his amazement increased when a sharp shrill voice called out, Ho! brother, what are you doing now? A voice still shriller responded from the other haunted ship. I'm making a wife to Sandie Macharg!' and a loud quavering laugh running from ship to ship, and from bank to bank, told the joy they expected from their labour. Now the laird, besides being a devout and a God-fearing man, was shrewd and bold; and in plot, and contrivance, and skill in conducting his designs, was fairly an overmatch for any dozen land elves: but the water elves are more subtle; besides, their haunts and their dwellings being in the great deep, pursuit and detection is hopeless if they succeed in carrying their prey to the waves. But ye shall hear. Home flew the laird, collected his family around the hearth,-spoke of the signs and the sins of the times, and talked of mortification and prayer for averting calamity; and finally taking his father's Bible, brass clasps, black print, and covered with calf-skin, from the shelf, he proceeded without let or stint to perform domestic worship. I should have told ye that he bolted and locked the door, shut up all inlet to the house, threw salt into the fire, and proceeded in every way like a man skilful in guarding against the plots of fairies and fiends. His wife looked on all this with wonder; but she saw something in her husband's looks that hindered her from intruding either question or advice, and a wise woman was she. Near the mid hour of the night the rush of a horse's feet was heard, and the sound of a rider leaping from its back, and a heavy knock came to the door accompanied by a voice, saying, "The cummer drink's hot, and the knave bairn is expected at Laird Laurie's tonight; sae mount, good-wife, and come.' 'Preserve me!' said the wife of Sandie Macharg; that's news indeed; who could have thought it? the laird has been heirless for seventeen year! Now Sandie, my man, fetch me my skirt and hood.' But he laid his arm round his wife's neck, and said, If all the lairds in Galloway go heirless, over this door threshold shall you not stir to-night; and I have said, and I have sworn it: seek not to know why nor wherefore-but, Lord, send us thy blessed morn-light.' The wife looked for a moment in her husband's eyes, and desisted from further entreaty. But let us send a civil message to the gossips, Sandy; and hadnae ye better say I am sair laid with a sudden sickness; though it's sinful-like to send the poor messenger a mile agate with a lie in his mouth without a glass of brandy.' To such a messenger, and to those who sent him, no apology is needed,' said the austere laird, so let him depart.' And the clatter of a horse's hoofs was heard, and the muttered imprecations of its rider on the churlish treatment he had experienced. Now Sandie, my lad,' said his wife, laying an arm particularly white and round about his neck as she spoke, are you not a queer man and a stern? I have been your wedded wife now these three years; and, beside my dower, have brought you three as bonnie bairns as ever smiled aneath a summer sun. O man, you a douce man, and fitter to be an elder than even Willie Greer himself, I have the minister's ain word for't, to put on these hardhearted looks, and gang waving your arms that way, as if ye said, 'I winna take counsel of sic a hempie as you,' your ain leal wife; I will and I maun have an explanation." To all this Sandie Macharg replied, 'It is written "wives obey your husbands;" but we have been stayed in our devotion, so let us pray;' and down he knelt: his wife knelt also, for she was as devout as bonnie; and beside them knelt their household, and all lights were extinguished. Now this beats a',' muttered his wife to herself; however, I shall be obedient for a time; but if I dinna ken what all this is for before the morn by sunket-time, my tongue is nae langer a tongue, nor my hands worth wearing.' The voice of her husband in prayer interrupted this mental soliloquy; and ardently did he beseech to be preserved from the wiles of the fiends and the snares of Satan; from witches, ghosts, goblins, elves, fairies, spunkies, and water-kelpies; from the spectre shallop of Solway; from spirits visible and invisible; from 6 the Haunted Ships and their unearthly tenants; from maritime spirits that plotted against godly men, and fell in love with their wives-Nay, but his presence be near us!' said his wife in a low tone of dismay. God guide my gude-man's wits: I never heard such a prayer from human lips before. But Sandie, my man, lordsake rise: what fearful light is this-barn, and byre, and stable, maun be in a blaze; and Hawkie and Hurley, Doddie, and Cherrie, and Damson-plum, will be smoored with reek, and scorched with flame.' And a flood of light, but not so gross as a common fire, which ascended to heaven and filled all the court before the house, amply justified the good wife's suspicions. But to the terrors of fire Sandie was as immoveable as he was to the imaginary groans of the barren wife of Laird Laurie; and he held his wife, and threatened the weight of his right hand-and it was a heavy one-to all who ventured abroad, or even unbolted the door. The neighing and prancing of horses, and the bellowing of cows, augmented the horrors of the night; and to any one who only heard the din it seemed that the whole outstead was in a blaze, and horses and cattle perishing in the flame. All wiles, common or extraordinary, were put in practice to entice or force the honest farmer and his wife to open the door; and when the like success attended every new stratagem, silence for a little while ensued, and a long, loud, and shrilling laugh wound up the dramatic efforts of the night. In the morning, when Laird Macharg went to the door, he found standing against one of the pilasters a piece of black ship oak, rudely fashioned into something like human form, and which skilful people declared would have been clothed with seeming flesh and blood, and palmed upon him by elfin adroitness for his wife, had he admitted his visitants. A synod of wise men and women sat upon the woman of timber, and she was finally ordered to be devoured by fire, and that in the open air. A fire was soon made, and into it the elfin sculpture was tossed from the prongs of two pair of pitchforks. And the blaze that arose was awful to behold; and hissings, and burstings, and loud cracklings, and strange noises, were heard in the midst of the flame; and when the whole sunk into ashes a drinking cup of some precious metal was found; and this cup, fashioned no doubt by elfin skill, but rendered harmless by the purification with fire, the sons and daughters of Sandie Macharg and his wife drink out of to this very day." Lammerlea, Cumberland. MY No. VI. Original Letters. DAVID HUME. Y Dear Smith,*-I have been three days at Paris, and two at Fontainbleau, and have every where met with the most extraordinary honours, which the most exorbitant vanity could wish or desire. The Compliments of Dukes and Marischals of France, and foreign Ambassadors, go for nothing with me at present: I retain a Relish for no kind of flattery but that which comes from the Ladies. All the Courtiers, who stood around when I was introduc'd to Mde. de Pompadour, assured me she was never heard to say so much to any man; and her Brother, to whom she introduced me,- -But I forget already, that I am to scorn all the civilities of Men. However, Me. Pompadour's civilities, were, if possible, exceeded by those of the Dutchess de Choiseul, the Wife of the favourite and prime Minister, and one of the Ladys of the most distinguish'd merit in France. Not contented with the very obliging things she said to me on my first introduction, she sent to call me from the other end of the room, in order to repeat them, and to enter into a short conversation with me; And not contented with that, she sent the Danish Ambassador after me, to assure me, that what she said was not from politeness, but that she seriously desir'd to be in friendship and correspondence with me. There is not a Courtier in France, who wou'd not have been transported with joy, to have had the half of these obliging things said to him by either of these great Ladies; but what may appear more extraordinary, both of them, as far as I could conjecture, have read with some care all my Writings that have been translated into French, that is, almost all my Writings. The King said nothing particular to me, when I was introduced to him; and (can you imagine it) I was become so silly, as to be a little mortify'd by it, till they told me, that he never says any thing to any body the first Dr. Adam Smith. time he sees them. The Dauphin, as I am told from all hands, declares himself on every occasion very strongly in my favour; and many people assure me, that I have reason to be proud of his judgement, even were he an individual. I have scarce seen any of the Geniuses of Paris, who, I think, have in general great merit as men of letters; But every body is forward to tell me the high panegyrics I receive from them; and you may believe that approbation which has procured me all these civilities from the Cour tiers. I know you are ready to ask me, my dear friend, if all this does not make me very happy: No, I feel little or no difference. As this is the first letter I write to my friends at home, I have amus'd myself, (and I hope I have amus'd you) by giving you a very abridg'd Account of these transactions: But can I ever forget, that it is the very same Species, that wou'd scarce show me common civilities a very few years ago at Edinburgh, who now receive me with such Applauses at Paris? I assure you, I reap more internal satisfaction from the very amiable man ners and character of the family in which I live, (I mean Lord and Lady Hartford and Lord Beauchamp) than from all these external Vanities; and it is that domestic enjoyment which must be considered as the agreeable circumstance in my situation. During the two last days in particular, that I have been at Fontainbleau; I have suffer'd (the expression is not improper) as much flattery, as almost any Man has ever done in the same time: But there are few days in my life, when I have been in good health, that I would not rather pass over again. Mr. Neville, our Minister, an honest wor thy English Gentleman, who carry'd me about, was astonish'd at the civil ities I met with; and has assur'd me, that on his return, he will not fail to inform the King of England and the English Ministry of all these particulars. But enough of all these follies: You see I trust to your Friendship, that you will forgive me; and to your Discretion, that you will keep my secret. I had almost forgot, in these effusions, shall I say of my Misanthropy or my Vanity, to mention the subject which first put my pen in my hand. The Baron d'Holbac, whom I saw at Paris, told me, that there was one under his eye that was translating your Theory of Moral Sentiments; and desired me to inform you of it: Mr. Fitzmaurice, your old friend, interests himself strongly in this undertaking: Both of them wish to know, if you propose to make any alterations on the Work, and desire you to inform me of your intentions in that particular. Please direct to me under cover to the Earl of Hertford at Northumberland House London. Letters so directed will be sent to us at Paris. I desire my Compliments to all friends. I am My Dear Smith Your's sincerely, (Sd.) DAVID HUME. Fontainbleau, No. VII. Dear Smith, I am glad to have come within sight of you, and to have a view of Kirkaldy from my windows: But as Twish also to be within speaking terms of you, I wish we could concert measures for that purpose. I am mortally sick at sea, and regard with horror, and a kind of hydrophobia, the great gulph that lies between us. I am also tir'd of travelling, as much as you ought naturally to be, of staying at home. I therefore propose to you to come hither, and pass some days with me in this solitude. I want to know what you have been doing, and propose to exact a rigorous account of the method, in which you have employ'd yourself during your retreat. I am positive you are in the wrong in many of your speculations, especially when you have the misfortune to differ from me. All these are reasons for our meeting, and I wish you would make me some reasonable proposal for that purpose. There is no habitation on the Island of Inchkeith otherwise I should challenge you to meet me on that spot, and neither of The Frith of Forth † A barren Island in the Frith of Forth. Dear Smith,-I shall give you an Account of the late heteroclite Exploits of Rousseau, as far as I can recollect them: There is no need of any Secresy: They are most of them pretty public, and are well known to every body that had curiosity to observe the Actions of that strange, undefineable Existence, whom one would be apt to imagine an imaginary Being tho' surely not an Eus rationis. I believe you know, that in Spring last, Rousseau apply'd to General Conway, to have his pension. The General answered to Mr. Davenport, who carry'd the application, that I was expected to town in a few days; and without my consent and approbation he wou'd take no steps in that affair. You may believe I readily gave my consent: I also solicited the affair, thro' the treasury; and the whole being finished, I wrote to Mr. Davenport, and desired him to inform his guest, that he needed only appoint any person to receive payment. Mr. Davenport answered me, that it was out of his power to execute my commission: For that this wild Philosopher as he called him had eloped of a sudden, leaving a great part of his baggage behind him, some money in Davenport's hands, and a letter on the table, as odd, he says, as the one he wrote to me, and implying that Mr. Davenport was engaged with me in a treacherous Conspiracy against him. heard of for a fortnight, till the Chanchellor receiv'd a letter from him, dated at Spalding in Lincolnshire; in which he said, that he had been seduced into this country by a promise of hospitality, that he had met with the worst u sage, that he was in danger of his life He was not from the plots of his Enemies, and that he applied to the Chancellor, as the first civil Magistrate of the Kingdom, desiring him to appoint a guard at his own (Rousseau's) Expense, who might safely conduct him out of the kingdom. The Chancellor made his Secretary reply to him, that he was mistaken in the nature of the Country, for that the first post boy he could apply to, was as safe a Guide as the Chancellor could appoint. At the very same time that Rousseau wrote this letter to the Chancellor, he wrote to Davenport, that he had eloped from him, actuated by a very natural desire, that of recovering his liberty; but finding he must still be in captivity, he preferred that at Wootton: For his captivity at Spalding was intolerable beyond all human patience, and he was at present the most wretched being on the face of the globe: He wou'd therefore return to Wootton, if he were assured that Davenport would receive him. Here I must tell you, that the Parson of Spalding was about two months ago in London, and told Mr. Fitzherbert, from whom I had it, that he had passed several hours every day with Rousseau, while he was in that place; that he was cheerful, and good humoured, easy, and enjoy'd himself perfectly well, without the least fear or complaint of any kind. However this may be, our Hero, without waiting for any answer, either from the Chancellor or Mr. Davenport, decamps on a sudden from Spalding, and takes the road directly to Dover; whence he writes a letter to General Conway seven pages long, and full of the wildest extravagance in the world. He says, that he had endur'd a captivity in England, which it was impossible any longer to submit to It was strange, that the greatest in the Nation, and the whole Nation itself, should have been seduced by one private man, to serve his vengeance against another private man; He found in every face that he was here the object of general derision and aversion, and he was therefore infinitely desirous to remove from this country. He therefore begs the General to restore him to his liberty, and allow him to leave England; He warns him of the danger there may be of cutting his throat in private; as he is unhappily a man too well known, not to have enquiries made after him, should he disappear of a sudden: He promises, on condition of his being permitted to depart the Kingdom, to speak no ill of the King or Country, or Ministers, or even of Mr. Hume: As indeed says he, I have perhaps no reason; my jealousy of him having probably arisen from my own suspicious temper, sour'd by misfor tunes. He says, that he wrote a Volume of Memoirs, chiefly regarding the treatment he has met with in England: he has left it in safe hands, and will order it to be burned, in case he be permitted to go beyond seas, and nothing shall remain to the dishonour of the King and his Ministers. This letter is very well wrote, so far as regards the style and composition; and the author is so vain of it, that he has given about Copies, as of a rare production. It is indeed, as General Conway says, the Composition of a whimsical man, not of a madman. But what is more remarkable, the very same post, he wrote to Davenport, that having arrived within sight of the Sea, and finding that he was really at liberty to go or stay as he pleas'd, he had intended voluntarily to return to him; but seeing in a Newspaper an Account of his departure from Wootton, and concluding his offences were too great to be forgiven, he was resolv'd to depart for France. Accordingly, without any farther preparation, and without waiting General Conway's answer, he took his passage in a packet boat, and went off that very Evening. Thus you see, he is a composition of whim, affectation, wickedness, vanity, and Inquietude, with a very small if any ingredient of madness. He is always complaining of his health; yet I have scarce ever seen a more robust little man of his years: He was tir'd in England, where he was neither persecuted nor caressed, and where, he was sensible, he had exposed himself: He re solved therefore to leave it; and having no pretence, he is obliged to contrive all those absurdities, which he himself, extravagant as he is, gives no credit to. At least, this is the only key I can devise to his character. The ruling Qualities abovemention'd, to |