His mother was left a widow, when her youngest child--the youngest of eleven--was only three weeks old.

Notwithstanding a considerable debt on account of a suretyship, which was paid, she bravely met the difficulties of her position, and perseveringly overcame them.

Though her income was less than that of many highly paid working men, she educated her children well, and brought them up religiously and virtuously.

She put her sons in the way of doing well, and if they have not done so, it was through no fault of hers.
Hume, the historian, was a man of good family; but being a younger brother, his means were very small.

His father died while he was an infant; he was brought up by his mother, who devoted herself entirely to the rearing and educating of her children.