Sir Gilbert Elliot--Hume's intimacy with him--Their Philosophical Correspondence--Dialogues on Natural Religion--Residence in Edinburgh--Jack's Land--Publication of the "Inquiry concerning the Principles of Morals"--The Utilitarian Theory--Attempt to obtain the Chair of Moral Philosophy in Glasgow--Competition with Burke--Publication of the "Political Discourses"--The foundation of Political Economy--French Translations. 319 CHAPTER IX. 1752-1755. ÆT. 41-44. Appointment as keeper of the Advocates' Library--His Duties-- Commences the History of England--Correspondence with Adam Smith and others on the History--Generosity to Blacklock the Poet--Quarrel with the Faculty of Advocates--Publication of the First Volume of the History--Its reception--Continues the History--Controversial and Polemical attacks--Attempt to subject him, along with Kames, to the Discipline of Ecclesiastical Courts--The leader of the attack--Home's "Douglas"--The first Edinburgh Review. 367 APPENDIX. Fragments of a Paper in Hume's handwriting, describing the Descent on the Coast of Brittany, in 1746, and the causes of its failure. 441 Letters from Montesquieu to Hume, 456 ---- the Abbé le Blanc to Hume, 458 Documents relating to the Poems of Ossian, 462 Essay on the Genuineness of the Poems, 471 THE LIFE OF DAVID HUME. CHAPTER I. 1711-1734. ÆT. 0-23. Birth--Parentage--His own account of his Ancestors--Local associations of Ninewells--Education--Studies--Early Correspondence--The Ramsays--Specimen of his early Writings-- Essay on Chivalry--Why he deserted the Law--Early ambition to found a School of Philosophy--Letter to a Physician describing his studies and habits--Criticism on the Letter--Supposition that it was addressed to Dr. Cheyne--Hume goes to Bristol. David Hume was born at Edinburgh, on the 26th of April,[1:1] 1711. He was the second son of Joseph Hume, or Home, proprietor of the estate of Ninewells, in the parish of Chirnside, in Berwickshire. His mother was a daughter of Sir David Falconer of Newton, who filled the office of Lord President of the Court of Session from 1682 to 1685, and is known to lawyers as the collector of a series of decisions of the Court of Session, published in 1701. His son, the brother of Hume's mother, succeeded to the barony of Halkerton in 1727. Mr. Hume the elder, was a member of the Faculty of Advocates.[1:2] He appears, however, if he ever intended to follow the legal profession as a means of livelihood, to have early given up that view, and to have lived, as his eldest son John afterwards did, the life of a retired country gentleman.