HUME. 239 



tion from perfect decorum in that particular, Dr. Ro- 

 bertson. The reflection which naturally arises from 

 their friendship is, first, that so venerable an authority 

 has pronounced in favour of his friend's conduct ; that 

 he never deemed his writings an offence against even 

 the ecclesiastical laws of his country, much less against 

 good morals ; that he regarded those speculations which 

 he the least approved and the most lamented, as justi- 

 fied by their author's honest sincerity of purpose ; and 

 that he considered the conduct of his argument as 

 liable to no reprobation even from himself, a sincere 

 believer, a pious Christian, a leading Presbyter of a 

 Church whose discipline is peculiarly strict, a man 

 above almost all other men regardful of decorum in 

 his own demeanour, professional and private. It is 

 another reflection, suggested by the same fact, that such 

 bigots as Dr. Johnson are exposed to our reprobation, 

 almost to our contempt, for being unable to bear the 

 presence of a man with whom Robertson deigned, and 

 even loved, to associate. Assuredly the English lay- 

 man had not a more pious disposition than the Scottish 

 divine ; the historian of the Reformation had rendered 

 as valuable service to the cause of religion as the essay- 

 ist. The man who had passed his nights with Savage 

 in the haunts of dissipation, and whom a dinner could 

 tempt to sit for hours by Wilkes, might well submit to 

 the society of a man through his whole life as pure in 

 morals, as blameless in conduct, as those others were 

 profligate and abandoned. But Robertson's faith was 

 founded on reason and inquiry, not built upon the 

 blind devotion to established usages ; and his piety, 

 while charity tempered it, was warmed at the genial 



