"P.S. Pray let the Solicitor tell Frank, that he is a bad
correspondent--the only way in which he can be a bad one, by his
silence."
We find, through the whole of his acts and written thoughts before his
return from the embassy to Turin, the indications of an earnest wish to
possess the means of independent livelihood, suitable to one belonging
to the middle classes of life. Great wealth or ornamental rank he seems
never to have desired: but the circumstance of his having, in the year
1748, achieved the means of independence through his official
emoluments, seems to have taken so strong a hold of his mind, that
nearly thirty years afterwards, in writing his autobiography, he speaks
with exultation of his having been then in possession of £1000. The
position of the man in comfortable circumstances, equally removed from
the dread of want, and the uneasy pressure of superfluous wealth,
appears always to have presented itself as the most desirable fate
which, in mere pecuniary matters, fortune could have in store for him;
and no commentary on the sacred text has perhaps better illustrated its
application to the conduct and feelings of mankind, than his adaptation
of Agur's prayer to the middle station in life, at a time when he was
far from having realized that happy mediocrity of fortune, of which he
gives so pleasing a picture.
Agur's prayer is sufficiently noted--"Two things have I
required of thee; deny me them not before I die: remove far
from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny
thee, and say, who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal,
and take the name of my God in vain."--The middle station is
here justly recommended, as affording the fullest security for
virtue; and I may also add, that it gives opportunity for the
most ample exercise of it, and furnishes employment for every
good quality which we can possibly be possessed of. Those who
are placed among the lower ranks of men, have little
opportunity of exerting any other virtue besides those of
patience, resignation, industry, and integrity. Those who are
advanced into the higher stations, have full employment for
their generosity, humanity, affability, and charity. When a
man lies betwixt these two extremes, he can exert the former
virtues towards his superiors, and the latter towards his
inferiors. Every moral quality which the human soul is
susceptible of, may have its turn, and be called up to action;
and a man may, after this manner, be much more certain of his
progress in virtue, than where his good qualities lie dormant,
and without employment.[341:1]
The following letter, of a somewhat later date, gives a view of his
definitive intentions.
HUME _to_ MICHAEL RAMSAY.
"_Ninewells, 22d June, 1751._