4, PoP EN DA, 125 
tions with refpect to the advantages of a free commerce, may 
be collected from various writers of an early date. But in 
queftions of fo complicated a nature as occur in political ceco- 
nomy, the credit of fuch opinions belongs of right to the au- 
thor who firft eftablifhed their folidity, and followed them out 
to their remote confequences ; not to him who, by a fortunate 
accident, firft {tumbled on the truth. 
BeEs1pDEs the principles which Mr Smiru confidered as more 
peculiarly his own, his Inquiry exhibits a fy{tematical view of the 
moft important articles of political ceconomy, fo as to ferve the 
purpofe of an elementary treatife on that very extenfive and 
difficult fcience. The fkill and the comprehenfivenefs of mind 
difplayed in his arrangement, can be judged of by thofe alone 
who have compared it with that adopted by his immediate pre- 
deceffors. And perhaps, in point of utility, the labour he has 
employed in connecting and methodifing their fcattered ideas, 
is not lefs valuable than the refults of his own original fpecula- 
tions: For it is only when digefted in a clear and natural or- 
der, that truths make their proper impreflion on the mind, and 
that erroneous opinions can be combated with fuccefs, 
Ir does not belong to my prefent undertaking (even if I were 
qualified for fuch a tafk) to attempt a feparation of the folid 
and important do¢trines of Mr Smttru’s book from thofe opi- 
nions which appear exceptionable or doubtful. 1 acknowledge, 
that there are fome of his conclufions to which I would not be 
underftood to fubfcribe implicitly ; more particularly in that 
chapter, where he treats of the principles of taxation, and 
which is certainly executed in a manner more loofe and unfa- 
tisfactory than the other parts of his fyftem. 
It would be improper for me to conclude this fection with- 
out taking notice of the manly and dignified freedom with 
which the author uniformly delivers his opinions, and of the 
Ee fuperiority 
Account of 
Dr Smith, 
