109
“HUME THE HISTORIAN,” The Friend; a Religious and Literary Journal, vol. 5, no. 26 (7 April 1832), p. 204.
Anonymous
The first number of The Friend, a Quaker magazine, was published in Philadelphia in 1827. The anecdote printed below, about Hume’s death-bed, is from the issue for April 1832. That piece appears to have been first published five months earlier in Britain, as a letter to the editor in The Christian Observer (London) for November 1831. There, it was signed, “O.B.” For commentary on the anecdote’s British circulation, see James Fieser, “Editor’s Introduction,” in Early Responses to Hume’s Life and Reputation, 2 vols (revised edition, Bristol, 2005), vol. 1, pp. xxv–xxvi. For an earlier American printing of this short piece, see selection #84. Hume’s housekeeper was Margaret (Peggy) Irvine. She makes several appearances in E. C. Mossner’s The Life of David Hume (1954; revised edition, Oxford, 1980). Mossner’s is still the best birth-to-death biography of Hume, but he does not address this anecdote. The Friend was in continuous publication through to 1955. For other Humean anecdotes from its pages (and ones related to this one) see selections #110 and #113.
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For “The Friend.”
HUME THE HISTORIAN.
The following statement relative to the death-bed of the celebrated David Hume, is given by a correspondent of the London Christian Observer. The degree of credit with which it will be received by different persons, will, of course, vary according to their different temperaments; but we perceive no good reason for disbelieving it, and the inference drawn in favour of its validity from the fact of its having never been contradicted, seems to us reasonable and fair.
I enclose a passage relative to the death-bed of Hume the historian, which appeared many years ago in an Edinburgh newspaper, and which I am not aware was ever contradicted. Adam Smith’s well known narrative of Hume’s last hours has been often cited to prove how calmly and philosophically an infidel can die; but, if the inclosed account be correct, very different was the picture. I copy it as I find it, thinking it possible that some of your numerous readers may be able to cast some light upon the subject. If the facts alleged in the following statement are not authentic, they out to be disproved before tradition is too remote; if authentic, they are of considerable importance on account of the religious use which has been made of the popular narrative; just as was the case in regard to the death-bed of Voltaire, which, to this hour, in spite of well-proved facts, infidel writers maintain was calm and philosophical: The following is the story:
“About the end of 1776, a few months after the historian’s death, a respectable looking woman, dressed in black, came into the Haddington stage coach while passing through Edinburgh.
“The conversation among the passengers which had been interrupted for a few minutes, was speedily resumed, which the lady soon found to be regarding the state of mind persons were in at the prospect of death. One gentleman argued that a real Christian was more likely to view the approach of death with composure, than he who had looked upon religion as unworthy his notice. Another (an English gentleman) insisted that an infidel could look to his end with as much complacency and peace of mind as the best Christian in the land. This being denied by his opponent, he made him consider the death of his countryman David Hume, who was an acknowledged infidel, and yet died not only happy and tranquil, but even of his dissolution with a degree of gaiety and humour. The lady who had lately joined them turned round to the last speaker and said, ‘Sir, this is all you know about it: I could tell you another tale.’ ‘Madam,’ relied the gentleman, ‘I presume I have as good information as you can have on this subject, and I believe that what I have asserted regarding Mr. Hume has never before been called in question.’ The lady continued: ‘Sir, I was Mr. Hume’s housekeeper for many years, and was with him in his last moments; and the mourning I now wear was a present from his relatives for my attention to him on his death-bed; and happy would I have been, if I could have borne my testimony to the mistaken opinion that has gone abroad of his peaceful and composed end. I have, sir, never till this hour, opened my mouth on this subject; but I think it a pity the world should be kept in the dark on so interesting a topic. It is true, sir, that when Mr. Hume’s friends were with him, he was cheerful, and seemed quite unconcerned about his approaching fate; nay, frequently spoke of it to them in a jocular and playful way; but when he was alone, the scene was very different: he was any thing but composed; his mental agitation was so great at times as to occasion his whole bed to shake. He would not allow the candles to be put out during the night, nor would he be left alone for a minute. I had always to ring the bell for one of the servants to be in the room, before he would allow me to leave it. He struggled hard to appear composed even before me; but to one who attended his bed-side for so many days and nights, and witnessed his disturbed sleeps and still more disturbed wakings; who frequently heard his involuntary breathings of remorse and frightful startings; it was no difficult matter to determine that all was not right within. This continued and increased until he became insensible. I hope in God I shall never witness a similar scene.’
“I leave your readers to weigh the probability of this narrative; for myself I see nothing unlikely in it; for a man who had exerted all his talents to deprive mankind of their dearest hopes, and only consolation in the day of trial and the hour of death, might well be expected to suffer remorse in his dying hour; and the alleged narrator of the circumstance, who states herself to have been his housekeeper, is affirmed to have made the declaration on the spur of the occasion, from regard to truth, and by no means from any pique or dislike towards Mr. Hume or his family. Some of your northern readers may perhaps be able to inform me who was Mr. Hume’s housekeeper at the time of his death, and whether there is any proof in writing, memory, or tradition, to the effect of her alleged statement.