Account of 
Dr Smith. 
128 HISTORY of the SOCIETY. 
Mifs JANE Douctas, (who had formerly been a member of 
his family at Glafgow, and for whom he had always felt the 
affeG@tion of a brother), while fhe divided with him thofe ten- 
der attentions which her aunt’s infirmities required, relieved 
him of a charge for which he was peculiarly ill qualified, by 
her friendly fuperintendence of his domeftic ceconomy. 
Tue acceffion to his income which his new office brought 
him enabled him to gratify, to a much greater extent than his 
former circumftances admitted of, the natural generofity of his 
difpofition ; and the ftate of his funds at the time of his death, 
compared with his very moderate eftablifhment, confirmed, 
beyond a doubt, what his intimate acquaintances had often fu- 
fpected, that a large proportion of his annual favings was al- 
lotted to offices of fecret charity. A fmall, but excellent li- 
brary, which he had gradually formed with great judgment in 
the feleG@tion; and a fimple, though hofpitable table, where, 
without the formality of an invitation, he was always happy to 
receive his friends, were the only expences that could be confi- 
dered as his own*. 
Tue change in his habits which his removal to Edinburgh 
produced, was not equally favourable to his literary purfuits. 
The duties of his office, though they required but little exer- 
tion of thought, were yet fufficient to wafte his fpirits and to 
diffipate his attention ; and now that his career is clofed, it is 
impoffible to reflect jon the time they confumed, without la- 
menting that it had not been employed in labours more profi- 
table to the world, and more equal to his mind. 
Durinc the firft years of his refidence in this city, his ftu- 
dies feemed to be entirely fufpended ; and his paffion for let- 
ters 
* Some very affecting inftances of Mr Smirn’s beneficence, in cafes where he 
found it impofible to conceal entirely his good offices, have been mentioned to me 
by a near relation of his, and one of his moft confidential friends, Mifs Ross, daugh- 
ter of the late Patrick Ross, Efq; of Innernethy. They were all ona fcale much 
beyond what might have been expetted from his fortune; and were accompanied. 
with circumftances equally honourable to the delicacy of his feelings and the libe- 
rality of his heart. 
