Rubbing Hume's Toe

On my way to the National Library of Scotland to hear a talk on 'Advancing Cultural Relations', by the French Consul General and the Director of the French Institute, I noticed that on the statue of David Hume, his toe was very shiny brass. This was compared to the green hue that coloured the rest of the statue. I stood and watched for a moment as tourist after tourist passed by and rubbed his toe. As something I had never noticed before I investigated further and it seems that philosophy students make a pilgrimage to rub his toe.

In he word of the sculptor Sandy Stoddart "It is ironic that an atheist and rationalist should have his toe adored by the masses"

This was one advancing of cultural relations I didn't expect to stumble upon.