With Mrs. Mallet, who was in all respects worthy of her husband, Hume had some acquaintance; but he does not appear to have had much respect for her. Lord Charlemont says, "I never saw him so much displeased, or so much disconcerted, as by the petulance of Mrs. Mallet, the conceited wife of Bolingbroke's editor. This lady, who was not acquainted with Hume, meeting him one night at an assembly, boldly accosted him in these words, 'Mr. Hume, give me leave to introduce myself to you; we Deists ought to know each other.' 'Madam,' replied he, 'I am no Deist; I do not style myself so, neither do I desire to be known by that appellation.'"--_Hardy's Memoir of Charlemont_, p. 122. [142:1] This letter is not dated. It may be questioned whether it be either the one referred to in the preceding, or in the following letter by Hume. [143:1] MS. R.S.E. [144:1] MS. R.S.E. [146:1] The alteration of the customs duties by the authority of the crown. [146:2] The case of Sir George Markham, who was fined £10,000 in the Star-chamber, for rudeness to a peer, is not stated in the first edition. In the latest editions, the case is stated as it had been set down on Lansdowne's authority, and there is merely a note mentioning that Hobart gives a different account of it. See Hobart, p. 120. [147:1] Minto MSS. [147:2] MS. R.S.E. [148:1] The quarrel between Wilkes and Armstrong excited much interest. They had been close friends, and Wilkes had advanced money to Armstrong in his need. The latter had ventured to pass a slight sarcasm on Churchill, who returned it ten-fold, taking Wilkes to his assistance, who abused Armstrong among the other Scots, in some letters in _The Public Advertiser_. A very amusing and dramatic dialogue between them will be found in _The Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1782. [148:2] MS. R.S.E. [149:1] MS. R.S.E. [149:2] See Vol. I. p. 221. [149:3] Memorials of Oswald, p. 79. [149:4] Scroll MS. R.S.E. [150:1] William Johnstone of Westerhall, afterwards Sir William Pulteney. [150:2] MS. R.S.E. [151:1] Stewart's Life of Reid. It is not stated whether the date is estimated by the old or the new style. Hume's birth-day is old style. [152:1] Oeuvres Philosophiques de M. D. Hume, &c., 4 vols. 12mo, 1764. [153:1] When are the public to be in possession of Sir William Hamilton's edition of Reid? I have had the privilege of seeing the proof sheets of this work, so far as it had proceeded, before ill health had, for a time, interrupted the labours of the professor of logic. The quantity of learning and deep thought concentrated in the commentary, is such as, perhaps, but one man in this country could have brought together; and the natural feeling suggested on the perusal was, regret that so much of these qualities had been expended in notes and illustrative essays, instead of being published in a separate work. [154:1] Stewart's Life of Reid. [156:1] MS. R.S.E. CHAPTER XIII. 1763-1764. Æt. 52-53.