Account of 
Br Smith 
56 HISTORY of th SOCIETY. 
His conftitution during infancy was infirm and fickly, and 
required all the tender folicitude of his furviving parent. She 
was blamed for treating him with an unlimited indulgence ; 
but it produced no unfavourable effects on his temper or his 
difpofitions :—and he enjoyed the rare fatisfaction of being able 
to repay her affeCtion, by every attention that filial gratitude 
could dictate, during the long period of fixty years. 
AN accident, which happened to him when he was about three 
years old, is of too interefting a nature to be omitted in the account 
of fo valuable a life. He had been carried by his mother to 
Strathenry on a vifit to his uncle Mr DouctaAs, and was one day 
amufing himfelf alone at the door of the houfe, when he was ftolen 
by a party of that fet of vagrants who are known in Scotland by 
the name of tinkers. Luckily he was foon miffed by his uncle, 
who hearing that fome vagrants had pafled, purfued them, with 
what affifance he could find, till he overtook them in Leflie 
wood; and was the happy inftrument of preferving to the 
world a genius, which was deftined, not only to extend the 
boundaries of fcience, but to enlighten and reform the com- 
mercial policy of Europe. 
Tue fchool of Kirkaldy, where Mr Smiru received the firft 
rudiments of his education, was then taught by Mr Davip 
Miter, a teacher, in his day, of confiderable reputation, and 
whofe name deferves to be recorded, on account of the eminent 
men whom that very obfcure feminary produced while under his 
direG@tions Mr Oswatp of Dunikeir, whofe profound know- 
ledge of finances raifed him afterwards to important employ- 
ments in the State, and to a diftinguifhed rank as a Parliament- 
ary fpeaker ; his brother, Dr Jonn Oswa p, afterwards Bifhop 
of Raphoe; and Dr Joun DryspAte, whofe talents and worth 
are well known to this Society, were among the number of 
Mr Smitu’s contemporaries.—One of his fchool-fellows is ftill 
alive *;- and to his kindnefs I am principally indebted for 
the 
* Grorce Dryspate, Efq; of Kirkaldy, brother of the late Dr Dryspate. 
