APPENDIX, 138 
was fcarcely ever known to ftart a new topic himfelf, or to ap- 
pear unprepared upon thofe topics that were introduced by 
others. Indeed, his converfation was never more amufing than 
when he gave a loofe to his genius, upon the very few branches 
of knowledge of which he only poffeffed the outlines. 
THE opinions he formed of men, upon a flight acquaintance, 
were frequently erroneous ; but the tendency of his nature in- 
clmed him much more to blind partiality, than to ill-founded 
prejudice. The enlarged views of human affairs, on which his 
mind habitually dwelt, left him neither time nor inclination to 
ftudy, in detail, the uninterefting peculiarities of ordinary 
characters ; and accordingly, though intimately acquainted with 
the capacities of the intellect, and the workings of the heart, 
and accuftomed, in his theories, to mark, with the moft delicate 
hand, the niceft fhades, both of genius and of the paffions; 
yet, in judging of individuals, it fometimes happened, that his 
eftimates were, in a furprifing degree, wide of the truth. 
THE opinions, too, which, in the thoughtleffnefs and confi- 
dence of his focial hours, he was accuftomed to hazard on books, 
and on queftions of fpeculation, were not uniformly fuch as 
- might have been expected from the fuperiority of his under- 
ftanding, and the fingular confiftency of his philofophical prin- 
ciples. They were liable to be influenced by accidental cir- 
cumftances, and by the humour of the moment ; and when re- 
tailed by thofe who only faw him occafionally, fuggefted falfe 
and contradictory ideas of his real fentiments. On thefe, how- 
ever, as on moft other occafions, there was always much truth, 
as well as ingenuity, in his remarks; and if the different opi- 
nions which, at different times, he pronounced upon the fame 
fubject, had been all combined together, fo as to modify and li- 
mit each other, they would probably have afforded materials for 
a decifion, equally comprehenfive and juft. But, in the fociety 
of his friends, he had no difpofition to form thofe qualified con- 
clufions 
Account of 
Dr Smith. 
