In October, 1769, he
writes to Elliot:--
"I have been settled here two months, and am here body and soul,
without casting the least thought of regret to London, or even to
Paris.... I live still, and must for a twelvemonth, in my old house
in James's Court, which is very cheerful and even elegant, but too
small to display my great talent for cookery, the science to which
I intend to addict the remaining years of my life. I have just now
lying on the table before me a receipt for making _soupe a la
reine_, copied with my own hand; for beef and cabbage (a charming
dish) and old mutton and old claret nobody excels me. I make also
sheep's-head broth in a manner that Mr. Keith speaks of for eight
days after; and the Duc de Nivernois would bind himself apprentice
to my lass to learn it. I have already sent a challenge to David
Moncreiff: you will see that in a twelvemonth he will take to the
writing of history, the field I have deserted; for as to the giving
of dinners, he can now have no further pretensions. I should have
made a very bad use of my abode in Paris if I could not get the
better of a mere provincial like him. All my friends encourage me
in this ambition; as thinking it will redound very much to my
honour."
In 1770, Hume built himself a house in the new town of Edinburgh, which
was then springing up. It was the first house in the street, and a
frolicsome young lady chalked upon the wall "St.
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