Title page of 'A letter from a gentleman', by David Hume (1745).
This is the only known copy of David Hume's book 'A letter from a gentleman to his friend in Edinburgh'.
Published in Edinburgh, it contains some of the objections made by clergy and academics — including philosophers — to Hume's application for a Chair of Philosophy at Edinburgh University, along with Hume's responses to them. The clergy had vetoed the application largely as a reaction to Hume's 'A treatise of human nature'.
[NLS shelfmark: RB.s.141]
This volume featured in the David Hume display at the National Library of Scotland from 5 May to 28 June 2011.