Account of 
Dr Smith, 
58 HISTORY of the SOCIETY. 
nature in all its branches, more particularly of the political hi- 
ftory of mankind, opened a boundlefs field to his curiofity and 
ambition ; and while it afforded {cope to all the various powers 
of his verfatile and comprehenfive genius, gratified his ruling 
paffion, of contributing to the happinefs and the improvement 
of fociety. To this ftudy, diverfified at his leifure hours by 
the lefs fevere occupations of polite literature, he feems to have 
devoted himfelf almoft entirely from the time of his removal 
to Oxford; but he ftill retained, and retained even in advanced 
years, a recollection of his early acquifitions, which not only 
added to the fplendour of his converfation, but enabled him to 
exemplify fome of his favourite theories concerning the natural 
progrefs of the mind in the inveftigation of truth, by the hi- 
ftory of thofe fciences in which the conneétion and fucceffion 
of difcoveries may be traced with the greateft advantage. If I 
am not miftaken too, the influence of his early tafte for the 
Greek geometry may be remarked in the elementary clearnefs 
and fulnefs, bordering fometimes upon prolixity, with which 
he frequently ftates his political reafonings.—The le€tures of 
the profound and eloquent Dr Hutcueson, which he had at- 
tended previous to his departure from Glafgow, and of which 
he always {poke in terms of the warmeft admiration, had, it 
may be reafonably prefumed, a confiderable effect in directing 
his talents to their proper objects. 
I HavE not been able to collect any information with re- 
fpe& to that part of his youth which was fpent in Eng- 
land. Ihave heard him fay, that he employed himfelf fre- 
quently in the practice of tranflation, (particularly from the 
French), with a view to the improvement of his own ftyle: 
and he ufed often to exprefs a favourable opinion of the utility 
of fuch exercifes, to all who cultivate the art of compofition. 
It is much to be regretted, that none of his juvenile attempts 
in this way have been preferved ; as the few fpecimens which 
his writings contain of his fkill as a tranflator, are fufficient to 
fhew the eminence he had attained in a walk of literature, 
which, 
