small recompense of his pains in correcting and publishing

     this work, I leave him two hundred pounds, to be paid

     immediately after the publication of it. [January 1776]

In spite of Smith's assigned task, Smith felt that the Dialogues
should remain unpublished even after Hume's death. Smith himself
was a closet religious skeptic, and his hesitation was motivated
more by practical concern rather than religious piety. Smith
communicated his reluctance to Hume and, accordingly, in the
following letter to Smith, Hume relinquished Smith of the
immediate responsibility of publishing them:

     After reflecting more maturely on that Article of my Will by

     which I left you the Disposal of all my Papers, with a

     Request that you shou'd publish my Dialogues concerning

     natural Religion, I have become sensible, that, both on

     account of the Nature of the Work, and of your Situation, it

     may be improper to hurry on that Publication. I therefore

     take the present Opportunity of qualifying that friendly

     Request: I am content, to leave it entirely to your

     Discretion at what time you will publish that Piece, or

     whether you will publish it at all. [May 3, 1776]

In the above, Hume leaves it to Smith's discretion as to when the
Dialogues should be published. But Hume quickly became
uncomfortable with this arrangement and, a month later, asked his
long time publisher, William Strahan, to arrange for its
immediate publication:

     I am also to speak to you of another Work more important:

     Some Years ago, I composed a piece, which woud make a small

     Volume in Twelves. I call it Dialogues on natural Religion:

     Some of my Friends flatter me, that it is the best thing I

     ever wrote. I have hitherto forborne to publish it, because

     I was of late desirous to live quietly, and keep remote from

     all Clamour: For though it be not more exceptionable than

     some things I had formerly published; yet you know some of

     these were thought very exceptionable; and in prudence,

     perhaps, I ought to have suppressed them. I there introduce

     a Sceptic, who is indeed refuted, and at last gives up the

     Argument, nay confesses that he was only amusing himself by

     all his Cavils; yet before he is silenced, he advances

     several Topics, which will give Umbrage, and will be deemed

     very bold and free, as well as much out of the Common Road.

     As soon as I arrive at Edinburgh, I intend to print a small

     Edition of 500, of which I may give away about 100 in

     Presents; and shall make you a Present of the Remainder,

     together with the literary Property of the whole, provided

     you have no Scruple, in your present Situation, of being the

     Editor: It is not necessary you shoud prefix your Name to

     the Title Page. I seriously declare, that after Mr Millar

     and You and Mr Cadell have publickly avowed your Publication

     of the Enquiry concerning human Understanding, I know no

     Reason why you shoud have the least Scruple with regard to

     these Dialogues. They will be much less obnoxious to the

     Law, and not more exposed to popular Clamour. Whatever your

     Resolution be, I beg you wou'd keep an entire Silence on

     this Subject. If I leave them to you by Will, your executing

     the Desire of a dead Friend, will render the publication