42 HUME II 



marked by almost passionate enthusiasm on her 

 part, and as fair an imitation of enthusiasm as 

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

 ordinary mixture of learning, wit, humanity, 

 frivolity, and profligacy which then characterised 

 the highest 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 content 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 usually to be seen entre deux jolis minois" 

 says Lord Charlemont. 1 Hume's cool head was 

 by no means turned ; but he took the goods the 

 gods provided with much satisfaction ; and every- 

 where 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 Rousseau, 

 if that can be called quarrel which was lunatic 



1 Madame d'Epinay gives a ludicrous account of Hume's per- 

 formance when pressed into a tableau, as a Sultan between two 

 slaves, personated for the occasion by two of the prettiest women 

 in Paris : 



" II les regarde attentivement, il se frappe le ventre 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 I vous voilA . . . vous voila ici ? Cette 

 phrase dura un quart d'heure sans qu'il put en sortir. Une 

 d'elles se leva d'impatience : Ah, dit-elle, je m'en etois bien 

 doutee, cet homme n'est bon qu'a manger du veau ! " Burton's 

 Life of Hume, vol. ii. p. 224. 



