Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Life and Works
- II Philosophy
- 3 Why Did David Hume Dislike Adam Ferguson's An Essay on the History of Civil Society?
- 4 Hume as Critic of Ferguson's Essay
- 5 The Two Adams: Ferguson and Smith on Sympathy and Sentiment
- III Politics
- IV Society
- Notes
- Works Cited
- Index
4 - Hume as Critic of Ferguson's Essay
from II - Philosophy
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- I Life and Works
- II Philosophy
- 3 Why Did David Hume Dislike Adam Ferguson's An Essay on the History of Civil Society?
- 4 Hume as Critic of Ferguson's Essay
- 5 The Two Adams: Ferguson and Smith on Sympathy and Sentiment
- III Politics
- IV Society
- Notes
- Works Cited
- Index
Summary
On 12 April 1759, in thanking Adam Smith for the gift of his Theory of Moral Sentiments, David Hume informed him that Adam Ferguson had ‘very much polished and improved his Treatise on Refinement’, and added that ‘with some amendments it will make an admirable book, and discovers an elegant and singular genius’. A month later, writing to William Robertson, Hume stated, ‘Ferguson's book has a great deal of Genius, & fine Writing, and will appear in time’.
It is not clear whether the Treatise on Refinement was an early draft of An Essay on the History of Civil Society, or a part of it. Years later, a few months before the publication of the Essay, the reaction of Hume was quite different. He did not conceal his dissatisfaction with it and even tried to prevent its publication. As he wrote to Hugh Blair:
I have perused Ferguson's Papers more than once, which had been put into my hands, some time ago, at his desire. I sat down to read them with great Prepossession, founded on my good Opinion of him, on a small Specimen I had seen of them some Years ago, and on yours & Dr. Robertson's Esteem of them: But I am sorry to say it, they have no-wise answer'd my Expectation. I do not think them fit to be given to the Public, neither on account of the Style nor the Reasoning; the Form nor the Matter … It is needless to enter into a Detail, where almost every thing appears to me exceptionable. If I come down to Scotland next Summer, I should concur in any Method to prevent or retard the Publication; but they are now put into General Clerk & Lord Shelburne's hands, who are not the most proper Judges in the World; and if you do not interpose, they will certainly be printed. I shall be agreeably disappointed, if the Success prove contrary to my Opinion.
Fortunately, Blair did not interpose, probably because the nature of the author was ‘not overmuch given to submit’ once the book was published, Hume was ‘agreeably disappointed’ in his expectations.
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- Information
- Adam FergusonPhilosophy, Politics and Society, pp. 73 - 88Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014