Transcriber's Notes: Variations in spelling and hyphenation have beenleft as in the original. Ellipses match the original. Greek words thatmay not display correctly in all browsers are transliterated in the textlike this: βιβλος. Position your mouseover the line to see the transliteration.
A few typographical errors have been corrected. A complete list ofcorrections follows the text.
The original uses two different kinds of blockquotes. An explanationof the display of those blockquotes can be found here.
The Index that was printed at the end of Volume II. of this serieshas been included at the end of this Volume for reference purposes.
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.
VOLUME I.
EDINBURGH:
WILLIAM TAIT, 107, PRINCE'S STREET.
MDCCCXLVI.
EDINBURGH:
Printed by William Tait, 107, Prince's Street.
TO THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL
OF
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH,
THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY
THEIR MOST OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT,
J. H. BURTON.
ADVERTISEMENT.
In this work, an attempt has been made to connect together a series oforiginal documents, by a narrative of events in the life of him to whomthey relate; an account of his literary labours; and a picture of hischaracter, according to the representations of it preserved by hiscontemporaries. The scantiness of the resources at the command ofprevious biographers, and the extent and variety of the new materialsnow presented to the world, render unnecessary any other apology for thepresent publication. How far these materials have been rightly used,readers and critics must judge; but I may be perhaps excused foroffering a brief explanation of the spirit in which I desired toundertake the task; and the responsibility I felt attache