Ay Pak Bs Ny DRX: 61 
Or Mr Smitn’s lectures while a Profeffor at Glafgow, no 
part has been preferved, excepting what he himfelf publithed 
in the Theory of Moral Sentiments and in the Wealth of Na- 
tions. The Society therefore, I am perfuaded, will liften with — 
pleafure to the following fhort account of them, for which I 
am indebted to a gentleman who was formerly one of Mr , 
Smitu’s pupils, and who continued till his death to be one of 
his moft intimate and valued friends. 
*‘ In the Profeflorfhip of Logic, to which Mr Smiru was 
appointed on his firft introduction into this Univerfity, he foon 
faw the neceflity of departing widely from the plan that had 
been followed by his predeceflors, and of directing the atten- 
tion of his pupils to ftudies of a more interefting and ufeful 
nature than the logic and metaphyfics of the fchools. Accord- 
ingly, after exhibiting a general view ‘of the powers of the 
mind, and explaining fo much of the ancient logic as was re- 
quifite to gratify curiofity with refpeét to an artificial method 
of reafoning, which had once occupied the univerfal attention 
of the learned, he dedicated all the reft of his time to the de- 
livery of a fyftem of rhetoric and belles lettres. (The beft me- 
thod of explaining and illuftrating the various powers of the 
human mind, the moft ufeful part of metaphyfics, arifes from 
an examination of the feveral ways of communicating our 
thoughts by fpeech, and from an attention to the principles of 
thofe literary compofitions, which contribute to perfuafion or en- 
" tertainment. By thefe arts, every thing that we perceive or feel, 
every operation of our minds, is expreffed and delineated in 
fuch a manner, that it may be clearly diftinguifhed and remem- 
bered. There is, at the fame time, no branch of literature 
more fuited to youth at their firft entrance upon philofophy 
than this, which lays hold of their tafte and their feelings. 
“ Iv is much to be regretted, that the manufcript contain- 
ing Mr Smiru’s leGtures on this fubject was deftroyed before 
his death. The firft part, in point of compofition, was highly 
~ finifhed ; 
Actoun¢ of 
Dr Sanrith. 
