I79I- ON DR. ADAM SMITH. , 167 



and public debts, and to monopolies In trade, and 

 bounties in manufadures, efpeciallj as applied to the 

 flate of Great Brit^iin and her colonies, remarkably 

 dole, as well as luminous in argument. 



In many refpeds, Adam Smith was achafte difciple 

 of Epicurus, as that philofoplicr is properly under- 

 llood ; and Smith's lad a£t refembled that of Epicu- 

 rus, leaving as a legacy to his friend and patron, the 

 children of his Metrodorus, the excellent CuUen. O 

 venerable, amiable, and worthy man, why was you 

 not a ChriiHan ! 



I am, Mr. Editor, with much inclination to promote 

 the fuccefs of your literary undertaking, 

 Your humble Servant, 



ASCANIUS. 



On the PrciBicubility of rearing Silk Worms in Scot- 

 land. 



In the feventeenth number cf this work, fomc mention 

 is made of the poflibility of rearing filk-worms iu this 

 country, and the ufeful purpofes which this branch of 

 manufadlnre might be made to ferve. — Since that time, 

 I have had many letters on the fuL>je6l, the greateit part 

 of which exprefs a doubt of the poffibility ot introducing 

 this branch of induftry into a country whole climate ia 

 focold as that of Scotland. The prejudice is natural, and 

 ought to be removed by fuch faiSs and arguments, a3 

 could not have come under the cognizance of perfonsa 

 who have not had -'ccaAon particularly to advert to- 

 this fubject. 



Every production^ whether of the animal or vege- 

 table kingdom, that has never been reared in this coun- 

 try, is naturally fuppofed to be too tender to bear our 

 climate, vvhen fir(t introduced into it; — nor can this 

 prejudice be fully removed, but by experience, even> 

 Vvherc reafoning a /rn'cr/ might have been fufficient.— 



