Summary of the quarrel between Rousseau and Hume in the St James's Chronicle
c. 15 January 1767
This is an excerpt
The MISCELLANY,
NUMBER III.
By NATHANIEL FREEBODY, Esq.
Thursday, January 15, 1767.
It must be a Matter of Concern to all true Lovers of 'Sound Philosophy,' to hear that the unhappy Quarrel between David Hume, Esq; and Mr. Rousseau, is never likely to be made up, as the latter hath actually commenced a Suit against the former, in one of our Courts of Justice. Very fortunately, by an Acquaintance with a Clerk of the Court, I have it in my Power to oblige the Reader with the Heads of the Indictment laid by the Author of Emilius against our celebrated Historian. I am assured by my Friend, whose Veracity I never yet found any Reason to doubt, that the following is Copia Vera.
Heads of an Indictment laid by J.J.R. Philosopher, against D.H. Esq;
I That the said David H. to the great Scandal of Philosophy, and not having the Fitness of Things before his Eyes, did concert a Plan with Mess. Tronchin, Voltaire, and D'Alembert, to ruin the said J.J.R. for ever, by bringing him over to England, and there settling him to his Heart's Content.
II That the said David H. did, with a malicious and traitorous Intent, procure, or cause to be procured, by himself, or somebody else, one Pension of the yearly Value of 100£. or thereabouts, to be paid to the said J.J.R. on Account of his being a Philosopher, either privately or publickly, as to him the said J.J.R. should seem meet.
III That the said David H. did, one Night, after he left Paris, put the said J.J.R. in bodily Fear, by talking in his Sleep; although the said J.J.R. doth not know whether the said David H. were really asleep, or whether he shammed Abraham1, or what he meant.
IV That, at another Time, as they, the said David H. and the said J.J.R. were sitting opposite each other by the Fire Side in London, he, the said David Hume, did look at him, the said J.J.R. in a Manner of which it is difficult to give any Idea. That he the said J.J.R. to get rid of the Embarrassment he was under, endeavoured to look full at him the said David H. in return, to try if he could not stare him out of Countenance: but in fixing his Eyes against his, the said David H. he felt the most inexpressible Terror, and was obliged to turn them away. Insomuch that the said J.J.R. doth in his Heart think and believe, as much as he believes any Thing, that he the said David H. is a certain Composition of a White-Witch and a Rattle-Snake.
V That the said David H. on the same Evening, after politely returning the Embraces of him the said J.J.R. and gently tapping him on the Back, did repeat several Times, in a good natured easy Tone, the Words — Why, what, my dear Sir! Nay, my dear Sir! Oh, my dear Sir! From whence the said J.J.R. doth conclude, as he thinks, upon solid and sufficient Grounds, that he the said David H. is a Traitor. Albeit he, the said J.J.R. doth acknowledge, that the Physiognomy of the good David is that of an honest Man, all but those terrible Eyes of his, which he must have borrowed; but he the said J.J.R. vows to God he cannot conceive from whom, or what.
VI That the said D.H. hath more Inquisitiveness about him than becometh a Philosopher; and did never let slip an Opportunity of being alone with the Governante of him the said J.J.R.
VII That the said David H. did most atrociously and flagitiously put him the said John James Rousseau, Philosopher, into a Passion; as knowing, that then he would be guilty of a Number of Absurdities.
VIII That the said David H. must have published Mr Walpole's Letter in the St. James's Chronicle; because, at that Time, there was neither Man, Woman, nor Child, in the Island of Great Britain, but the said David H. the said J.J.R. and Mr. Henry Baldwin, the Editor of The St. James's Chronicle aforesaid.
IX That somebody in a certain Magazine, and somebody else in a certain Newspaper, said something against him, the said J.J.R. which he the said J.J.R. is persuaded for the Reason abovementioned could be no body but the said D.H.
X That the said J.J.R. knows that he the said D.H. did open and peruse Letters of him the said J.J.R. because he one Day saw the said D.H. go out of the Room after his own Servant, who had, at that very Time, a Letter of the said J.J.R's in his Hands; which must have been in order to take it from the Servant, open it, and read the Contents.
XI That the said David H. did, at the Instigation of the Devil, in a most wicked and unnatural Manner, send, or cause to be sent to the Lodgings of him, the said J.J.R. one Dish of Beef-Steaks; thereby meaning to insinuate, that he the said J.J.R. was a Beggar, and came over to England to ask Alms; whereas be it known to all Men by these Presents, that he the said J.J.R. brought with him the Means of Subsistence, and did not come with an empty Purse; as he doubts not but he can live upon his Labours — with the Assistance of his Friends; and, in short, can do better without the said D.H. than with him.
XII That, besides all these Facts put together, the said J.J.R. did not like certain Appearances of Things on the Whole.
.............
c. 15 January 1767
This is an excerpt
The MISCELLANY,
NUMBER III.
By NATHANIEL FREEBODY, Esq.
Thursday, January 15, 1767.
It must be a Matter of Concern to all true Lovers of 'Sound Philosophy,' to hear that the unhappy Quarrel between David Hume, Esq; and Mr. Rousseau, is never likely to be made up, as the latter hath actually commenced a Suit against the former, in one of our Courts of Justice. Very fortunately, by an Acquaintance with a Clerk of the Court, I have it in my Power to oblige the Reader with the Heads of the Indictment laid by the Author of Emilius against our celebrated Historian. I am assured by my Friend, whose Veracity I never yet found any Reason to doubt, that the following is Copia Vera.
Heads of an Indictment laid by J.J.R. Philosopher, against D.H. Esq;
I That the said David H. to the great Scandal of Philosophy, and not having the Fitness of Things before his Eyes, did concert a Plan with Mess. Tronchin, Voltaire, and D'Alembert, to ruin the said J.J.R. for ever, by bringing him over to England, and there settling him to his Heart's Content.
II That the said David H. did, with a malicious and traitorous Intent, procure, or cause to be procured, by himself, or somebody else, one Pension of the yearly Value of 100£. or thereabouts, to be paid to the said J.J.R. on Account of his being a Philosopher, either privately or publickly, as to him the said J.J.R. should seem meet.
III That the said David H. did, one Night, after he left Paris, put the said J.J.R. in bodily Fear, by talking in his Sleep; although the said J.J.R. doth not know whether the said David H. were really asleep, or whether he shammed Abraham1, or what he meant.
IV That, at another Time, as they, the said David H. and the said J.J.R. were sitting opposite each other by the Fire Side in London, he, the said David Hume, did look at him, the said J.J.R. in a Manner of which it is difficult to give any Idea. That he the said J.J.R. to get rid of the Embarrassment he was under, endeavoured to look full at him the said David H. in return, to try if he could not stare him out of Countenance: but in fixing his Eyes against his, the said David H. he felt the most inexpressible Terror, and was obliged to turn them away. Insomuch that the said J.J.R. doth in his Heart think and believe, as much as he believes any Thing, that he the said David H. is a certain Composition of a White-Witch and a Rattle-Snake.
V That the said David H. on the same Evening, after politely returning the Embraces of him the said J.J.R. and gently tapping him on the Back, did repeat several Times, in a good natured easy Tone, the Words — Why, what, my dear Sir! Nay, my dear Sir! Oh, my dear Sir! From whence the said J.J.R. doth conclude, as he thinks, upon solid and sufficient Grounds, that he the said David H. is a Traitor. Albeit he, the said J.J.R. doth acknowledge, that the Physiognomy of the good David is that of an honest Man, all but those terrible Eyes of his, which he must have borrowed; but he the said J.J.R. vows to God he cannot conceive from whom, or what.
VI That the said D.H. hath more Inquisitiveness about him than becometh a Philosopher; and did never let slip an Opportunity of being alone with the Governante of him the said J.J.R.
VII That the said David H. did most atrociously and flagitiously put him the said John James Rousseau, Philosopher, into a Passion; as knowing, that then he would be guilty of a Number of Absurdities.
VIII That the said David H. must have published Mr Walpole's Letter in the St. James's Chronicle; because, at that Time, there was neither Man, Woman, nor Child, in the Island of Great Britain, but the said David H. the said J.J.R. and Mr. Henry Baldwin, the Editor of The St. James's Chronicle aforesaid.
IX That somebody in a certain Magazine, and somebody else in a certain Newspaper, said something against him, the said J.J.R. which he the said J.J.R. is persuaded for the Reason abovementioned could be no body but the said D.H.
X That the said J.J.R. knows that he the said D.H. did open and peruse Letters of him the said J.J.R. because he one Day saw the said D.H. go out of the Room after his own Servant, who had, at that very Time, a Letter of the said J.J.R's in his Hands; which must have been in order to take it from the Servant, open it, and read the Contents.
XI That the said David H. did, at the Instigation of the Devil, in a most wicked and unnatural Manner, send, or cause to be sent to the Lodgings of him, the said J.J.R. one Dish of Beef-Steaks; thereby meaning to insinuate, that he the said J.J.R. was a Beggar, and came over to England to ask Alms; whereas be it known to all Men by these Presents, that he the said J.J.R. brought with him the Means of Subsistence, and did not come with an empty Purse; as he doubts not but he can live upon his Labours — with the Assistance of his Friends; and, in short, can do better without the said D.H. than with him.
XII That, besides all these Facts put together, the said J.J.R. did not like certain Appearances of Things on the Whole.
.............