LIFE

AND

CORRESPONDENCE

OR

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.

The second volume of the History of the Stuarts — His Apologies for his

Treatment of Religion - The Four Dissertations – The Two Sup-

pressed 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.

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 – Fer-

guson'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. . . . . . . . . . .

The Publication of the History anterior to the Accession of the Tudors

Completion of the History - Inquiry how far it is a complete History

Hame'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. . . Page 120

Lord Hertford's appointment to the French Embassy, and invitation

to Hume to accompany him — Correspondence on the occasion - Resi-

dence 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

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

* By mistake two chapters have been numbered XIV.