who were formerly friends. The following is the extract to which we allude:

"DEAR SIR,

Edinburgh January 7th, 1762.

"It has so seldom happened that controversies in philosophy, much more in theology, have been carried on without producing a personal quarrel between the parties, that I must regard my present situation as somewhat exraordinary, who have reason to give you thanks for the civil and obliging manner in which you have conducted the dispute against me, on so interesting a subject as that of miracles. Any little symptoms of vehemence, of which I formerly used the freedom to complain, when you favoured me with a sight of the manuscript, are either removed or explained away, or atoned for by civilities, which are far beyond what I have any title to pretend to. It will be natural for you to imagine, that I will fall. upon some shift to evade the force of your arguments, and to retain my former opinion, in the point controverted between us; but it is impossible for me not to see the ingenuity of your performance, and the great learning which you have displayed against me.

"I consider myself as very much honoured in being thought worthy of an answer by a person of so much merit; and, as I think that the public does you justice, with regard to the ingenuity and good composition of your pieces. I hope you will have no reason to repent engaging with an antagonist, who, perhaps, in strictness you might have ventured to neglect. I own to you that I never felt so violent an inclination to defend myself as at present, when I am thus fairly challenged by you, and I think I could find something specious at least to urge in my defence; but, as I had fixed a resolution in the beginning of my life, always to leave the public to judge, between my adversaries and me, without making any reply, I must adhere inviolably to this resolution, VOL. III. No. 18. K

otherwise my silence on any future occasion, would be construed to be an inability to answer, and would be matter of triumph against me."

Mr. Hume being now turned of fifty, retired to Scotland, having determined never again to leave it. From this resolution, however, he was diverted by the earl of Hartford, whom he attended as secretary on an embassy to Paris, in 1763, and was left there as charge des affairs, in the summer of 1765. In 1766, he returned to Edinburgh with a much larger income, procured to him by the Earl of Hartford, than he formerly had, and again formed the design of burying himself in his philosophical retreat. In this, however, he was once more disappointed, by receiving an invitation from general Conway to be under-secretary of state, which, like the former, he did not think it expedient to decline. In 1767, he returned to Edinburgh, possessed of one thousand pounds sterling per annum, healthy, though somewhat striken in years, yet having a prospect of long enjoying his ease, and of seeing the increase of his reputation. Of his last illness, he himself gives us the following account. "In spring 1775, I was struck with a disorder in my bowels, which, at first, gave me no alarm, but has since, as I apprehend it, become mortal and incurable. I now reckon upon a speedy dissolution, I have suffered very little pain from my disorder, and what is more strange, have, notwithstanding the decline of my person, never suffered a moment's abatement of my spirits; insomuch that were I to name the period of my life, which I should most chose to live over again, I might be tempted to point to this latter period. I possess the same ardour in study as ever, and the same gaiety in composing. I consider, besides, that a man of sixty-five, by dying, cuts off only a few years of infirmities; and, though I see many symptoms of my literary reputation breaking out, at last, with an additional lustre, I know that I could have but few years to

enjoy it. It is difficult to be more detached from life than I am at present." His fears concerning the incurable nature of his disease proved true, for he died on the 25th of August, 1770, and was interred in the Calton burying ground Edinburgh, where, in conformity to his last will, a tomb is erected to his

memory.

One circumstance in the life of Mr. Hume, must not be omitted. When a young man, he applied to be made professor of moral philosophy in the univer sity of Edinburgh. The Scottish clergy took an alarm. They represented that Mr. Hume in his principles was an Atheist, or at least a Deist, and consequently, that he was very ill qualified to teach morals to youth. in a christian country. Their remonstrances were effectual; and Mr. Hume's application was rejected. From that moment he conceived a rooted antipathy to the generality of Scottish clergymen. This antipathy, however, was not indiscriminate, for he was in intimate habits of friendship and sociality with several ministers of the church of Scotland, as the cele brated Dr. Robertson, Dr. Blair, Dr. Wallace, Dr. Wishart, Dr. Drysdale, and many others. These learned and reverend gentlemen, however much they differed from Mr. Hume in religious or philosophical opinions, were fully sensible of his genius as an author, and his worth as a man.

David Hume was a man of parts, natural and acquired, far superior to most of mankind, of a benevolent heart, a friendly, kind disposition, and a real affection for all his connections. "But," says one of his biographers, " no man is without his failings, and his great wish of being singular, and a vanity to shew himself superior to most people, led him to advance many things which were dissonant to the opinions of others, and led him into sceptical doctrines,. only to shew how minute and puzzling they were to other folk, in so far, that I have often seen him, in various companies, according as he saw some enthu

siastic person there, combat either their religious or political principles; nay, after he had struck them dumb, take up the argument on their side, with equal humour, wit, and jocoseness, all to shew his pre-eminency." But neither his parts, nor virtues, which it is allowed were numerous, can compensate for the injury he has done to morality in his attack on Christianity. Even Mr. Gibbon, who like Hume, was a giant amongst Deistical writers, has acknowledged, that the "christian religion contains a pure, benevolent, and universal system of ethics, adopted to every duty and every condition of life." Such an acknowledgement from such a writer, ought to have due weight with a certain class of readers, and of authors likewise, and lead them seriously to consider how far it is consistent with the character of good citizens, to endeavour by sly insinuations, oblique hints, indecent sneer and ridicule, to weaken the influence of so pure and benevolent a system, as that of christianity, which is confessed to be admirably calculated for promoting the happiness of individuals, and the welfare of society. And does not even decency require, that before an author dare to exert his talents in attempts to subvert this religion, he should, at least, be able to point out some other, which will be productive of more, or at least as salutary effects. Unless he do this, he is endeavouring to deprive men of what has hitherto afforded them much consolation, and for the privation of so great happiness, leaves them nothing in exchange.

Soon after Mr. Humes' death, two essays ascribed to him, were published at London, the one "on Suicide," and the other an the "Immortality of the Soul."

HUNTER, (DR. WILLIAM) a celebrated anatomist and physician, was born 23d May 1718, in the

county of Lanerk, in Scotland. At the age of fourteen, he was sent to the University of Glasgow, where he passed five years, and, by his good behaviour and diligence, acquired the esteem of all the professors.

His father had designed him for the church, but the idea of subscribing to articles of faith, was so repugnant to the mode of thinking he had already adopted, that he felt an insuperable repugnance to theological pursuits. In this state of mind, he happened to become acquainted with the celebrated Dr. Cullen, who was then a practitioner of physic at Hamilton. Dr. Cullen's conversation soon determined him to lay aside all thoughts of the church, and to devote himself to the profession of physic. His father's consent having been previously obtained, Mr. Hunter, in 1737, went to reside with Dr. Cullen. In his family he continued three years, and these, as he has often been heard to acknowledge, were the happiest of his life. It was then agreed, that he should go and prosecute his medical studies at Edinburgh and London, and afterwards returned to settle at Hamilton, in partnership with Dr. Cullen. He accordingly set out for Edinburgh in November, 1740, and continued there till the following spring, attending the lectures of the medical professors, and amongst others, those of the late celebrated Dr. Alexander Menro.

Mr. Hunter arrived in London in the summer of 1741, having no other resource than industry and professional knowledge, which however, he found, amply sufficient to push him forward. He brought with him a letter of recommendation to his countryman, Dr. James Douglas, from a printer in Glasgow, who had been useful to the doctor, in collecting for him different editions of Horace. Dr. Douglas was then intent on a great anatomical work on the bones, and was looking out for a young man of abilities and industry, whom he might employ as a dissector. He