II LATER YEARS 41 



metropolis for the greater part of 1759. The two 

 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, 1 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; Rousseau had 

 appealed to him ; and the charming Madame de 

 Boufflers had drawn him into a correspondence, 



1 "You must know that Lord Hertford has so high a charac- 

 ter 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 temper." 

 Hume to Edmonstom, 9th January, 1764. Lord Hertford had 

 procured him a pension of 200 a year for life from the King, 

 and the secretaryship was worth 1,000 a year. 



