APPENDIX. 87 
THE mathematical fciences, both pure and mixed, afford, in 
many of their branches, very favourable fubjects for theoreti- 
cal hiftory ; and a very competent judge, the late M. d’ALem- 
BERT, has recommended this arrangement of their elementary 
principles, which is founded on the natural fucceffion of inven- 
tions and difcoveries, as the beft adapted for interefting the 
curiofity and exercifing the genius of ftudents. The fame au- 
thor points out as a model a paflage in Montuctia’s Hiftory 
of Mathematics, where an attempt is made to exhibit the gra- 
dual progrefs of philofophical fpeculation, from the firft con- 
clufions fuggefted by a general furvey of the heavens, to the 
do@trines of Copernicus. It is fomewhat remarkable, that 
a theoretical hiftory of this very fcience, (in which we have, 
perhaps, a better opportunity than in any other inftance what- 
ever, of comparing the natural advances of the mind with the 
aétual fucceflion of hypothetical fyftems), was one of Mr 
SmiTH’s earlieft compofitions, and is one of the very {mall 
number of his manufcripts which he did not deftroy before his 
death. 
I arreapy hinted, that enquiries perfeétly analogous to 
thefe may be applied to the modes of government, and to the 
municipal inftitutions which have obtained among different na- 
tions. It is but lately, however, that thefe important fubjects 
have been confidered in this point of view; the greater part of 
politicians before the time of Montesquieu, having content- 
ed themfelves with an hiftorical ftatement of faéts, and with a 
vague reference of laws to the wifdom of particular legiflators, 
or to accidental circumftances, which it is now impoflible to af- 
certain. MownTeEsquieu, on the contrary, confidered laws as 
originating chiefly from the circumftances of fociety ; and at- 
tempted to account, from the changes in the condition of man- 
kind, which take place in the different ftages of their progrefs, 
for the ee ae alterations which their inftitutions un- 
dergg.. 
Account of 
Dr Smith. 
