MPPOP BUND TX, or 
thould be regiftered in the temple of immortality. Though it 
has been publifhed only a few weeks, I think there appear al- 
ready fuch {trong fymptoms, that I can almoft venture to fore- 
tel its fate. It is in fhort this————— But I have been in- 
terrupted in my letter by a foolifh impertinent vifit of one who 
has lately come from Scotland. He tells me that the Univer- 
fity of Glafgow intend to declare Rovet’s office vacant, upon 
his going abroad with Lord Hore. I queftion not. but you 
will have our friend Fercuson in your eye, in cafe another 
project for procuring him a place in the Univerfity of Edin- 
burgh fhould fail. Fercuson has very much polifhed and 
improved his treatife on Refinement *,’and with fome amend- 
ments it will make an admirable book, and difcovers an elegant 
and a fingular genius. The Epigoniad, I hope, will do; but it 
is fomewhat up-hill work. As I doubt not but you confult the 
Reviews fometimes at prefent, you will fee in the Critical Re- 
view a letter upon that poem ; and I defire you to employ your 
conjectures in finding out the author: Let me fee a fample of 
your fkill in knowing hands by your guefling at the perfon. I 
am afraid of Lord Kames’s Law Traéts. A man might as well 
think of making a fine fauce by a mixture of wormwood and 
"aloes, as an agreeable compofition by joining metaphyfics and 
Scotch law. However, the book, I believe, has’ merit; though 
few people will take the pains of diving into it. But, to re- 
turn to your book, and its fuccefs in this town, I muft tell 
you-————_ A plague of interruptions! I ordered myfelf to 
-be denied ; and yet here is one that has broke in upon me again. 
He is a man of letters, and we have had a good deal of literary 
‘converfation. You told me that you was curious of literary 
anecdotes, and therefore | fhall inform you of a few that have 
come to my knowledge. I believe I have mentioned to you al- 
ready Hetvetius’s book de /’E/prit. It is worth your read- 
(M 2) ing, 
* Publithed afterwards under the title of “ An Effay on the Hiftory of Civil 
Society.” 
Account of 
Dr Smith, 
