CVIII ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE AND

papers, is not known even to his moft intimatefriends ; but there can be no doubt that they con-fifted, in part, of the le&ures on rhetoric, whichhe read at Edinburgh in the year 1748 , and ofthe leflures on natural religion and on jurispru-dence, which formed part of his courfe atGiafgow.That this irreparable injury to lettres proceeded,in fome degree, from an exceffive solicitude inthe author about his pofthumous reputation, mayperhaps be true; but with refpe£t to fome of hismanuscripts, may we not suppose, that he wasinfluenced by higher motives ? It is but seldomthat a philosopher, who has been occupied fromhis youth with moral or with political inquiries,succeeds completely to his wifli in slating to others,the grounds upon which his own opinions arefounded; and hence it is, that the known prin-ciples of an individual, who has approved to thepublic his candor, his liberality, and liis judge-ment, are entitled to a weight and an authority,independent of the evidence which he is able uponany particular occasion , to produce in their sup-port. A fecret confcioufnefs of this circumstance,and an apprehension , that by not doing justice toan important argument, the progress of truth maybe rather retarded than advanced, have propablyinduced many authors to with hold from the worldthe unfinished results of their moft valuable labors ;and to content themselves with giving the general