Account of 
Dr Smith. 
62 AIS TORR of thi SOCIETY. 
finifhed ; and the whole difcovered ftrong marks of tafte and 
original gegius. From the permiffion given to ftudents of 
taking notes, many obfervations and opinions contained in 
thefe leGtures, have either been detailed in feparate differtations, 
or ingrofled in general colle@tions, which have fince been given 
to the public. But thefe, as might be expected, have loft the 
air of originality and the diftin@tive character which they re- 
ceived from their firft author, and are often obfcured by that 
multiplicity of common-place matter in which they are funk 
and involved. 
‘* Apour a year after his appointment to the Profeflorfhip of 
Logic, Mr Smiru was elected to the chair of Moral Philofophy. 
His courfe of lectures on this fubje&t was divided into four parts. 
The firft contained Natural Theology ; in which he confidered 
the proofs of the being and attributes of Gop, and thofe prin- 
ciples of the human mind upon which religion is founded. 
The fecond comprehended Ethics ftrictly fo called, and confifted 
chiefly of the do@rines which he afterwards publifhed in his 
Theory of Moral Sentiments. In the third part, he treated at 
more length of that branch of morality which relates to ju/lice, 
and which, being fufceptible of precife and accurate rules, is, 
for that reafon, capable of a full and particular explanation. + 
‘“ Upon this fubject, he followed the plan that feems to be 
fuggefted by MonrEsQuieu ; endeavouring to trace the gradual 
progrefs of jurifprudence, both public and private, from the 
rudeft to the moft refined ages, and to point out the effects of 
thofe arts which contribute to fubfiftence, and to the accumula- 
tion of property, in producing correfpondent improvements or 
alterations in law and government. ‘This important branch of 
his labours he alfo intended to give to the public; but this in- 
tention, which is mentioned in the conclufion of the Theory 
of \oral Sentiments, he did not live to fulfil. 
“ In the ‘laft part of his lectures, he examined thofe politi- 
cal regulations which are founded, not upon the principle of 
Juflice, 
