Letters of David Hume to William Strahan
Correspondence with the printer William Strahan follows the production, revision and circulation of Hume’s books. It shows an author attentive to sales, corrections and relationships among readers, booksellers and publishers. Political exchanges and testimony surrounding his death complete this record of the material and intellectual conditions of authorship.
Understanding the text
George Birkbeck Hill’s annotated edition appeared in 1888. Its 99 numbered letters include replies and eleven documents written after Hume’s death.
Key points
- 01
Editorial work
Requests for corrections help distinguish an authorized edition, a reprint and a lasting alteration to the text.
- 02
Public life
Political views addressed to a particular correspondent belong to circumstances that may differ from those of the published essays.
- 03
Attribution
Letters by Strahan, Smith and other witnesses belong to the volume without becoming writings by Hume.
How to read it
Read the letters in dated sequence, then compare the titles mentioned with the editions concerned. Separate Hume’s words from Hill’s annotations; a complete index of this volume does not represent all surviving Hume correspondence.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗