DAVID HUME TO THE COUNTESS DE BOUFFLERS. I COULD never yet accuse myself, dear madam, of hypocrisy or dissimulation; and I was surely guilty of these vices in the highest degree, if I wrote you a letter which carried with it any marks of indifference. What I said in particular, I cannot entirely recollect, but I well remember in general what I felt, which was a great regard and attachment to you, not increased indeed (for that was scarce possible), but rendered more agreeable to myself, from the marks you had given me of your friendship and confidence: I adhere to these; I will never, but with my life, be persuaded to part with the hold which you have been pleased to afford me: you may cut me to pieces, limb by limb; but like those pertinacious animals of my country, I shall expire still attached to you, and you will in vain attempt to get free. For this reason, madam, I set at defiance all those menaces, which you obliquely throw out against me. Do you seriously think that it is at present in your power to determine whether I shall be your friend or not? In every thing else your authority over me is without control. But with your ingenuity, you will scarce contrive to use me so ill, that I shall not still better bear it: and after all, you will find yourself obliged, from pity, or generosity, or friendship, to take me back into your service. At least this will probably be the case, till you find one who loves you more sincerely and values you more highly; which, with all your merit, I fancy it will not be easy for you to do. I know that I am here furnishing you with arms against myself: you may be tempted to tyrannize over me, in order to try how far I will practise my doctrine of passive obedience: but I hope also that you will hold this soliloquy to yourself: This poor fellow, I see, is resolved never to leave me let me take compassion on him; and endeavour to render our intercourse as agreeable to him and as little burdensome to myself as possible. If you fall, madam, into this way of thinking, as you must at last, I ask no farther; and all your menaces will vanish into smoke. Good God! how much am I fallen from the airs which I at first gave myself! You may remember that a little after our personal acquaintance, I told you that you were obliged à soutenir la gageure, and could not in decency find fault with me, however I should think proper to behave myself. Now, I throw myself at your feet, and give you nothing but marks of patience and long suffering and submission. But I own that matters are at present upon a more proper and more natural footing; and long may they remain so. I went to Villars-Cotterets, as I told you, on Sunday last, and I stayed till Tuesday. Madam de Vierville arrived on Monday evening, whom I questioned about the manner of life at Staure. Nothing could be more ravishing, more delightful than her description of it, and of the person who inspired gaiety and amenity into all around her. And can you treat me with contempt be cause I am willing to be that person's slave? For, let me tell you, there is an expression in your letter against slavery, which I take a little to myself, as said against me; but I still maintain Nunquam libertas gratior extat Pray go to your Latin Dictionary to interpret this passage; you will find that regina, if it would agree with the measure, would suit much better with the sense. The What can I say, dear madam, to the arrangement which you are pleased to communicate to me? Can I think of it without satisfaction, and without vexation? I shall be in Paris on the eleventh or twelfth of the month, perhaps a day sooner or a day later. I shall watch the opportunity; and endeavour that you shall not pass without my paying my respects to you. party you propose after that does me great honour, and still greater pleasure. But, in the present state of our affairs, I cannot promise that it will be possible for me to be above a day absent. And, to add to my embarrassments, there is just now arrived in France a very ancient and very intimate friend of mine, Mr. Elliot, who is wholly a stranger there, and whom I cannot entirely neglect. He is justly regarded as one of the ablest and most considerable men among us; he was my friend long before I knew any thing of the names of Boufflers, except that of the famous and virtuous marshal of the last reign. Is it not strange, that I should think my attention to him an incumbrance on the present occasion ? I know not by what accident I did not receive your letter till yesterday. I will not begin a new sheet, lest I be tempted to give you eight pages. Adieu, adieu. DAVID HUME TO THE COUNTESS DE London, 19th January, 1766. My pupil and I, dear madam, arrived safely in this place, both of us in good health, and also in good humour, after the first melancholy of my separation from you was a little dissipated. My companion is very amiable, always polite, gay often, commonly sociable. He does not know himself when he thinks he is made for entire solitude. I exhorted him on the road to write his memoirs. He told me that he had already done it, with an intention of publishing them. At present, says he, it may be affirmed, that nobody knows me perfectly any more than himself; but I shall describe myself in such plain colours, that henceforth every one may boast that he knows himself and Jean Jaques Rousseau. I believe that he intends seriously to draw his own picture in its true colours; but I believe at the same time that nobody knows himself less. For instance, even with regard to health, a point in which few people can be mistaken, he is very fanciful. He imagines himself very infirm. He is one of the most robust men I have ever known. He passed ten hours in the night time above deck, during the most severe weather, when all the seamen were almost frozen to death, and he caught no harm. He says that his infirmity always increases upon a journey, yet was it almost imperceptible on the road from Paris to London. His wearing the Armenian dress is a pure whim, which, however, he is resolved never to abandon. He has an excellent warm heart; and, in conversation, kindles often to a degree of heat which looks like inspiration. I love him much, and hope that I have some share in his affections. I find that we shall have many ways of settling him to his satisfaction, and as he is learning the English very fast, he will afterwards be able to choose for himself. There is a gentleman of the name of Townsend, a man of four or five thousand a year, who lives very privately, within fifteen miles of London, and is a great admirer of our philosopher, as is also his wife. He has desired him to live with him, and offers to take any board he pleases. M. Rousseau was much pleased with this proposal, and is inclined to accept of it. The only difficulty is, that he insists positively on his gouvernante's sitting at table, a proposal which is not to be made to Mr. and Mrs. Townsend. This woman forms the chief incumbrance to his settlement. M. de Luze, our companion, says that she passes for wicked, and quarrelsome, and tattling, and is thought to be the chief cause of his quitting Neufchatel. He himself |