A curious story in connection with this
event is told by Dr. Carlyle, who knew Hume well, and whose authority is
perfectly trustworthy.
"Mr. Boyle hearing of it, soon after went to his apartment, for
they lodged in the same house, where he found him in the deepest
affliction and in a flood of tears. After the usual topics and
condolences Mr. Boyle said to him, 'My friend, you owe this
uncommon grief to having thrown off the principles of religion: for
if you had not, you would have been consoled with the firm belief
that the good lady, who was not only the best of mothers, but the
most pious of Christians, was completely happy in the realms of the
just. To which David replied, 'Though I throw out my speculations
to entertain the learned and metaphysical world, yet in other
things I do not think so differently from the rest of the world as
you imagine.'"
If Hume had told this story to Dr. Carlyle, the latter would have said
so; it must therefore have come from Mr. Boyle; and one would like to
have the opportunity of cross-examining that gentleman as to Hume's
exact words and their context, before implicitly accepting his version
of the conversation. Mr. Boyle's experience of mankind must have been
small, if he had not seen the firmest of believers overwhelmed with
grief by a like loss, and as completely inconsolable. Hume may have
thrown off Mr. Boyle's "principles of religion," but he was none the
less a very honest man, perfectly open and candid, and the last person
to use ambiguous phraseology, among his friends; unless, indeed, he saw
no other way of putting a stop to the intrusion of unmannerly twaddle
amongst the bitter-sweet memories stirred in his affectionate nature by
so heavy a blow.
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