All I know about Sprat is as the author of a dull history of the Royal
Society, so I was surprised to meet with Hume's estimate of him.
No doubt about the general hatred of the Scotch, but you will observe that I make Millar responsible for the peace-making assurance.
What you said to me in conversation some time ago led me to look at Hume's position as a moralist with some care, and I quoted the passage at page 206 that no doubt might be left on the matter.
The little book threatened to grow to an undue length, and therefore the question of morals is treated more briefly than was perhaps desirable.
Ever yours very faithfully,
T.H. Huxley.
[Early in November I find the first reference to a proposed, but never completed, "English Men of Science" series in the letter to Mr. Morley above. The following letters, especially those to Sir H. Roscoe, with whom he was concerting the series, give some idea of its scope:—]
4 Marlborough Place, N.W., December 10, 1878.
My dear Roscoe,
You will think that I have broken out into letter-writing in a very unwonted fashion, but I forgot half of what I had to say this morning.