his boat, he could not find one that fitted him; he had no house to
finish, he had no daughter to provide for, he had no enemies upon whom
he wished to revenge himself. "I could not well imagine," said he,
"what excuse I could make to Charon in order to obtain a little
delay. I have done every thing of consequence which I ever meant to
do, and I could at no time expect to leave my relations and friends in
a better situation than that in which I am now likely to leave them: I
therefore have all reason to die contented." He then diverted himself
with inventing several jocular excuses, which he supposed he might
make to Charon, and with imagining the very surly answers which it
might suit the character of Charon to return to them. "Upon further
consideration," said he, "I thought I might say to him, 'Good Charon,
I have been correcting my works for a new edition. Allow me a little
time, that I may see how the public receives the alterations.' But
Charon would answer, 'When you have seen the effect of these, you will
be for making other alterations. There will be no end of such
excuses; so, honest friend, please step into the boat.' But I might
still urge, 'Have a little patience, good Charon, I have been
endeavouring to open the eyes of the public. If I live a few years
longer, I may have the satisfaction of seeing the downfall of some of
the prevailing systems of superstition.' But Charon would then lose
all temper and decency--'You loitering rogue, that will not happen
these many hundred years. Do you fancy I will grant you a lease for
so long a term? Get into the boat this instant, you lazy, loitering
rogue.'"

But though Mr. Hume always talked of his approaching dissolution with
great cheerfulness, he never affected to make any parade of his
magnanimity. He never mentioned the subject, but when the
conversation naturally led to it, and never dwelt longer upon it than