Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-06-05
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

body Of his Correspondence, has appeared not
long since in Edinburgh, and would apparently, from
such critical notices and extracts the English
papers give US, be worth the attention of our re-
publishers in this country. Its author is MIR.
Burton. OF the degree in which he has met the
interest curiosity attached to a name so dlstln-
gushed as HuMe's, our readers may judge from the
brief English article on the book which we copy
below, in order that until such time as Mr.. Burton
himself may reach us, in either his British or an
American edition, we may give some idea OF the
work We shall add some comment of our own
where it seems to us necessary:
"LIFE AND CoRREsPoSpEScE OF DAVID HUME.-Some
people may find this biography dangerous than the
works Of Hume. skeptic, utter wording, man
tey without Imagination, free thinking supporter Of abso
lusm and high church principles fluent rheoician sitting
in judges place, attacking adversary, and advocating
with dazzling show OF cando and consunnate skill
Of disguised and panegyrc maserhand at
nsinuating doubt and limiting poisoner of the
wells of truth and hsoryyou find the possessor of such
pelous talents be- in his private character, of the
generous, simple, honest, and amiabe of Hisle Is
quite model Of prudence, ameny, and decorum; no man
could be high-nnded when poor generous and
moderate when prosperous his disposition and social qualities
eminent kindly playful and agreeable that the reader
Of Hunes life finds himself almost much attached Hume
the end of biography Robertson and Blair ninety
years ago. Some years since writer in the Quarterly
signed to oboquy and perhaps worse) hose distinguished
ministers Of the Gospel for encouraging the SCOTS of their ia
mhiar friend, the author of THE Essay Miracles and
echong the basphemes of their associate the author
Essay upon Suicide" The writer of the present excellent
biography of Mr. Hume shows that the reviewer quite in
enouncing those eminent dvines and philosophers
the last age for echong baspbemy the phrase surely
ingenously esuitcal any one by Hume hmse0 ap-
proving suicide and that only with the virtues and
goodness OF Mr.. Hume they sympathzed
"Mr. Burton adopts the same charitable view. Having
very strong religious faith apparently and different and more
advanced philosophical opinions he does
the skepc Of the last century nor indeed, will any but the
orthodox of haeIs and men, exclude this amabe of
worldly philosophers from the pale fellowship Why should
he Any who reads Humes account of his life an
example Of smooth sefcontenent unmatched by any
French phiosopher-every body who knows Adam Smiths
Of Hume death, may be sorry for him. but has no
right to hate him surely. His life is consistent least, and
he is the from sixteen 10 sixty, nsensibe future
seemingly and unoubed by remorse or doubt
about his doubts He quits the world easy, good
naured and fPpan and approaches the future were
with smile and bow blind man may walk joking over
precpce, but because he can't see it. You might hate
the one with just good for his bodily nfmiy,
the other for his deporabe undoubted mental ncapacity
:" Mr. Burtons biography has compiled and arranged his
materials with great and Skill and furnished book
which exceedingly entertaining, and much stiu
uae literary curiosity Most Of the great Of the last
century appear here intimate relation with subject
the biography hundred old acquaintance from the dead
world and play their parts We have the Scotch phi
losophers, simple and goodhumoed the French pets-
matres and marchionesses, poenousy phosophic the
dandy Wapoe pines and re at the Of his uncouh
rival the orthodox Johnson damns him as skepc and
Scoichman Numberess wellknown characters make their
appearance Dr. Smolett and Madame de Pompadour Wiks
Lord Butte and the Young Peender Lord Chesterfield en-
ters for moment and the ingenious Irish gentleman
Burke Hurd and Warburon nay such other famous con-
roversass Broughton and Slack find place in Hume's
biography and relieve the gaver portions of Mr. Burtons
work with details that ale exceedingly lively pleasant and
curious And when the reader has the end Of the
volumes and has followed Mr.. Hume through his life Of ad
mlrabIe manlness and simplicity, Underwriting probiy and
good humor, he will be loss understand how it was
that dvlnes and philosophers young people, and of the
world all agreed regard for person so thoroughly trust
worthy and amable.
Not the least affecting of the testimonies Humes good
qualities IS this letter to him. his death bed from his friend
Colonel Edmonstonne. Edmons,onne was member Of a
Mohock Club called the Ruans-a very repro
bate to all appearance. Hume says, Poor Edmonstonne
ana parted to-day with plentiful eiuson Of tears all
those Beeizebu6dHs have not hearts Of iron.'
- LINLITHGow, "Wednesday
"'My dear, dear David My heart il yerv fuI 7 soa
not you this morning thought better for ne nth
You can't die you must live in the memory of ali vou,
friends and acquaiDances, and your works viii render
immortal. could never conceive tina; poshe f,r 49,
one TO dislike you hate you. He more than o
who could be enemy 10 Of the hest head ana
heart, and Of the most amiahe manners.
to, qui de mon 5 la chere moia
To qu joins la delicaesse
Des sentlmens dune maittesse
la solld'e dune ami,it,
David II faut, hen tot que la parque cruee
Vienne rompre des 81 doux noeuds,
1t ma gre cris voeuN
Bien-tot assuirons absence eteTneIle.
Adeu adeu MS. RISE.
" The heathenlsm Of the French had only augmented
since the time when poor Chaueu had parted from his friend
and the friend Of the Regent Orleans the chaste L3ae
yielded himself up with shrug to the Paque immortele
and the account Of Humes reception Paris, forty year
later is something very curious read. NO ladys toilette
at Paris, Lord Charlemon says was complete withou
Hume's attendance and very amusing given BY
Mr. Burton from the letters Of Madame dEpnay, descbins
the behavior Of the grand gros hstoographe party
where he made the robe OF Sultan between
two slaves the two slaves being the pretes Paris
The Scotch Sultan had nothing do or say but 10 u
his stomach and knees and cry out Well ladies' here vot
are. L1dies-,ceH ades here you are After quarter
an hour Of which Of the Suanas got upin