Page:The Life of David Hume, Esq, written by himself.djvu/31

This page has been validated.
18
MY OWN LIFE.

gan chiefly to take place. I was, I own, sanguine in my expectations of the success of this work. I thought that I was the only historian, that had at once neglected present power, interest, and authority, and the cry of popular prejudices; and as the subject was suited to every capacity, I expected proportional applause. But miserable was my disappointment: I was assailed by one cry of reproach, disapprobation, and even detestation; English, Scotch, and Irish, Whig, and Tory, churchman and sectary, freethinker and religionist,patriot