27 JANUARY 1849, Page 15

LETTERS OF EMINENT PERSONS TO DAVID HUME. * THE letters in

this volume are a selection from the papers of the historian, bequeathed to the Royal Society of Edinburgh by his nephew Baron Hume, which papers furnished the basis of the Life of David Hume by Mr. Burton. With a judgment too seldom exercised by biographers, Mr. Burton rejected such correspondence as did not immediately bear upon the life; but as he deemed some of the letters curiously illustrative of the general mind and manners of the last century, he has now printed them in a separate volume. The bulk of the writers possess names both in French and English politics and literature ; a few are chiefly memorable for rank and fashion; one or two, as Strahan the printer and Allan Ramsay the painter, are not remarkable in either class, yet nevertheless do not write the least interesting letters. The period to which the correspondence relates is after Hume had not only become famous as an author, but possessed of some little consequence as a politician, from his Secretaryship to the Embassy at Paris and his Under-Secretaryship of State. Subjects having a bearing upon public matters are introduced, and as if the writers were addressing a man of some influence ; but the topics are generally literary or philosophical, when not of a personal kind. Turgot writes chiefly on political economy; Helvetins on philosophy ; Ma- dame de Bouffieurs, D'Alembert, and Mademoiselle de l'Espinasse, on literature, and personal matters ; but most of his French friends have a good deal more to say than is now very interesting on the quarrel with Rousseau, which so excited the anger and apprehension of the philosopher. The best letters, in point of vigour and animation of manner, are those of Letters of Eminent Persons addressed to David Hume. From the Papers be- queathed by his Nephew to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Published by Blackwood and sow. • Flume's Jacobite friend the titular Earl Marischal of Scotland ; the most interesting in point of matter are Strahan's. His position made him fa- miliar with public affairs, and he heard all the flying reports about what was going on in secret. The following facts under the date of 1764 and 1768 are curious if true. If Conway really had the hint spoken of, it somewhat diminishes the tyrannical aspect of his dismissal, and does not say much for his honesty or that of the Opposition in denouncing it as they did; though the depriving him of his regiment was in any case an act of temper and littleness. Strahan's affirmation is positive as to the intimacy and influence of Bute with the King ; yet it is now said that Bute after his retirement seldom saw George the Third, and soon lost all influence whatever.

" The dismission of General Conway made a little noise seine time ago; but as he acted the part of a leader in the Opposition, (I write with the utmost freedom to you of everything, as I suppose you would choose I should,) it was equally thought the King could not avoid discharging him from his service. He had a hint, I am credibly informed, to quit his place at Court; and in that case, might have held his regiment. But as he did not choose to take it, he was deprived of both. Lord Bute still holds his usual influence at Court, and is very likely to do so long ; for the King (if I may use the expression) cleats upon him. Certain it is he does nothing without his advice and approbation. It was said a while ago, that he was to take the place of Lord Chamberlain, which is the lowest office he can hold to be a Cabinet Councillor; and it was said by his friends that he was desirous of filling this place, that he might have an opportunity, upon every pro- per occasion, to avow publicly any counsel he might give the King. But there is now no more talk of this. [1764.] " The case of this nobleman ia really singular: divested of power, he retains all the odium of Prime Minister. Having long since most injudiciously pushed into office, and as injudiciously retired from the political theatre, he hath ever since ex- ercised the power of recommending or rather nominating every succeeding Minis- try. These have by turns spurned at and renounced their maker ; and, what is truly remarkable, though he has had no influence in their councils, though he haa all along never dared to interpose even so far as occasionally to serve a humble retainer or dependant, yet, being well known to have named the men, he has made himself in the public opinion ultimately responsible for their measures, and will ere long, if I am not mistaken, be made the scapegoat of all their misconduct; so that in the end his master's favour, of which he appears to have little known how to avail himself, will cost him dear." [1768.] The following piece of criticism on Home's Douglas is creditableto the taste of Madame de Bouffiers, and also to her courage; for in those days the piece was looked upon as a triumph of the tragic muse. "La tragedie de Douglas n'est pas aussi extravagante que plasieurs mitres que j'ai lues. Les cornparaisons y. sent plus rases quoique trop frequentes. Les per- sonnages s'expriment avec moms de bassesse et plus de naturel: mats l'exposition dure toute la piece, le mend eat commuu, lea incidens soot pueriles, le pathetique, • se concentre quelquefois, eat dans lea vers et non dans in sujet. Le camotere de Douglas eat amiable. Main apses vingt ans qu'on le crut mort, a quoi sort-il

• ne paroisse que pour perir par l'absurde indeeenee de sa mere ? Son marl

a fame noble—que ne lui confioit-elle son secret? ll lui laisse one entiere liberte—pour quoi donner on rendez-vous dans un bois, I minuit, I un jenne homme de vuigt ans, qu'elle pouvoit entretenir plus serement, et plus des comment, chez elle? Ignorait-elle ne suffit pas pour one femme d'être innocente—qu'il faut encore que lea apparences lui soient favorables? Et le paysan, dont on se saisit sur on soupcon important, qu'tine femme laisse alter de son antorite, quoiqae la vie de son marl paroles° interessee I as detention. Ces gens qui lui obeissent dans one telle occasion sans la moindre difficult. Le paysan, que se trouve la tout a propos, et qui a justement sur lui cc qu'il feat pour la reconnoissance; at puis, qui en passant son chemin entend on grand se- cret t—n'est-ce pas la des evinemens fort raisonnables I Jo no dis Hen de is confi- dence de Lady Bandolphe a as suivante, qid auroit pu se faire dix ans avant, on dix ans sires, tout aussi bien. C'etoit ea fantasie de la faire cc soir-la. Mats je re- marquerat encore qui le General Glenalvon eat hien obligeant de none fake con- note dans un monologue sea entreprises passees, sea desseins presents et future. Comment lea aurions-nons Ems sans cela ? L'episode de l'hermite set is luxe d.tui indigent. Quoique terrible par lui-meme, et pouvant faire le fond d'une antra trag6die, II ne fait point d'effet sur moi du. moms; et comme mon eceur n'est pas on caillon, je juge clue c'est qu'il n'en doit pas faire. "Enfin la piece unit payee que tout le monde meurt."

This lady, notwithanding the high moral tone of the criticism, was, as is well known, the mistress of a Prince of the Blood. On the death of her, husband, she was in hopes that the Prince might marry her ; and her friends were anxious on the subject. The following mysteriously diplo- matic letter from Lord Holdernesse is a curious example of the manners

and morals of the old regime. "London, July 2d 1765. "Dear Sir—I received on Saturday last the letter you have favoured me with of the 24th past; which I observe to have been wrote with the knowledge of a Prince for whom I have the utmost respect and veneration, and upon a subject of the utmost delicacy and consequence to the future ease of that great personage; and of another, for whom you know I have the most devoted attachment. I must premise, in the first place, that I shall observe the most inviolable secrecy, even to the person concerned; unless she brings with her a suspicion of my having been wrote to, and should tax me with it ; in which case 1 cannot deceive her. I confess I think it unlikely that she will open herself at all to me upon so nice a point. I have no right to expect such unbounded confidence from her; and I am sure you will agree with me that it would be highly improper for me to touch upon so tender a subject, unless she herself begins it. Such a step could only create the suspicion you and the Prince wish to avoid, render all I could say of no effect, diminish her good opinion of me, without forwarding what you both wish. But if she should deign to consult me, the use I could be of to her would be to help her to think aloud, to arrange those thoughts with coolness and method, and to draw the true conclusions, after a candid examination of the different situations that occur for consideration; namely,

"1st. Continuing when a widow her former connexions. " 2dly. Breaking those connexions and continue a widow. " 3dly. To marry the person with whom she has been connected.

"The two first points depending upon herself, must first be scrutinized; and the examination of them will lead to consider how far it may be advisable for her to push the last, and to fix her resolation in case she fails in the attempt. "It is impossible for me to determine my own opinion till I hear her reasons. My wish leads me to facilitate what the Prince desires, is far as may be con- sistent with the duty of a friend, consulted upon a most nice and difficult conjunc- ture. All I can now promise is, that if she does speak to me upon the affair, you shall soon hear from me again upon the subject." •

These extracts will give a fair, perhaps a favourable idea of the cor- respondence. The letters are carious as examples of the style of the 1st.. tar half of the last century, and will furnish the political or literary in.( quirer with minute facts to extend or qualify his previous views on some points ; though, upon the whole, they are not of a very remarkable kind, and possess but a limited interest for the general -reader.