An Account of the Life and Writings of David Hume

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1807 edition. Excerpt: ...me; nor can I think but that if Rousseau may attack all governments and all religions, I might attack him; especially on his affectation and affected misfortunes, which you and youreditorshave proved are affcttcd. D'Alembert might be offended at Rousseau's ascribing my letter to him; and he is in the right. I am a very indifferent author, and there is nothing so vexatious to an indifferent author as to be confounded with another of the fame class. I should be sorry to have his eloges and translations of scraps of Tacitus laid to me. However, I cast forgive him any thing, provided he never translates me. Adieu! my dear Sir 5 I am apt to laugh, you know; and therefore you will excuse me, though I do not treat your friends up to the pomp of their claims. claims. They may treat me as freely: I mall not laugh the less, and I promise you I will never enter into a controversy with them. Yours most sincerely. Mr. Walpole, to Mr. Hume, in answer to hi- letter of the 4th November. Arlington Street, Not. U, 176$. Indeed, dear Sir, it was not necessary to make me any apology. D'Alembert is certainly at liberty to fay what he pleases of my letter; and undoubtedly you cannot think that it signisies a straw to me what he fays. But how can you be surprised at his printing a thing that he sent you so long ago? All my surprise consists in your suffering him to curtail my letter to you; when you might be sure he would print his own at length. I am glad, however, that he has mangled mine; it not only shows his equity, but is the strongest presumption that he was conscious I guessed right, when I suppose he urged you to publish, from his own private pique to Rousseau. What you surmise of his censuring my letter because I am a friend of Madame du Deffand, is...