Pi PE ON Dd x 105 
in {peaking terms of you, I with we could concert meafures 
for that purpofe. Iam mortally fick at fea, and regard with 
horror and a kind of hydrophobia the great gulph that lies 
between us. Jam alfo tired of travelling, as much as you 
ought naturally to be of ftaying at home. I therefore pro- 
pofe to you to come hither, and pafs fome days with me in 
this folitude. 1 want to know what you have been doing, 
and propofe to exact a rigorous account of the method in 
which you have employed yourfelf during your retreat. 1 
am pofitive you are in the wrong in many of your fpecula- 
tions, efpecially where you have the misfortune to differ from 
me. All thefe are reafons for our meeting, and I wilh you 
would make me fome reafonable propofal for that purpofe. 
There is no habitation on the ifland of Inchkeith, otherwife 
I thould challenge you to meet me on that {pot, and neither 
of us ever to leave the place, till we were fully agreed on all 
points of controverfy. I expect General Conway here to- 
morrow, whom I fhall attend to Rofeneath, and I fhall re- 
main there a few days. On my return, I hope to find a 
letter from you, containing a bold acceptance of this de- 
fiance.” 
Ar length (in the beginning of the year 1776) Mr Smiru 
accounted to the world for his long retreat, by the publication 
of his “ Inquiry into the Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of 
Nations.” A letter of congratulation on this event, from Mr 
Hume, is now before me. It is dated rft April 1776, (about 
fix months before Mr Hume’s death) ; and difcovers an ami- 
able folicitude about his friend’s literary fame. “* Euge! Belle! 
6 
Dear Mr Smitu: I am much pleafed with your perform- 
ance, and the perufal of it has taken me from a ftate of 
great anxiety. It was a work of fo much expectation, by 
yourfelf, by your friends, and by the public, that I trembled 
for its appearance ; but am now much relieved. Not but 
that the reading of it neceffarily requires fo much attention, 
Vor. III. (O) * and 
/ 
Account of 
Dr Smith. 
