e very surly answers which it
might suit the character of Charon to return to them. "Upon further
consideration," said he, "I thought I might say to him, 'Good Charon,
I have been correcting my works for a new edition. Allow me a little
time, that I may see how the public receives the alterations.' But
Charon would answer, 'When you have seen the effect of these, you will
be for making other alterations. There will be no end of such
excuses; so, honest friend, please step into the boat.' But I might
still urge, 'Have a little patience, good Charon, I have been
endeavouring to open the eyes of the public. If I live a few years
longer, I may have the satisfaction of seeing the downfall of some of
the prevailing systems of superstition.' But Charon would then lose
all temper and decency--'You loitering rogue, that will not happen
these many hundred years. Do you fancy I will grant you a lease for
so long a term? Get into the boat this instant, you lazy, loitering
rogue.'"

But though Mr. Hume always talked of his approaching dissolution with
great cheerfulness, he never affected to make any parade of his
magnanimity. He never mentioned the subject, but when the
conversation naturally led to it, and never dwelt longer upon it than
the course of the conversation happened to require. It was a subject,
indeed, which occurred pretty frequently, in consequence of the
inquiries which his friends, who came to see him, naturally made
concerning the state of his health. The conversation which I
mentioned above, and which passed on Thursday the 8th of August, was
the last, except one, that I ever had with him. He had now become so
very weak, that the company of his most intimate friends fatigued him;
for his cheerfulness was still so great, his complaisance and social
disposition were still so entire, that when any friend was with him,
he could not help talking more, and with greater exertion, than suited
the weakness of his body. At his own desire, therefore, I agreed to
leave Edinburgh, where I was staying partly upon his account, and
returned to my mother's house here, at Kirkaldy, upon condition that
he would send for me whenever he wished to see me; the physician who
saw him most frequently, Dr. Black, undertaking in the mean time to
write me occasionally an account of the state of his health.

On the 22d of August, the doctor wrote me the following letter:

"Since my last, Mr. Hume has passed his time pretty ea