My Dear Lord
I am much asham'd, that you shoud have prevented me inwriting first: But tho' it may appear strange from one who is so voluminousa Scribler, I am certainly very lazy in writing. I am like some celebrated Patriots,
who possessd a great Stock of public Virtue, without being endowd with any private.1
It costs me nothing to write a Quarto; but to compose a Letter even for those
Friends, to whom I bear the greatest Regard, encroaches too much on my Indolence.
I am extremely sensible of your Lordship's Friendship in offeringme a Vote on Simprin:2 But the Reason, I fancy, why Lord Kaims3 thinks
I wou'd decline it, is that I refus'd a like Offer from my Brother.4 The
Truth is, I hesitate extremely about my Plans &Schemes. There are many
People who invite me to come forward with my History, & write the Reignsof K. William & Q. Ann. Several have offerd me their Assistance in procur::ing Papers & historical Documents for the Purpose; and in general I forsee
a greater Facility in this Undertaking than I at first apprehended. This Work
woud be more entertaining both to me & the public, than the diving into old bar:
:barous & obscure Reigns; where I coud scarce hope to communicate any thing
new, and might even fail of making my Narration entertaining.5 If I undertook
this Preiod, I shoud be fixd here for sometime; and it might provd very incon::venient for me to appear in Scotland at an Election, & support your Lordhips
Interest. I wish very much that you woud divide Simprin into Votes; andfor
for that Purpose, there are many Persons who woud be glad of Votes, & whose
Attendance you cou'd more depend on than mine.
I cannot agree that Robertson6 is guilty of any Inconsistance. Whymight not Mary be seducd into many Imprudences & even some Crimes; & yet
possess many Accomplishments which, joind to her singular Misfortunes
render her a proper Object of Compassion? I know no Story more pathet::ically wrote than that of Anthony & Cleopatra by Plutarch; yet thesewere far from being innocent Persons. It is a singular & a very commendable
Piece of Art in our Friend, to make that Princess an interesting Object, evenwhile he represents his criminal.
The most considerable Circumstance in which his Narration & minediffer is, the Share she had in Babingtons Conspiracy. I beg yourLordship to review that Story, & to tell me, whether you do not think
I now fully prove my Point. You will see, that I have found1

a remarkable Passage in Murden,7 which seems to put the Matter past
Doubt. Surely, Robertson ought either to have condemnd her in thispoint or to have taken more Pains to clear her.
I have seen pretty often your Nephew, Mr Johnston; & think him
a very gallant, sensible young Fellow. By the Accounts I hear, he willsoon be provided for, & have the Reward of his Services.8I happend to tell Jack Dalrymple,9 that I intended towrite
write to your Lordship. He is very anxious to stand right in yourgood Opinion; and desird me to put in a true Light to you alate Story, which, he says, had been misrepresented in some Letters toScotland. It is the Story of his Combat with Hugh Dalrymple.10 As
far as I knew that Affair ( & I heard most of it from the first hand)Jack did nothing but what was honorable & prudent: The otherthe contrary. It woud only tire you to enter into particulars; & there:
fore I shall say no thing farther of the Subject. You will hear theStory from many hands.
LondonApril 28. 1759

I am

My Dear Lord

Yours with the greatest Truth andSincerity
David Hume注 1 これはウォルポール（Robert Walpol）へのあざけりか。
2 ナインウェルズから遠くはないバーウィックシャイアーの教会区。
3 ヘンリー・ヒューム（Henry Home. 1696-1782）は、1752 年ケイムズ卿（Lord Kames）として裁判官に昇進した。形而上学・倫理学・歴史学・法学・文芸評論に関する著者。ヒュームの初期の良き友人。
4 ナインウェルズのジョン・ヒューム（John Home of Ninewells）。
5 ヒュームは結局は、過去に遡って執筆することを決心した。なぜなら、(1)1759 年の大英博物館（British Museum）の開館まで、ロンドンには公共図書館がなかったため、(2)有力なイギリス諸家の個人コレクションへの入館〔許可〕を得る必要性のため、(3)ホイッグ派牧師によって拒絶される可能性のためである。
6 ウィリアム･ロバートソン（William Robertson. 1721-1793）。ロンドンの出版者から出たばかりの彼の『スコットランドの歴史』History of Scotland は、メアリー論争（the MarianControversy）では中道の方針を取った。
7 William Murdin, A Collection of State Papers relating to affairs in the reign ofElizabeth (London, 1740-1759), 2 vols.

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8 ヒュームは正しかった。海軍将校ジョージ・ジョンストン（George Johnston. 1730-1787）
は、1763 年、西フロリダ総督（governor of West Florida）に任命された。彼の母バーバラ（Barbara）、すなわちエリバンクの妹は、ジェイムズ・ジョンストン（Sir James Johnstoneof Westerhall）の妻であった。
9 推測するに、ジョン・ダリンプル（John Dalrymple of Cranstoun. 1726-1810）、後のサー・ジョン（Sir John）、法律家にして歴史家、であろう。
10 ヒュー・ダリンプル（Hugh Dalrymple）の身元は不明。ダリンプル家の分家には多くのヒュー（Hughs）やヒュー（Hews）がいる。
「戦い」について、明らかになっている情報はない。
*1 Heawood, PL. 351. No. 2745. Cf., David Hume collection 3.

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