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Why did David Hume travel to Paris in 1763?
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David Hume
Scottish philosopher David Hume, oil on canvas by Allan Ramsay, 1766; in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.
In 1763, the Scottish philosopher David Hume traveled to Paris to serve as secretary to the British embassy under the Earl of Hertford.
During his time in Paris, Hume was warmly embraced by French society, which honored him for his learning, acuteness of thought, and literary elegance. He became a celebrated figure in the city's salons and even served as chargé d’affaires at the embassy for four months in 1765.1