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   Copyright 1995, Christopher MacLachlan (cjmm@st-andrews.ac.uk). See
   end note for details on copyright and editing conventions.[1]

   Editor's note: "Of Essay Writing" appeared in 1742 in Volume two of
   Hume's Essays, Moral and Political, but was removed from all
   subsequent editions of that text published during Hume's life. The
   text file here is based on the 1875 Green and Grose edition. Spelling
   and punctuation have been modernized.

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   Of Essay Writing

           The elegant part of mankind, who are not immersed in the
           animal life, but employ themselves in the operations of the
           mind, may be divided into the learned and conversible. The
           learned are such as have chosen for their portion the higher
           and more difficult operations of the mind, which require
           leisure and solitude, and cannot be brought to perfection,
           without long preparation and severe labour. The conversible
           world join to a sociable disposition, and a taste of pleasure,
           an inclination to the easier and more gentle exercises of the
           understanding, to obvious reflections on human affairs, and
           the duties of common life, and to the observation of the
           blemishes or perfections of the particular objects, that
           surround them. Such subjects of thought furnish not sufficient
           employment in solitude, but require the company and
           conversation of our fellow-creatures, to render them a proper
           exercise for the mind: and this brings mankind together in
           society, where every one displays his thoughts and
           observations in the best manner he is able, and mutually gives
           and receives information, as well as pleasure.

           The separation of the learned from the conversible world seems
           to have been the great defect of the last age, and must have
           had a very bad influence both on books and company: for what
           possibility is there of finding topics of conversation fit for
           the entertainment of rational creatures, without having
           recourse sometimes to history, poetry, politics, and the more
           obvious principles, at least, of philosophy? Must our whole
           discourse be a continued series of gossipping stories and idle
           remarks? Must the mind never rise higher, but be perpetually

             Stun'd and worn out with endless chat
             Of Will did this, and Nan said that?[2]

           This would be to render the time spent in company the most
           unentertaining, as well as the most unprofitable part of our
           lives.

           On the other hand, learning has been as great a loser by being
           shut up in colleges and cells, and secluded from the world and
           good company. By that means, every thing of what we call
           Belles Lettres became totally barbarous, being cultivated by
           men without any taste of life or manners, and without that
           liberty and facility of thought and expression, which can only
           be acquired by conversation. Even philosophy went to wrack by
           this moaping recluse method of study, and became as chimerical
           in her conclusions as she was unintelligible in her stile and
           manner of delivery. And indeed, what could be expected from
           men who never consulted experience in any of their reasonings,
           or who never searched for that experience, where alone it is
           to be found, in common life and conversation?

           'Tis with great pleasure I observe, that men of letters, in
           this age, have lost, in a great measure, that shyness and
           bashfulness of temper, which kept them at a distance from
           mankind; and, at the same time, that men of the world are
           proud of borrowing from books their most agreeable topics of
           conversation. 'Tis to be hoped, that this league betwixt the
           learned and conversible worlds, which is so happily begun,
           will be still farther improved, to their mutual advantage; and
           to that end, I know nothing more advantageous than such Essays
           as these with which I endeavour to entertain the public. In
           this view, I cannot but consider myself as a kind of resident
           or ambassador from the dominions of learning to those of
           conversation; and shall think it my constant duty to promote a
           good correspondence betwixt these two states, which have so
           great a dependence on each other. I shall give intelligence to
           the learned of whatever passes in company, and shall endeavour
           to import into company whatever commodities I find in my
           native country proper for their use and entertainment. The
           balance of trade we need not be jealous of, nor will there be
           any difficulty to preserve it on both sides. The materials of
           this commerce must chiefly be furnished by conversation and
           common life: the manufacturing of them alone belongs to
           learning.

           As 'twould be an unpardonable negligence in an ambassador not
           to pay his respects to the sovereign of the state where he is
           commissioned to reside; so it would be altogether inexcusable
           in me not to address myself, with a particular respect, to the
           fair sex, who are the sovereigns of the empire of
           conversation. I approach them with reverence; and were not my
           countrymen, the learned, a stubborn independent race of
           mortals, extremely jealous of their liberty, and unaccustomed