ii LATER YEARS 41 



volumes of the "History of England under the 

 House of Tudor" were published in London, 

 shortly after Hume's return to Edinburgh; and, 

 according to his own account, they raised almost 

 as great a clamour as the first two had done. 



Busily occupied with the continuation of his 

 historical labours, Hume remained in Edinburgh 

 until 1763; when, at the request of Lord 

 Hertford, who was going as ambassador to France, 

 he was appointed to the embassy; with the 

 promise of the secretaryship, and, in the mean- 

 while, performing the duties of that office. At 

 first, Hume declined the offer; but, as it was 

 particularly honourable to so well abused a man, 

 on account of Lord Hertford's high reputation for 

 virtue and piety,* and no less advantageous by 

 reason of the increase of fortune which it secured 

 to him, he eventually accepted it. 



In France, Hume's reputation stood far higher 

 than in Britain; several of his works had been 

 translated; he had exchanged letters with 

 Montesquieu and with Helvetius; Eousseau had 

 appealed to him; and the charming Madame de 

 Boufners had drawn him into a correspondence, 

 marked by almost passionate enthusiasm on her 



* " You must know that Lord Hertford has so high a char- 

 acter for piety, that his taking me by the hand is a kind of 

 regeneration to me, and all past offences are now wiped off. 

 But all these views are trifling to one of my age and tem- 

 per." Hume to Edmonstone, 9th January. 1764. Lord Hert- 

 ford had procured him a pension of 200 a year for life from 

 the King, and the secretaryship was worth 1,000 a year. 



