Account of 
Dr Smith. 
64 HISTORY of th SOCIETY. 
ginal propofition or general truth, from which this beautiful 
train of f{peculation had proceeded. 
‘“« His .reputation as a Profeffor was accordingly raifed very 
high, and a multitude of ftudents from a great diftance refort- 
ed to the Univerfity, merely upon his account. Thofe branches 
of fcience which he taught became fafhionable at this place, 
and his opinions were the chief topics of difcuffion in clubs and 
literary focieties. Even the fmall peculiarities in his pronun- 
ciation or manner of fpeaking, became frequently the objects 
of imitation.”’ 
Wurte Mr Smitru was thus diftinguifhing himfelf by his 
zeal and ability as a public teacher, he was gradually laying the 
foundation of a more extenfive reputation, by preparing for 
the prefs his fyftem of morals. The firft edition of this work 
appeared in 1759, under the title of “ The Theory of Moral 
Sentiments.” 
Hirxserto Mr SmitH had remained unknown to the world 
as an author; nor have I heard that he had made a trial of his 
powers in any anonymous publications, excepting in a periodi- 
cal work called The Edinburgh Review, which was begun in the 
year 1755, by fome gentlemen of diftinguifhed abilities, but 
which they were prevented by other engagements from carrying 
farther than the two firft numbers. To this work Mr Smitu 
contributed ’a review of Dr Jounson’s Dictionary of the Englifh 
Language, and alfo a letter, addreffed to the editors, con- 
taining fome general obfervations on the ftate of literature 
in the different countries of Europe. In the former of 
thefe papers, he points out fome defeéts in Dr Jounson’s plan, 
which he cenfures as not fufficiently grammatical. ‘‘ The 
different fignifications of a word (he obferves) are indeed 
collected ; but they are feldom digefted into general clailes, 
or ranged under the meaning which the word principally ex- 
preties: And fufficient care is not taken to diftinguifh the 
2 “ 
3 words 
“ec 
“c 
ae 
