178 ADAM SMITH. 



remained at Glasgow for three years, when he obtained 

 an exhibition to Baliol College. 



At Oxford he remained for seven years, and applied 

 himself to the acquisition of various learning. He 

 became master of both ancient and modern languages, 

 and exercised himself in translation, especially from 

 the French, a mode which, like his illustrious friend 

 Robertson, he always recommended, as tending to 

 improve the student's style, by giving a facility in the 

 use of his own language. But it is somewhat remark- 

 able that his chief study was of mathematical and 

 physical science, a walk little frequented at the Uni- 

 versity, and which, except as subservient to other 

 speculations, he himself appears to have ever after 

 abandoned. For some time, however, he must have 

 retained both the taste and the capacity for those 

 exalted studies ; for Mr. Stewart recollects his father, 

 the celebrated geometrician, reminding him of a 

 problem proposed to him by Dr. Smith, which had 

 occupied his attention after he had left College, and 

 had come to reside at Glasgow. 



On his return from Oxford he went to reside for two 

 years at Kirkaldy, with his mother, for whom he enter- 

 tained through his whole life an extraordinary and a 

 perfectly well-grounded affection, being ever happier in 

 her society than in any other; and he enjoyed the un- 

 speakable blessing of having her days prolonged till he 

 had himself reached a good old age. The plan of his 

 family had been, that he should enter the English 

 Church, and with this view he had been sent to Ox- 

 ford. But Mr. Stewart says, that he did not find this 

 profession suit his tastes; perhaps it did not accord 

 with his habits of thinking ; certain it is that he aban- 

 doned all thoughts of it, and contented himself with 

 those chances of very moderate preferment which the 

 Scotch Universities present to lovers of literature and 

 science. 



It is clearly proved by the course and by the tone of 



