HUME. 231 



would have been the plotter of the next conspiracy ; 

 for Rousseau had for some years desired to consider 

 him as a father, and always addressed him, a steady 

 old soldier and political intriguer, wholly void of any 

 sentiment beyond those of heat and cold, hunger and 

 thirst, by that endearing and ridiculous title. 



It is known that Rousseau, a year or two after his 

 return to France, admitted that the foggy climate of 

 England had produced in him a mental affection, and 

 that he had been to blame in his quarrel with Hume ;* 

 but he never had the common fairness and gratitude 

 to address this confession to his benefactor, or to any 

 of those whose ears he had sought to poison with his 

 malignant slanders. 



Contrary to his invariable practice, when attacked 

 for his writings, Mr. Hume very unadvisedly gave 

 himself the trouble, and underwent the anxiety, of 

 writing an answer to this silly and malignant indi- 

 vidual. He published a short but detailed statement 

 of all that had passed between them. This step he 

 took contrary to the earnest advice of Adam Smith, 

 whose letter remains, strongly dissuading him from 

 taking any notice of Rousseau's slanders. He ap- 

 pears to have been overpowered by D'Alembert and 

 D'Holbach, who, living in the gossip and slander- 

 loving credulity of Paris society, were afraid lest Rous- 

 seau's constant letter -writing might produce an effect 



* See Bernardin de St. Pierre's statement of his conversation 

 (L'Arcadie, Preambule), or Appendix aux Confessions, CEuv., vol. i., 

 p. 642. The passage is given in the Life of Rousseau, which imme- 

 diately precedes the present piece. 



