paffes for being a little uncertain in his resolutions; so perhaps you need not build much on this fally.

"In recompence for fo many mortifying things, which nothing but truth could have extorted from me, and which I could easily have multiplied to a greater number, I doubt not but you are so good a Christian as to return good for evil; and to flatter my vanity by telling me, that all the godly in Scotland abuse me for my account of JOHN KNOX and the Reformation. I fuppofe you are glad to see my paper end, and that I am obliged to conclude with

Your Humble Servant,

DAVID HUME."

SECTION III.

From the Publication of The Theory of Moral Sentiments, till that of The Wealth of Nations.

AF

FTER the publication of the Theory of Moral Sentiments, Mr. SMITH remained four years at Glasgow, discharging his official duties with unabated vigour, and with increasing reputation. During that time, the plan of his lectures underwent a confiderable change. His ethical doctrines, of which he had now published fo valuable a part, occupied a much fmaller portion of the course than formerly and accordingly, his attention was naturally directed to a more complete illuftration of the principles of jurifprudence and of political œconomy.

To this laft fubject, his thoughts appear to have been occafionally turned from a very early period of life. It is probable, that the uninterrupted

3

interrupted friendship he had always maintained with his old companion Mr. OSWALD had fome tendency to encourage him in pro fecuting this branch of his ftudies; and the publication of Mr. HUME's political difcourfes in the year 1752, could not fail to confirm him in those liberal views of commercial policy which had already opened to him in the course of his own enquiries. His long réfidence in one of the most enlightened mercantile towns in this ifland, and the habits of intimacy in which he lived with the most refpectable of its inhabitants, afforded him an opportunity of deriving what commercial information he ftood in need of, from the beft fources; and it is a circumftance no less honourable to their liberality than to his talents, that notwithstanding the reluctance fo common among men of bufinefs to listen to the conclufions of mere fpeculation, and the direct oppofition of his leading principles to all the old maxims of trade, he was able, before he quitted his fituation in the University, to rank some very eminent merchants in the number of his profelytes *.

Among the students who attended his lectures, and whofe minds were not previously warped by prejudice, the progrefs of his opinions, it may be reasonably supposed, was much more rapid. It was this class of his friends accordingly that first adopted his fyftem with eagerness, and diffused a knowledge of its fundamental principles over this part of the kingdom.

4

Towards the end of 1763, Mr. SMITH received an invitation from Mr. CHARLES TOWNSEND to accompany the Duke of BucCLEUGH on his travels; and the liberal terms in which the proposal was made to him, added to the ftrong defire he had felt of vifiting the Continent of Europe, induced him to refign his office at

I mention this fact on the refpectable authority of JAMES RITCHIE, Efq. of Glafgow.

f 2

Glasgow.'

Glasgow. With the connection which he was, led to form in confequence of this change in his fituation, he had reason to be fatisfied in an uncommon degree, and he always spoke of it with pleasure and gratitude. To the public, it was not perhaps a change equally fortunate; as it interrupted that ftudious leifure for which nature seems to have deftined him, and in which alone he could have hoped to accomplish thofe literary projects which had flattered the ambition of his youthful genius.

*

The alteration, however, which, from this period, took place in his habits, was not without its advantages. He had hitherto lived chiefly within the walls of an: Univerfity; and although to a mind like his, the obfervation of human nature on the fmalleft fcale is fufficient to convey a tolerably just conception of what paffes on the great theatre of the world, yet it is not to be doubted, that the variety of scenes through which he afterwards paffed, must have enriched his mind with many new ideas, and corrected many of those mifapprehenfions of life and manners which the best descriptions of them can fcarcely fail to convey.But whatever were the lights that his travels afforded to him as a ftudent of human nature, they were probably useful in a still greater degree, in enabling him to perfect that system of political œconomy, of which he had already delivered the principles in his lectures at Glasgow, and which it was now the leading object of his ftudies to prepare for the public. The coincidence between fome of these principles and the distinguishing tenets of the French œconomists, who were at that very time in the height of their reputation, and the intimacy in which he lived with fome of the leaders of that fect, could not fail to affift him in methodizing and digesting his speculations; while the valuable collection of facts, accumulated by the zealous induftry of their numerous adherents, furnished him with ample materials for illuftrating. and confirming his theoretical conclufions..

After

After leaving Glafgow, Mr. SMITH joined the Duke of BucCLEUGH at London early in the year 1764, and set out with him for the Continent in the month of March following. At Dover they were met by Sir JAMES MACDONALD, who accompanied them to Paris, and with whom Mr. SMITH laid the foundation of a friendfhip, which he always mentioned with great fenfibility, and of which he often lamented the short duration. The panegyrics with which the memory of this accomplished and amiable perfon has been honoured by fo many diftinguished characters in the different countries of Europe, are a proof how well fitted his talents were to command general admiration. The esteem in which his abilities and learning were held by Mr. SMITH, is a teftimony to his extraordinary merit of still superior value. Mr. HUME, too, feems, in this inftance, to have partaken of his friend's enthusiasm.." Were you and I toge

ther, (fays he in a letter to Mr. SMITH,) we fhould fhed tears at "prefent for the death of poor Sir JAMES MACDONALD, We "could not poffibly have fuffered a greater lofs than in that valuable young man."

In this firft vifit to Paris, the Duke of BUCCLEUGH and Mr. SMITH employed only ten or twelve days*, after which they proceeded

* The day after his arrival at Paris, Mr. SMITH fent a formal refignation of his Profefforship to the Rector of the University of Glasgow. "I never was more anx"ious (fays he in the conclufion of this letter) for the good of the College, than at "this moment; and I fincerely with, that whoever is my fucceffor may not only do "credit to the office by his abilities, but be a comfort to the very excellent men with "whom he is likely to spend his life, by the probity of his heart, and the goodness of ❝his temper.",

. The following extract from the records of the University, which follows immediately after Mr. SMITH's letter of refignation, is at once a teftimony to his affiduity as a Profeffor, and a proof of the juft fenfe which that learned body entertained, of the talents and worth of the colleague they had loft:

"The meeting accept of Dr. SMITH's refignation, in terms of the above letter, and the office of Profeflor of Moral Philosophy in this University is therefore hereby "declared.

ceeded to Thouloufe, where they fixed their refidence for eighteen months; and where, in addition, to the pleasure of an agreeable fo ciety, Mr. SMITH had an opportunity of correcting and extending his information concerning the internal policy of France, by the intimacy in which he lived with fome of the principal perfons of the Parliament.

From Thoulouse they went, by a pretty extenfive tour, through the fouth of France to Geneva. Here they paffed two months. The late Earl STANHOPE, for whofe learning and worth Mr. SMITH entertained a fincere refpect, was then an inhabitant of that republic.

About Christmas 1765, they returned to Paris, and remained there till October following. The fociety in which Mr. SMITH spent these ten months, may be conceived from the advantages he enjoyed, in confequence of the recommendations of Mr. HUME. TURGOT, QUESNAI, NECKER, d'ALEMBERT, HELVETIUS, MArmontel, Madame RICCOBONI, were among the number of his acquaintances; and fome of them he continued ever afterwards to reckon among his friends. From Madame d'ANVILLE, the respectable mother of the late excellent and much lamented Duke of ROCHEFOUCAULD*, he received many attentions, which he always recollected with particular gratitude.

It

"declared to be vacant. The Univerfity, at the fame time, cannot help expreffing "their fincere regret at the removal of Dr. SMITH, whofe diftinguished probity and amiable qualities procured him the esteem and affection of his colleagues; and "whofe uncommon genius, great abilities, and extenfive learning, did so much honour "to this fociety; his elegant and ingenious Theory of Moral Sentiments having re "commended him to the efteem of men of taste and literature throughout Europe. "His happy talent in illuftrating abftracted fubjects, and faithful affiduity in commu"nicating useful knowledge, diftinguished him as a Profeffor, and at once afforded the "greatest pleasure and the most important inftruction to the youth under his care.” *The following letter, which has been very accidentally preferved, while it ferves as a memorial of Mr. SMITH's connection with the family of ROCHEFOUCAULD, is fo expreffive