the construction of a complete system of philosophy.-MIKKELSEN, M. A., 1897, Library of the World's Best Literature, ed. Warner, vol. XIII, p. 7777.

He

Hume had taken his place in the literature of his country and of the world. He himself, however, was depressed with sense of failure, for he says, "Never was literary attempt more unfortunate than my "Treatise of Human Nature.'" felt disappointed that it did not even "excite a murmur among the zealots." His power had been concentrated to the utmost, but renown did not come to him, as he had anticipated. What he could do in philosophic thought was accomplished, and he was convinced that the writing was not of slight significance; but the reading public did not know what had been done-his contribution was not of the character to attract readers.-CALDERWOOD, HENRY, 1898, David Hume (Famous Scots Series), p. 24.

It was written when he was only twentyfive, and probably no book of the kind, destined to exercise such an extended influence, was ever written by a man of that age, certainly never with greater ease or more supreme command of his own ideas-CRAIK, SIR HENRY, 1901, A Century of Scottish History, vol. II, p. 188.

ESSAYS

I am strongly tempted too to have a stroke at Hume in parting. He is the author of a little book called "Philosophical Essays," in one part of which he argues against the being of a God, and in another (very needlessly you will say) against the possibility of miracles. He has crowned the liberty of the press. And yet he has a considerable post under the Government. I have a great mind to do justice on his arguments against miracles, which I think might be done in few words. But does he deserve notice? Is he known amongst you? Pray answer me these questions. For if his own weight keeps him down, I should be sorry to contribute to his advancement to any place but the pillory.-WARBURTON, WILLIAM, 1749, Letters from a Late Eminent Prelate, Sept. 28, p. 14.

I have not yet read the last Review, but dipping into it, I accidentally fell upon their account of Hume's "Essay on Suicide." I am glad that they have liberality

enough to condemn the licentiousness of an author whom they so much admire: -I say liberality, for there is as much bigotry in the world to that man's errors as there is in the hearts of some secretaries to their peculiar modes and tenets. He is the Pope of thousands, as blind and presumptuous as himself. God certainly infatuates those who will not see. It were otherwise impossible, that a man, naturally shrewd and sensible, and whose understanding has had all the advantages of constant exercise and cultivation, could have satisfied himself, or have hoped to satisfy others with such palpable sophistry as has not even the grace of fallacy to recommend it.—COWPER, WILLIAM, 1784, Letter to Rev. William Unwin, July 12; Works, ed. Southey, vol. III, p. 122.

I like his "Essays" better than anything I have read these many days. He has prejudices, he does maintain errors,-but he defends his positions with so much ingenuity, that one would be almost sorry to see him dislodged. His essays on "Superstition and Enthusiasm," on "The Dignity and Meanness of Human Nature," and several others, are in my opinion admirable both in matter and manner, particularly the first, where his conclusions. might be verified by instances with which we are all acquainted. The manner, indeed, of all is excellent; the highest and most difficult effect of art-the appearance of its absence-appears throughout.CARLYLE, THOMAS, 1815, Early Letters, ed., by Charles Eliot Norton, p. 20.

Of the "Political Discourses" it would be difficult to speak in terms of too great commendation. They combine almost every excellence which can belong to such a performance. . . The great merit, however, of these discourses, is their originality, and the new system of politics and political economy which they unfold. Mr. Hume is, beyond all doubt, the author of the modern doctrines which now rule the world of science, which are to a great extent the guide to practical statesmen, and are only prevented from being applied in their fullest extent to the affairs of nations, by clashing interests and the ignorant prejudices of certain powerful classes; for no one deserving the name of legislator pretends to doubt the soundness of the theory, although many held that the errors of our predecessors require a

slow recourse to right principle in conducting the practical business of the world. . . . It is certain that Dr. Smith's celebrated work, with all its great merits, is less of a regular system than the detached essays of Mr. Hume. The originality of the latter's opinions is wholly undeniable: they were published full fourteen years before the "Wealth of Nations." -BROUGHAM, HENRY LORD, 1845-6, Lives of Men of Letters of the Time of George III.

"Essays on Commerce, Interest, Balance of Trade, Money, Jealousy of Trade, and Public Credit, display the same felicity of style and illustration that distinguish the other works of their celebrated author. His views of the commercial intercourse that should subsist among nations are alike enlightened and liberal: and he has admirably exposed the groundlessness of the prejudices then entertained against a free intercourse with France, and the fear of being deprived, were commercial restraints abolished, of a sufficient supply of bullion. . . . Hume and Smith saw and pointed out the injurious operation of the Methuen treaty, and exposed the absurdity of our sacrificing the trade with France to that of so beggarly a country as Portugal.-MCCULLOCH, JOHN RAMSAY, 1845, Literature of Political Economy.

Of all the English deistical works of the eighteenth century, the influence of two and only two survived the controversy. Hume's "Essay on Miracles," though certainly not unquestioned and unassailed, cannot be looked upon as obsolete or uninfluential.-LECKY, W. E. H., 1865, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe.

No writer on miracles omits to notice Hume. To refute him has been the ambition of every Christian apologist for the last hundred years; but what could really be said in reply was said in his lifetime. It is recorded of a professor in the University of Edinburgh that he annually refuted the great sceptic, and with as much. complacency as regularity. A portion of his lectures was always introduced with the words "Having considered these different systems, I will now, gentlemen, proceed to refute the ingenious theories of our late respected townsman, Mr. David Hume." As there really was but one answer, that answer has been repeated

with variations and amplifications by all who have undertaken to meet his objections.-HUNT, JOHN, 1869, David Hume, Contemporary Review, vol. 11, p. 89.

"I flatter myself," says Hume, in the "Essay upon Miracles," "that I have discovered an argument of a like nature" (the reference is to Tillotson's argument on transubstantiation), "which, if just, will, with the wise and learned, be an everlasting check to all kinds of superstitious delusion, and, consequently, will be useful as long as the world endures." This preliminary trumpet-flourish, intended probably to startle the drowsy champions of the faith into some consciousness of the philosopher's claims, has been as nearly fulfilled as could have been expected. Hume's argument, neglected for the moment, soon attracted the assaults of theologians. Since his day eager apologists have denounced it, reasoned against it, passed it under the most rigid examination, and loudly and frequently proclaimed the discovery of some fatal flaw. The fact that the argument is being answered to this day proves that its efficacy is not exhausted. Every new assault is a tacit admission that previous assaults have not demolished the hostile works. It is needless to enquire how far this particular logical crux has contributed to the decay amongst rational thinkers of a belief in the miraculous. That belief forms part of a system of thought, and grows faint as the general system loses its hold upon the intellect. The prominence given to the essay, except as an admirable specimen of the dialectical art, may, therefore, be easily exaggerated. No single essay has sapped the bases of belief. On the other hand, the essay is but a small part of Hume's attack upon the fundamental dogmas of theology. His popular reputation, indeed, is almost exclusively based upon it; he is known as the author of this particular dilemma; all else that he wrote is ignored; and so exclusively has attention been fixed upon these particular pages, that few of his assailants take any notice even of the immediately succeeding essay, which forms with it a complete and connected argument.-STEPHEN, LESLIE, 1876, History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century, vol. I, p. 309.

The germs of several of Adam Smith's economic doctrines, and some of Bentham's,

are to be found in these "Essays." In literary form their merit is great; but it is greater as regards their substance. They are weighted with economic wisdom, with happy and suggestive thoughts on questions of Government; and on the relations of party to party their political sagacity is great. If the "Wealth of Nations" was the chief contribution to the economic literature of England of the eighteenth century, these "Essays" prepared the way for it; and Smith's debt to Hume was both direct and indirect. KNIGHT, WILLIAM, 1886, Hume (Philosophical Classics), p. 36.

HISTORY OF ENGLAND

1754-62

Hume has out-done himself in this new History, in shewing his contempt of Religion. This is one of those proof charges which Arbuthnot speaks of in his treatise of political lying, to try how much the publick will bear. If his history be well received, I shall conclude that there is even an end of all pretence to Religion.WARBURTON, WILLIAM, 1759, Letters from a Late Eminent Prelate, Mar. 3, p. 282.

In 1752, The Faculty of Advocates chose me their librarian, an office for which I received little or no emolument, but which gave me the command of a large library. I then formed the plan of writing the "History of England;" but being frightened with the notion of continuing a narrative through a period of seventeen hundred years, I commenced with the accession of the House of Stuart, an epoch when, I thought, the misrepresentations of faction began chiefly to take place. I was, I own, sanguine in my expectations of the success. of this work. I thought that I was the only historian, that had at once neglected present power, interest and authority, and the cry of popular prejudices; and, as the subject was suited to every capacity, I expected proportional applause. But miserable was my disappointment: I was assailed by one cry of reproach, disapprobation, and even detestation; English, Scotch, and Irish, Whig and Tory, churchman and secretary, freethinker and religionist, patriot and courtier, united in their rage against a man, who had presumed to shed a generous tear for the fate of Charles I. and the Earl of Strafford; and after the first ebullitions of their fury was over, what was still more mortifying, the

Mr.

book seemed to sink into oblivion. Millar told me, that in a twelvemonth he sold only forty-five copies of it. I scarcely, indeed, heard of one man in the three kingdoms, considerable for rank or letters, that could endure the book. I must only except the primate of England, Dr. Herring, and the primate of Ireland, Dr. Stone, which seem two odd exceptions. These dignified prelates separately sent me messages not to be discouraged.HUME, DAVID, 1776, My Own Life, p. 17.

The "History" of Mr. Hume is indeed very far from being laudable. It is a mere apology for prerogative from beginning to end and, tho' the best apology which hath been offered, is yet very weak; which shews the cause must be desperate when even so great an advocate utterly fails in its defence. At the same time that his political principles led him to exalt the prerogative, his philosophic opinions forced him to depress the church: while every body knows that no church, no king. Hence his work is one chaos of heterogeneous axioms, and misrepresented events. PINKERTON, JOHN (ROBERT HERON), 1785, Letters of Literature, p. 366. It is surprising, on examining any particular point, how superficial Hume is, and how many particulars are omitted that would have made his book much more entertaining; but perhaps we have no right to expect this in a general history.-MALONE, EDMOND, 1787, Maloniana, ed. Prior, p. 370.

For a judicious choice of materials, and a happy disposition of them, together with perspicuity of style in recording them, this writer was hardly ever exceeded; especially in the latter part of his work, which is by far the most elaborate. The earlier part of his history is too superficial. -PRIESTLY, JOSEPH, 1788, Lectures on History, Lecture xxvii, p. 176.

The perfect composition, the nervous language, the well-turned periods of Dr. Robertson, inflamed me to the ambitious hope that I might one day tread in his footsteps: the calm philosophy, the careless inimitable beauties of his friend and rival, often forced me to close the volume with a mixed sensation of delight and despair. -GIBBON, EDWARD, 1793, Autobiography, ch. xii.

The history of England was investigated

by Hume, not with the eyes of a patriot but of a philosopher; and from each author whom he consulted, selecting alternately the choicest diction, he constructed an artful narrative, in which strength, precision, elegance, and a copious simplicity are infinitely diversified; a narrative interspersed throughout with the most profound reflections; and, though partial, perhaps, to a particular system or party, enriched with the most philosophical views of the arguments and peculiar opinions of the times.-LAING, MALCOLM, 1800-4, History of Scotland, vol. IV, p. 391.

It is therefore in his "History of England," and principally in those parts of it which were the last composed, that we must look for that style of which the merit is universally confessed. Easy and natural as it appears to be, it was the cultivated fruit of long practice, and a sedulous attention to those models which he esteemed the best.-TYTLER, ALEXANDER FRASER, 1806-14, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Henry Home of Kames, vol. I, p. 237.

His greatest work, and that which naturally claims most attention, was his "History of England," which, notwithstanding great defects, will probably be at last placed at the head of historical compositions. No other narrative seems to unite, in the same degree, the two qualities of being instructive and affecting. No historian approached him in the union of the talent of painting pathetic scenes with that of exhibiting comprehensive views of human affairs.-MACKINTOSH, SIR JAMES, 1811, Memoirs, ed. Mackintosh, vol. II, p. 168.

The great standards of historical composition which England produced during the eighteenth century are among the most important features of belles lettres. In this species of literature they have surpassed all other nations, if only in leading the way, and as historical models for foreign imitation. Unless I am mistaken, Hume ranks with the foremost in this department. His description of earlier times is very unsatisfactory: having no affection for them, he could not sufficiently realize them. SCHLEGEL, FREDERICK, 1815-59, Lectures on the History of Literature.

The name of Hume is far the more considerable which occurs in the period to

which we have alluded. But, though his thinking was English, his style was entirely French; and being naturally of a cold fancy, there is nothing of that eloquence or richness about him which characterizes the writings of Taylor, and Hooker, and Bacon, and continues, with less weight of matter, to please in those of Cowley and Clarendon.- JEFFREY, FRANCIS LORD, 1816, Swift, Edinburgh Review, vol. 27, p. 8.

Hume was not, indeed, learned and well-grounded enough for those writers and investigators of history who judged his works from the usual point of view, because he was not only negligent in the use of the sources of history, but also superficial. SCHLOSSER, FRIEDRICH CHRISTOPH, 1823, History of the Eighteenth Century, tr. Davison.

The author, indeed, wanted that resolute spirit of industry and research, which alone can lead an historian to become thoroughly acquainted with the valuable writers of the middle ages.- DIBDIN, THOMAS FROGNALL, 1824, The Library Companion, p. 235, note.

Hume often puts the names of the monkish writers in his margin; but I fear all he knew of them was through the media of other writers. He has some mistakes which could not have occurred had he really consulted the originals. Hume is certainly an admirable writer his style bold, and his reflections shrewd and uncommon; but his religious and political notions have too often warped his judgment.-FARMER, RICHARD, 1827, Letter to a Friend on the Study of English History, Goodhugh's Library Manual, p. 43.

Hume is an accomplished advocate. Without positively asserting much more than he can prove, he gives prominence to all the circumstances which support his case; he glides lightly over those which are unfavourable to it; his own witnesses are applauded and encouraged; the statements which seem to throw discredit on them are controverted; the contradictions into which they fall are explained away; a clear and connected abstract of their evidence is given. Every thing that is offered on the other side is scrutinized with the utmost severity; every suspicious circumstance is a ground for comment and invective; what cannot be denied is