You deign, madam, to ask my opinion of the new performance of
M. Rousseau. I know that it becomes me better to form my
judgment upon yours; but in compliance with your commands, I
shall not make a secret of my sentiments. All the writings of
that author appear to me admirable, particularly on the head
of eloquence; and if I be not much mistaken, he gives to the
French tongue an energy, which it scarce seems to have reached
in any other hands. But as his enemies have objected, that
with this domineering force of genius there is always
intermingled some degree of extravagance, it is impossible for
his friends altogether to deny the charge; and were it not for
his frequent and earnest protestations to the contrary, one
would be apt to suspect, that he chooses his topics less from
persuasion, than from the pleasure of showing his invention,
and surprising the reader by his paradoxes. The "Treatise of
Education," as it possesses much of the merit, seems also
exposed to the faults of his other performances; and as he
indulges his love of the marvellous even in so serious and
important a subject, he has given a pledge to the public that
he was in earnest in all his other topics. If I dared to
object any thing to M. Rousseau's eloquence, which is the
shining side of his character, I should say, that it was not
wholly free from the defect sometimes found in that of the
Roman orator; and that their great talent for expression was
apt to produce a prolixity in both. This last performance
chiefly is exposed to this objection; and I own, that though
it abounds in noble and shining passages, it gave me rather
less pleasure than his former writings. However, it carries
still the stamp of a great genius; and, what enhances its
beauty, the stamp of a very particular genius. The noble pride
and spleen and indignation of the author bursts out with
freedom in a hundred places, and serves fully to characterize
the lofty spirit of the man.
When I came to peruse that passage of Mons. Rousseau's
Treatise, which has occasioned all the persecution against
him, I was not in the least surprised that it gave offence.
He has not had the precaution to throw any veil over his
sentiments; and as he scorns to dissemble his contempt of
established opinions, he could not wonder that all the zealots
were in arms against him. The liberty of the press is not so
secured in any country, scarce even in this, as not to render
such an open attack of popular prejudices somewhat
dangerous.[115:1]
In 1761, Dr. Blair communicated to Hume the sermon by Dr. Campbell,
which, when subsequently expanded, became the "Dissertation on
Miracles," already referred to.[115:2] On this occasion, Hume wrote in
the following terms to Dr. Blair:--