alterations of the History in the direction of despotic
Principles--Specimens--Alterations in Style--Specimens--His
Elaboration--Ossian's Poems--Labours at the early part of the
History--Ferguson's "Sister Peg"--Acquaintance with Madame de
Boufflers--Account of that lady--First intercourse with
Rousseau--Rousseau's position--The exiled Earl Marischal--
Campbell and his Dissertation on Miracles. 73

CHAPTER XII.

1762-1763. ÆT. 51-52.

The Publication of the History anterior to the Accession of
the Tudors--Completion of the History--Inquiry how far it is a
complete History--Hume's Intention to write an Ecclesiastical
History--Opinions of Townsend and others on his History--
Appreciation of the Fine Arts--Hume's House in James's Court--
Its subsequent occupation by Boswell and Johnson--Conduct
of David Mallet--Hume's Projects--The Douglas Cause--
Correspondence with Reid. 120

CHAPTER XIII.

1763-1764. ÆT. 52-53.

Lord Hertford's appointment to the French Embassy, and
invitation to Hume to accompany him--Correspondence on the
occasion--Residence in London, and remarks on the Political
Movements of 1763--State of his reputation in France--His
Arrival--Letters to friends at home about his flattering
reception--The young French princes--Observations on eminent
French people--His recommendations to a Clergyman--
Introductions of Fellow Countrymen. 156

CHAPTER XIV.

1764-1765. ÆT. 53-54.

The French and English Society of Hume's day--Reasons of his
warm reception in France--Society in which he moved--Mixture
of lettered men with the Aristocracy--Madame Geoffrin--Madame
Du Page de Boccage--Madame Du Deffand--Mademoiselle De
L'Espinasse--D'Alembert--Turgot--The Prince of Conti--Notices
of Hume among the Parisians--Walpole in Paris--Resumption of
the Correspondence--Hume undertakes the management of Elliot's
sons--Reminiscences of home--Mrs. Cockburn--Adam Smith--Madame
De Boufflers and the Prince of Conti--Correspondence with Lord
Elibank. 207

CHAPTER XIV.[vi:A]

1765-1766. ÆT. 54-55.

Hume's Sentiments as to the Popularity of his works--A letter
to the Scottish Clergy--Correspondence with Elliot continued--
Sir Robert Liston--Mallet--Hume appointed Secretary of
Legation--Chargé d' Affaires at Paris--Proposal to appoint him
Secretary for Ireland--Reasons of the Failure of the Project--
Lord Hertford--Resumption of Communication with Rousseau--
Rousseau in Paris--Notices of his History and Character--
Hume's Solicitude for his welfare--Return to Britain--Disposal
of Rousseau--Death of Jardine. 263

CHAPTER XV.

1766-1767. ÆT. 55-56.

Rousseau at Wooton--Mr. Davenport--Negotiations as to
Rousseau's pension--Origin and rise of his excitement against
Hume--Proper method of viewing the dispute--Incidents
illustrative of Rousseau's state of mind--His charges against
Hume--Smith's opinion--Opinion of the French friends--Hume's
conduct in the publication of the papers--Voltaire--Rousseau's
flight and wanderings--Hume's subsequent conduct to him. 319

CHAPTER XVI.

1766-1770. ÆT. 55-59.

Hume Under Secretary of State--Church Politics--Official
abilities--Conduct as to Ferguson's book--Quarrel with
Oswald--Baron Mure's sons--Project of continuing the History--
Ministerial convulsions--Hume's conduct to his Family--His
Brother--His Nephews--Baron Hume--Blacklock--Smollett--Church
Patronage--Gibbon--Robertson--Elliot--Gilbert Stuart--The
Douglas Cause--Andrew Stewart--Morellet--Return to Scotland. 382

CHAPTER XVII.

1771-1776. ÆT. 60-65.

Hume's social character--His conversation--His disposition--
Traditional anecdotes regarding him--Correspondence--Letter
about the Pretender--Gilbert Stuart's quarrel with Dr. Henry--
Commercial State of Scotland--Letter to his nephew on
Republicanism--Smith's "Wealth of Nations"--Hume's illness--
His Will--Smith appointed Literary Executor--Strahan
substituted--His journey to England with Home--Prospects of
Death--Communications with his Friends and Relations--His
Death--General view of his influence on Thought and Action. 437

INDEX. 523

FOOTNOTES:

[vi:A] By mistake two chapters have been numbered XIV.

THE LIFE

OF

DAVID HUME.