42 HUME ii 



part, and as fair an imitation of enthusiasm as 

 Hume was capable of, on his. In the extraordi- 

 nary mixture of learning, wit, humanity, frivolity, 

 and profligacy which then characterised the high- 

 est French society, a new sensation was worth 

 anything, and it mattered little whether the cause 

 thereof was a philosopher or a poodle; so Hume 

 had a great success in the Parisian world. Great 

 nobles feted him, and great ladies were not con- 

 tent unless the " gros David " was to be seen at 

 their receptions, and in their boxes at the theatre. 

 " At the opera his broad unmeaning face was usu- 

 ally to be seen entre deux jolis minois" says Lord 

 Charlemont.* Hume's cool head was by no means 

 turned; but he took the goods the gods provided 

 with much satisfaction; and everywhere won 

 golden opinions by his unaffected good sense and 

 thorough kindness of heart. 



Over all this part of Hume's career, as over the 

 surprising episode of the quarrel with Eousseau, 

 if that can be called quarrel which was lunatic 



* Madame d'Epinay gives a ludicrous account of Hume's 

 performance when pressed into a tableau, as a Sultan be- 

 tween two slaves, personated for the occasion by two of the 

 prettiest women in Paris : 



" II les regarde attentivement, il se frappe le venire et les 

 genoux a plusieurs reprises et ne trouve jamais autre chose a 

 leur dire que. Eh bien! mes demoiselles Eh bien! vous 

 voild done. . . . Eh bien ! vous voild. . . . vous voild id ? 

 Cette phrase dura un quart d'heure sans qu'il pfit en sortir. 

 line d elles se leva d'impatience : Ah. dit-elle. je m'cn etois 

 bien dnutee, cet homme n'est bon qu'il manger du veau !" 

 Burton's Life of Humz y vol. ii. p. 224. 



