The History of England, Volume I | Page 4

given me by the booksellers much exceeded any
thing formerly known in England: I retired to my native country of
Scotland, determined never more to set my foot out of it; and retaining
the satisfaction of never having preferred a request to one great man, or
even making advances of friendship to any of them. As I was now
turned of fifty, I thought of passing all the rest of my life in this
philosophical manner, when I received, in 1763, an invitation from the
Earl of Hertford, with whom I was not in the least acquainted, to attend
him on his embassy to Paris, with a near prospect of being appointed
secretary to the embassy; and, in the meanwhile, of performing the
functions of that office. This offer, however inviting, I at first declined,
both because I was reluctant to begin connexions with the great, and
because I was afraid that the civilities and gay company of Paris would
prove disagreeable to a person of my age and humour: but on his
lordship's repeating the invitation, I accepted of it. I have every reason,
both of pleasure and interest, to think myself happy in my connexions
with that nobleman, as well as afterwards with his brother General
Conway.
Those who have not seen the strange effects of modes will never
imagine the reception I met with at Paris, from men and women of all
ranks and stations. The more I resiled from their excessive civilities,
the more I was loaded with them. There is, however, a real satisfaction
in living at Paris, from the great number of sensible, knowing, and
polite company with which that city abounds above all places in the
universe. I thought once of settling there for life.
I was appointed secretary to the embassy; and in summer, 1765, Lord
Hertford left me, being appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. I was

chargé d'affaires till the arrival of the Duke of Richmond, towards the
end of the year. In the beginning of 1766 I left Paris, and next summer
went to Edinburgh, with the same view as formerly of burying myself
in a philosophical retreat. I returned to that place, not richer, but with
much more money, and a much larger income, by means of Lord
Hertford's friendship, than I left it; and I was desirous of trying what
superfluity could produce, as I had formerly made an experiment of a
competency. But in 1767 I received from Mr. Conway an invitation to
be under-secretary; and this invitation, both the character of the person,
and my connexions with Lord Hertford, prevented me from declining. I
returned to Edinburgh in 1769, very opulent, (for I possessed a revenue
of 1000L. a year,) healthy, and, though somewhat stricken in years,
with the prospect of enjoying long my ease, and of seeing the increase
of my reputation.
In spring, 1775, I was struck with a disorder in my bowels, which at
first gave me no alarm, but has since, as I apprehend it, become mortal
and incurable. I now reckon upon a speedy dissolution. I have suffered
very little pain from my disorder; and what is more strange have,
notwithstanding the great decline of my person, never suffered a
moment's abatement of my spirits, inasmuch that were I to name a
period of my life which I should most choose to pass over again, I
might be tempted to point to this later period. I possess the same ardour
as ever in study, and the same gaiety in company. I consider, besides,
that a man of sixty-five, by dying, cuts off only a few years of
infirmities; and though I see many symptoms of my literary reputation's
breaking out at last with additional lustre, I know that I could have but
few years to enjoy it. It is difficult to be more detached from life than I
am at present.
To conclude historically with my own character. I am, or rather was,
(for that is the style I must now use in speaking of myself, which
emboldens me the more to speak my sentiments)--I was, I say, a man of
mild disposition, of command of temper, of an open, social, and
cheerful humour, capable of attachment, but little susceptible of enmity,
and of great moderation in all my passions. Even my love of literary
fame, my ruling passion, never soured my temper, notwithstanding my
frequent disappointments. My company was not unacceptable to the
young and careless, as well as to the studious and literary; and as I took

a particular pleasure in the company of modest women, I had no reason
to be displeased with the reception I met with from them. In a word,
though most men, anywise eminent, have found reason to complain of
calumny, I never was touched, or