SIR,--On Monday last, Mr. John Farquhar brought me your letter
of February 25th, enclosed in one from Dr. Blair. I thought
myself very happy in having the means of obtaining at
second-hand, through the friendship of Dr. Blair, your opinion
of my performance: and you have been pleased to communicate
it directly in so polite and friendly a manner, as merits
great acknowledgments on my part. Your keeping a watchful eye
over my style, with a view to be of use to me, is an instance
of candour and generosity to an antagonist, which would affect
me very sensibly, although I had no personal concern in it,
and I shall always be proud to follow so amiable an example.
Your judgment of the style, indeed, gives me great
consolation, as I was very diffident of myself in regard to
English, and have been indebted to Drs. Campbell and Gerard
for many corrections of that kind.
In attempting to throw some new light upon these abstruse
subjects, I wish to preserve the due mean betwixt confidence
and despair. But whether I have any success in this attempt or
not, I shall always avow myself your disciple in metaphysics.
I have learned more from your writings in this kind, than from
all others put together. Your system appears to me not only
coherent in all its parts, but likewise justly deduced from
principles commonly received among philosophers; principles
which I never thought of calling in question, until the
conclusions you draw from them in the "Treatise of Human
Nature" made me suspect them. If these principles are solid,
your system must stand; and whether they are or not, can
better be judged after you have brought to light the whole
system that grows out of them, than when the greater part of
it was wrapped up in clouds and darkness. I agree with you,
therefore, that if this system shall ever be demolished, you
have a just claim to a great share of the praise, both because
you have made it a distinct and determinate mark to be aimed
at, and have furnished proper artillery for the purpose.