SMITH 



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SMITH 



at Haddington and at Leeds, where he later 

 became editor of the Times. During a consid- 

 erable period of his life he held railway secre- 

 taryships. His writings deal with a variety of 

 subjects, but those which have been most read 

 are didactic works, with a strong moral pur- 

 pose. Among these are Self Help, Character, 

 Thrift and Duty. His other writings include 

 Lives of the Engineers; Industrial Biography; 

 and The Huguenots, Their Settlements, 

 Churches and Industries in England and Ire- 

 land. 



SMITH, ADAM (1723-1790), a British econo- 

 mist and founder of the science known as 

 political economy, or economics, was born at 

 Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He was educated in the 

 University of Glasgow and Oxford University 

 and in his twenty-fifth year went to Edinburgh. 

 There he gained considerable notice as a lec- 

 turer on literature and philosophy. In 1751 

 he was appointed professor of logic and ethics 

 in the University of Glasgow and in that posi- 

 tion spent twelve happy years. At the end of 

 that period he resigned to become the travel- 

 ing companion and teacher of the Duke of 

 Buccleuch, and remained abroad for the next 

 three years. After 1776 he spent most of his 

 time at Kirkcaldy in the study of economic 

 and sociological subjects. 



His famous and truly great book, The Wealth 

 of Nations, appeared in 1776, and is considered 

 the first systematic treatise on political 

 economy. All subsequent study of the sub- 

 ject has followed the general plan and princi- 

 ples set forth in this work. In 1787 Smith was 

 elected Lord Rector of the University of Glas- 

 gow, an honor which he declared made him 

 "supremely happy." He died at Edinburgh on 

 July 17, 1790. 



The Wealth of Nations set an admirable 

 example for economic students by its keen ob- 

 servation of actual facts and its drawing of 

 general principles from these instead of from 

 preconceived theories. In the opinion of pres- 

 ent-day economists the book is frequently in 

 error, but its value as a guide and inspiration 

 to investigators and students of economic con- 

 ditions can hardly be overestimated. 



SMITH, EDMUND KIRBY (1824-1893), an 

 American soldier, one of the most fearless Con- 

 federate officers in the War of Secession. He 

 was born at Saint Augustine, Fla., was gradu- 

 ated at West Point in 1845, and served with 

 distinction in the Mexican War, being twice 

 brevetted for gallantry, at Cerro Gordo and 

 at Contreras. t Fro.m 1849 to 1852 he taught 



mathematics at West Point, and in 1855 was 

 appointed captain of cavalry. On the secession 

 of Florida he resigned his commission in the 

 United States army, and in 1861 became a 

 brigadier-general in the Confederate service. 

 He served under Joseph E. Johnston and led 

 the advance of Bragg's army in the Kentucky 

 campaign. In 1863 Smith was given command 

 of the Confederate forces west of the Missis- 

 sippi, and in 1864 he defeated General Banks 

 in the latter's Red River expedition. His 

 forces were the last to surrender at the close 

 of the war (May, 1865). General Smith be- 

 came interested in commercial enterprises after 

 the war, and from 1866 to 1868 was president 

 of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Com- 

 pany. In 1870 he was appointed chancellor of 

 the University of Nashville, remaining there 

 until 1875. From 1875 until he died he was 

 professor of mathematics in the University of 

 the South at Suwanee, Tenn. 



SMITH, FRANCIS HOPKINSON (1838-1915), a 

 versatile American author, architect, artist and 

 engineer, was. born at Baltimore. He was edu- 

 cated for civil engineering and attained success 

 as a designer and builder of lighthouses, sea 

 walls and other 

 large masonry 

 works. He built 

 the foundation 

 for the Statue of 

 Liberty, in New 

 York harbor. 

 H i s avocations, 

 painting and 

 literature, have 

 made him more 

 famous than his 

 vocations. He 

 has been awarded 

 numerous medals for landscapes in water colors 

 and charcoal drawings ; as a writer he shows his 

 training as an artist, for his descriptions are de- 

 lightful in their sureness and delicacy of touch, 

 while the, atmosphere created in each story is 

 not unlike that which hovers about a picture of 

 merit. 



In Colonel Carter of Cartersville he probably 

 reached his greatest literary success, but A 

 Gentleman Vagabond, Caleb West, The Under 

 Dog, Colonel Carter's Christmas, Tom Grogan 

 and others have an almost equal charm in 

 characterization, quaint humor and local color. 

 These stories possess much dramatic character; 

 Colonel Carter of Cartersville was put into the 

 form of a play, with very few changes, by 



F. HOPKINSON SMITH 



