David Hume to Adam Smith-On the publication of his Theory of Moral Sentiments. I question not but you will have our friend Ferguson in your eye, in case another project for procuring him a place in the University of Edinburgh should fail. Ferguson has very much polished and improved his treatise on Refinement,* and with some amendments it will make an admirable book, and discovers an elegant and a singular genius. The Epigoniad, I hope, will do, but it is somewhat up-hill work. As I doubt not but you consult the reviews sometimes at present, you will see in the "Critical Review" a letter upon that poem; and I desire you to employ your conjectures in finding out the author. Let me see a sample of your skill in knowing hands by your guessing at the person. I am afraid of Lord Kames's Law Tracts. A man might as well think of making a fine sauce by a mixture of wormwood and aloes, as an agreeable composition by joining metaphysics and Scotch law. However, the book, I believe, has merit, though few persons will take the pains of diving into it. But, to return to your book and its success in this town. I must tell you-A plague of interruptions! I ordered myself to be denied, and yet here is one who has broke in upon me again. He is a man of letters, and we have had a good deal of literary conversation. You told me that you were curious of literary anecdotes, and therefore I shall inform you of a few that have come to my knowledge. I believe I have mentioned to you already Helvetius's book de l'Esprit. It is worth your reading, not for its philosophy, which I do not highly value, but for its agreeable composition. I had a letter from him a few days ago, wherein he tells me that my name was much oftener in the manuscript, but that the Censor of books at Paris obliged him to strike it out. Voltaire has lately published a small work David Hume to Adum Smith-On the publication of his Theory of Moral Sentiments. called Candide ou l'Optimiste. I shall give you a detail of it. But what is all this to my book? say you. My dear Mr. Smith, have patience; compose yourself to tranquillity. Show yourself a philosopher in practice as well as profession. Think on the emptiness and rashness and futility of the common judgments of men; how little they are regulated by reason in any subject, much more in philosophical subjects, which so far exceed the comprehension of the vulgar. -Non si quid turbida Roma, Elevet, accedas; examenve improbum in illa Castiges tintina: nec te quæsiveris extra. A wise man's kingdom is his own breast, or, if he ever looks farther, it will only be to the judgment of a select few, who are free from prejudices, and capable of examining his work. Nothing, indeed, can be a stronger presumption of falsehood, than the approbation of the multitude; and Phocion, you know, always suspected himself of some blunder, when he was attended with the applauses of the populace. Supposing, therefore, that you have duly prepared yourself for the worst of all these reflections, I proceed to tell you the melancholy news, that your book has been very unfortunate, for the public seem disposed to applaud it extremely. It was looked for by the foolish people with some impatience, and the mob of literati are beginning already to be very loud in its praises. Three bishops called yesterday at Millar's shop in order to buy copies, and to ask questions about the author. The Bishop of Peterborough said he had passed the evening in a company where he heard it extolled above all books in the world. The Duke of Argyll is more decisive than he uses to be in its favor. I suppose he either considers it as an exotic, or thinks the author David Hume to Adam Smith-On the publication of his Theory of Moral Sentiments. will be serviceable to him in the Glasgow elections. Lord Lyttleton says that Robertson, and Smith, and Bowyer are the glories of English literature. Oswald protests he does not know whether he has reaped more instruction or entertainment from it. But you may easily judge what reliance can be put on his judgment who has been engaged all his life in public business, and who never sees any faults in his friends. Millar exults and brags that two-thirds of the edition are already sold, and that he is now sure of success. You see what a son of the earth that is, to value books only by the profit they may bring him. In that view, I believe it may prove a very good book. Charles Townsend, who passes for the cleverest fellow in England, is so taken with the performance, that he said to Oswald he would put the Duke of Buccleuch under the author's care, and would make it worth his while to accept of that charge. As soon as I heard this, I called on him twice, with a view of talking with him about the matter, and of consulting him on the propriety of sending that young nobleman to Glasgow, for I could not hope that he could offer you any terms which would tempt you to renounce your professorship. But I missed him. Mr. Townsend passes for being a little uncertain in his resolution; so perhaps you need not build much on this sally. In recompense for so many mortifying things, which nothing but truth could have extorted from me, and which I could easily have multiplied to a greater number, I doubt not but you are so good a Christian as to return good for evil, and to flatter my vanity by telling me that all the godly in Scotland abuse me for my account of John Knox and the Reformation. I suppose you are glad to see my paper end, and I am obliged to conclude with Your humble servant, DAVID HUME. David Hume to Edward Gibbon-Future spread of the English Language. XIV.-FUTURE SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. David Hume to Edward Gibbon.* LONDON, Oct. 24th, 1767. SIR: It is but a few days ago since Mr. Deyverdun put your manuscript into my hands, and I have perused it with great pleasure and satisfaction. I have only one objection derived from the language in which it is written. Why do you compose in French, and carry fagots into the wood, as Horace says with regard to Romans who wrote in Greek? I grant that you have a like motive to those Romans, and adopt a language much more generally diffused than your native tongue; but have you not remarked the fate of those two ancient languages in following ages? The Latin, though then less celebrated, and confined to more narrow limits, has, in some measure, outlived the Greek, and is now more generally understood by men of letters. Let the French, therefore, triumph in the present diffusion of their tongue. Our solid and increasing establishments in America, where we need less dread the inundations of barbarians, promise a superior stability and duration to the English language. Your use of the French tongue has also led you into a style more poetical and figurative and more highly colored than our * Gibbon, before beginning his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, composed one book of an historical essay in French, on the liberty of the Swiss. This was submitted to some friends, whose unfavorable judgment induced him to relinquish that design. Mr. Hume's opinion was more favorable. Gibbon's partiality for France was not confined to the language. "His external solicitude," says Mr. Rogers, "to catch the exact tone of French manners and society, was constantly betraying itself. Madame du Deffand, though blind, recognized it, and thus writes to Walpole: 'He sets too much value on our talents for society (nos agréments), shows too much desire of acquiring them; it is constantly on the tip of my tongue to say to him, "Do not put yourself to so much trouble; you deserve the honor of being a Frenchman.” ”—H. David Hume to Dr. Robertson-Entertaining account of his Reception in Paris. language seems to admit of in historical productions; for such is the practice of French writers, particularly the more recent ones, who illuminate their pictures more than custom will permit us. On the whole, your History is written, in my opinion, with spirit and judgment, and I exhort you very earnestly to continue it. The objections that occurred to me, on reading it, were so frivolous, that I shall not trouble you with them, and should, I believe, have a difficulty to recollect them. I am, with great esteem, Your most obedient servant, DAVID HUME XV.-ENTERTAINING ACCOUNT OF HIS RECEPTION IN PARIS. David Hume to Dr. Robertson. PARIS, December 1st, 1763. DEAR ROBERTSON: Among other agreeable circumstances which attend me at Paris, I must mention that of having a lady for a translator, a woman of merit, the widow of an advocate. She was before very poor and known but to few, but this work has got her reputation, and procured her a pension from the Court, which sets her at her ease. She tells me that she has got a habit of industry, and would continue, if I could point out to her any other English book she could undertake, without running the risk of being anticipated by any other translator. Your History of Scotland is translated and is in the press; but I recommended to her your History of Charles V., and promised to write to you, in order to know when it would be printed, and to desire you to send over the sheets from London as they came from the press; I should put them into her hands, and she would, by that means, have the start of every other translator. My two volumes last published are at present in the press. She |