"Having said so much to your friend, who is certainly a very ingenious
man, though a little too zealous for a philosopher, permit me also the
freedom of saying a word to yourself. Whenever I have had the pleasure
to be in your company, if the discourse turned upon any common subject
of literature, or reasoning, I always parted from you both entertained
and instructed. But when the conversation was diverted by you from this
channel towards the subject of your profession; though I doubt not but
your intentions were very friendly towards me, I own I never received
the same satisfaction: I was apt to be tired, and you to be angry. I
would therefore wish, for the future, whenever my good fortune throws me
in your way, that these topics should be forborne between us. I have
long since done with all inquiries on such subjects, and am become
incapable of instruction; though I own no one is more capable of
conveying it than yourself. After having given you the liberty of
communicating to your friend what part of this letter you think proper,
I remain, sir," &c.
Hume afterwards wrote the following letter on the same subject:--
HUME _to_ DR. CAMPBELL.
"_January 7, 1762._
"DEAR SIR,--It has so seldom happened that controversies in philosophy,
much more in theology, have been carried on without producing a personal
quarrel between the parties, that I must regard my present situation as
somewhat extraordinary, who have reason to give you thanks for the civil
and obliging manner in which you have conducted the dispute against me,
on so interesting a subject as that of miracles. Any little symptoms of
vehemence, of which I formerly used the freedom to complain, when you
favoured me with a sight of the manuscript, are either removed or
explained away, or atoned for by civilities, which are far beyond what I
have any title to pretend to. It will be natural for you to imagine,
that I will fall upon some shift to evade the force of your arguments,
and to retain my former opinion in the point controverted between us;
but it is impossible for me not to see the ingenuity of your
performance, and the great learning which you have displayed against me.