XXII

LETTER FROM

cc term ? Get into the boat this instant, you lazy,c< loitering rogue. ”

Bu r , though Mr. Hume always talked of his ap-proaching dissolution with great cheerfulness, henever affected to make any parade of his magna-nimity. He never mentioned the subject but whenthe conversation naturally led to it, and neverdwelt longer upon it than the course of the con-versation happened to require : it was a subjectindeed which occurred pretty frequently, in con-sequence of the enquiries which his friends, whocame to fee him, naturally made concerning thestate of his health. The conversation which Imentioned above , and which passed on Thursdaythe 8th of August, was the last, except one,that I ever had with him. He had now becomeso very weak, that the company of his most in-timate friends fatigued him; for his cheerfulnesswas still so great, his complaisance and social dis-position were still so entire , that when any friendwas with him, he could not help talking more,and with greater exertion, than suited the weak-ness of his body. At his own desire, therefore,I agreed to leave Edinburgh , where I was stayingpartly upon his account, and returned to my mo-ther’s house here, atKirkaldy, upon conditionthat he would send for me whenever he wished tosee me; the physician who saw him most frequent-ly, Doctor Black, undertaking, in the mean time,