APPENDIX. 107 
Se © LON TV. 
Of The Inquiry into the Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of 
- Nations *. 
N hiftorical review of the different forms under which 
human affairs have appeared in different ages and na- 
tions, naturally fuggefts the queftion, Whether the experience 
of former times may not now furnifh fome general principles 
to enlighten and direct the policy of future legiflators? The 
difcuffion, however, to which this queftion leads is of fingular 
difficulty ; as it requires an accurate analyfis of by far the moft 
complicated clafs of phenomena that can poflibly engage our 
attention, thofe which refult from the intricate and often the 
imperceptible mechanifm of political fociety ;—a fubjedt of ob- 
fervation which feems, at firft view, fo little commenfurate to 
our faculties, that it has been generally regarded with the fame 
paflive emotions of wonder and fubmiffion, with which, in the 
material world, we furvey the effects produced, by the myfteri- 
ous and uncontroulable operation of phyfical caufes. It is for- 
tunate that upon this, as on many other occafions, the difficul- 
ties which had long bafHed the efforts of folitary genius begin 
to appear lefs formidable to the united exertions of the race ; 
and that in proportion as the experience and the reafonings of 
different individuals are brought to bear upon the fame objects, 
and are combined in fuch a manner as to illuftrate and to limit 
each other, the fcience of politics aflumes more and more that 
(O 2) fyftematical 
* Tue length to which this Memoir has already extended, together with fome 
other reafons which it is unneceffary to mention here, have induced me, in print- 
ing the following fe&tion, to confine myfelf to a much more general view of the 
fubje& than I once intended. 
Account of 
Dr Smith. 
