Who was David Hume?
Philosopher, historian, economist and essayist.
Date and Place of Birth:
26th April 1711, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Family Background:
Younger son of Joseph Hume, Lord of Ninewells,
a small estate at Chirnside near Berwick-upon-Tweed. His father
died when Hume was two years old.
Education:
Edinburgh University. Studied Law.
Chronology/Biography of David Hume:
1734: His passion
for literature caused him to abandon his studies of law at Edinburgh
University. To keep himself and in order to try and remove his depression
he decided to move into commerce at Bristol. After a few months
working for a merchant he realised he had no talent for it and resigned.
He then moved to La Fleche in Anjou, France where Renee Descartes
had been educated at the Jesuit College.
1737: Returned home
from France in order to arrange for the publication of his "A
Treatise of Human Nature".
1739: Publication
of the first two volumes of "A Treatise of Human Nature"
which aroused little attention from the public.
1740: Undeterred
he published the third volume "On Morals".
1741: Published
"Essays Moral and Political" which was more successful
and had to be brought out in a second edition. These were to be
an inspiration for the economic theories of his friend Adam Smith.
Failing to get a university professorship he remained at his brother's
country estate at Ninewells in Berwickshire.
1744: Again failed
to get the post of moral philosophy at Edinburgh University due
to his atheism.
1745: Spent a year
acting as a tutor to a mad nobleman, the Marquis of Annandale.
1746: Accompanied
General St. Clair on his expedition to France and acted as his Secretary.
1748: Again accompanied
St. Clair. This time on a secret mission to Vienna and Turin. This
was the year that one of his most important works "Philosophical
Essays Concerning Human Understanding" was published, which
was said to inspire the great German philosopher Immanuel Kant.
1751: A second edition
of the "Philosophical Essays" was published. He was turned
down for the post of Professor of Logic at Glasgow University.
1752: Published
"Political DIscourses" which he claimed to be the only
work that was successful on publication. Appointed a keeper of the
Advocates Library in Edinburgh, a post which gave him a small income
and enabled him to carry out more historical research.
1754: Began publishing
volumes in his large scale work "The History of England"
which gained him international recognition.
Statue of David Hume in Edinburgh
(© Anthony Blagg)
1757: Published
"Four Dissertations" which were mainly about the natural
history of religion, the passions, suicide and immortality all though
the last two names were hurriedly withdrawn before publication.
1758: The "Philosophical
Essays" was republished as "An Enquiry Concerning Human
Understanding"
1763: Acted as Secretary
to the English Embassy in Paris where he was received with great
favour by the court and literary society.
1766: (January)
He returned to London accompanied by his new friend Jean Jacques
Rousseau, although the two were to fall out famously later in the
year. In the winter he returned to Scotland.
1767: Was recalled
to London as Under Secretary of State for the Northern Department.
1769: Finally settled
in Edinburgh for good and was the centre of a literary society,
which, although not as dazzling as in Paris, was known for its moderatism.
Written works:
- 1739:
"Treatise of Human Nature".
- 1741:
"Essays Moral and Political".
- 1748:
"Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding".
"The Adventures of Roderick Random".
- 1751:
"Enquiry Concerning Principles of Morals".
- 1752:
"Political Discourses".
- 1754: "History
of England".
- 1757:
"Four Dissertations".
- 1758:
"Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding".
- 1779:
"Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion".
Marriage:
Never Married.
Places of Interest:
EDINBURGH:
Edinburgh University.
National Library of Scotland.
Statue outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
Date and Place of Death:
25th August 1776, Edinburgh, Scotland
Age at Death:
65.
Site of Grave:
Old Calton Burial Ground, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh.
Grave Monument to David Hume in
Old Calton Burial Ground, Edinburgh
(© Anthony Blagg)
