Hume | Page 9

nonsense, and
often very mischievous nonsense, has been and is talked than upon any
other topic, Hume's observations are full of sense and shrewdness. He
distinguishes between the moral and the physical causes of national
character, enumerating under the former--
"The nature of the government, the revolutions of public affairs, the
plenty or penury in which people live, the situation of the nation with
regard to its neighbours, and such like circumstances."--(III. 225.)
and under the latter:--

"Those qualities of the air and climate, which are supposed to work
insensibly on the temper, by altering the tone and habit of the body, and
giving a particular complexion, which, though reflexion and reason
may sometimes overcome it, will yet prevail among the generality of
mankind, and have an influence on their manners."--(III. 225.)
While admitting and exemplifying the great influence of moral causes,
Hume remarks--
"As to physical causes, I am inclined to doubt altogether of their
operation in this particular; nor do I think that men owe anything of
their temper or genius to the air, food, or climate."--(III. 227.)
Hume certainly would not have accepted the "rice theory" in
explanation of the social state of the Hindoos; and, it may be safely
assumed, that he would not have had recourse to the circumambience
of the "melancholy main" to account for the troublous history of Ireland.
He supports his views by a variety of strong arguments, among which,
at the present conjuncture, it is worth noting that the following occurs--
"Where any accident, as a difference in language or religion, keeps two
nations, inhabiting the same country, from mixing with one another,
they will preserve during several centuries a distinct and even opposite
set of manners. The integrity, gravity, and bravery of the Turks, form
an exact contrast to the deceit, levity, and cowardice of the modern
Greeks."--(III. 233.)
The question of the influence of race, which plays so great a part in
modern political speculations, was hardly broached in Hume's time, but
he had an inkling of its importance:--
"I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites.
There scarcely ever was a civilised nation of that complexion, nor even
any individual, eminent either in action or speculation.... Such a
uniform and constant difference [between the negroes and the whites]
could not happen in so many countries and ages, if nature had not made
an original distinction between these breeds of men.... In Jamaica,
indeed, they talk of one Negro as a man of parts and learning; but it is

likely he is admired for slender accomplishments, like a parrot who
speaks a few words plainly."--(III. 236.)
The Essays met with the success they deserved. Hume wrote to Henry
Home in June, 1742:--
"The Essays are all sold in London, as I am informed by two letters
from English gentlemen of my acquaintance. There is a demand for
them; and, as one of them tells me, Innys, the great bookseller in Paul's
Churchyard, wonders there is not a new edition, for he cannot find
copies for his customers. I am also told that Dr. Butler has everywhere
recommended them; so that I hope that they will have some success."
Hume had sent Butler a copy of the Treatise and had called upon him,
in London, but he was out of town; and being shortly afterwards made
Bishop of Bristol, Hume seems to have thought that further advances
on his part might not be well received.
Greatly comforted by this measure of success, Hume remained at
Ninewells, rubbing up his Greek, until 1745; when, at the mature age of
thirty-four, he made his entry into practical life, by becoming
bear-leader to the Marquis of Annandale, a young nobleman of feeble
body and feebler mind. As might have been predicted, this venture was
not more fortunate than his previous ones; and, after a year's endurance,
diversified latterly with pecuniary squabbles, in which Hume's tenacity
about a somewhat small claim is remarkable, the engagement came to
an end.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A picture of the house, taken from Drummond's History of Noble
British Families, is to be seen in Chambers's Book of Days (April 26th);
and if, as Drummond says, "It is a favourable specimen of the best
Scotch lairds' houses," all that can be said is worst Scotch lairds must
have been poorly lodged indeed.
[2] Mr. John Hill Burton, in his valuable Life of Hume, on which, I
need hardly say, I have drawn freely for the materials of the present

biographical sketch.
[3] One cannot but be reminded of young Descartes' renunciation of
study for soldiering.
[4] My Own Life.
[5] Letter to Gilbert Elliot of Minto, 1751. "So vast an undertaking,
planned before I was one-and-twenty, and composed before twenty-five,
must necessarily be very defective. I have