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LETTER LII.: The new Edition of the History. - David Hume, Letters of David Hume to William Strahan [1756]

Edition used:

Letters of David Hume to William Strahan, ed. G. Birkbeck Hill (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1888).

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LETTER LII.

The new Edition of the History.

Dear Sir

I write you in a great hurry; and can only tell you, that I like the Paper and Type very much, only I think that this Size of Type woud have suited better a Duodecimo than a large Octavo: However it will do very well.

I see the Cause of the Mistake with regard to Lady Aylesbury's Copy. Some body by Mistake has substituted Dr. Hunter1. in her place: But I never thought of making the Doctor a present, tho I have a great regard for him. Let Lady Aylesbury's Copy therefore be sent to her at Little Warwick Street Charing Cross.

I return the Sheet corrected; and am very sorry, that you cannot promise me to be regular: I dedicate my time entirely to it, and coud wish to have a Sheet regularly every post.

I find that any other Frank except Mr. Frasers2. will not suffice, both for the Proof Sheet and the Sheet of the Quarto; especially, if you return the corrected Sheet3. , which I wish, though it be not absolutely necessary.

I am Dear Sir Yours sincerely

David Hume.

  • Edr.,

4 of Septr., 1771.

[1.]Note 1. No doubt Dr. William Hunter, Professor of Anatomy in the Royal Academy, the eldest brother of John Hunter, the surgeon. Dr. A. Carlyle in his Auto., p. 345, describes seeing him in 1758 at a Club of Scotch physicians which met at the British Coffee house. ‘Hunter was gay and lively to the last degree, and often came in to us at nine o’clock fatigued and jaded. He had had no dinner, but supped on a couple of eggs, and drank his glass of claret; for though we were a punch club, we allowed him a bottle of what he liked best. He repaid us with the brilliancy of his conversation. His toast was, “May no English nobleman venture out of the world without a Scottish physician, as I am sure there are none who venture in.” [Horace Walpole, Letters, iii. 229, speaks of him as ‘the man-midwife.’]. . . By his attendance on Lady Esther [Hester] Pitt he had frequent opportunities of seeing the great orator when he was ill of the gout, and thought so ill of his constitution that he said more than once to us, with deep regret, that he did not think the great man's life worth two years’ purchase; and yet Mr. Pitt lived for twenty years.’ See post, Letter of June 12, 1776, for John Hunter.

[2.]Note 2. See ante, p. 188, n. 11.

[3.]Note 3. Hume wished to receive by each post a quarto sheet of the old edition from which the new edition was printed, a fresh proof sheet, and also an old proof sheet after the compositors had attended to his last corrections. The weight of the packet would be such that only Mr. Fraser's frank would pass it free through the post.