196 ADAM SMITH. 



what in the way of a lecture ; but no one found this 

 tiresome, all feeling that it was owing to his niind being 

 in the matter, and to his simple and unsophisticated 

 nature. Never was there anything about him in the 

 least like a desire to engross the conversation. On the 

 contrary, he could sit a silent spectator of other men's 

 gaiety, which he was perceived to enjoy even when he 

 took no part in what excited it. 



Somewhat akin to these peculiarities was his habitual 

 absence, not only muttering in company as unconscious 

 of their presence, but even unaware of the obstructions 

 he might encounter while walking in the streets. One 

 that knew him, which the sufferer did not, was a good 

 deal amused to hear a poor old woman, whose stall he 

 had overturned while he moved on with his hands be- 

 hind his back and his head in the air, exclaim in some 

 anger, " doating brute !"* Another was amused at the 

 remark of an old gardener, near Kirkaldy, who only 

 knew him by having answered his questions, somewhat 

 incoherently put in his walks, when the ' Wealth of 

 Nations ' appeared, and he found who was its author : 

 " Weel a weel !" quoth he, " they tell me that lad Adam 

 Smith has put out a great book. I am sure it would 

 be long before I would think of doing a thing of the 

 kind." It is related by old people at Edinburgh, that 

 while he moved through the Fishmarket in his ac- 

 customed attitude, and as if wholly unconscious of his 

 own existence or that of others, a female of the trade 

 exclaimed, taking him for an idiot broken loose, 

 " Heigh ! Sirs, to let the like of him be about ! And 

 yet he's weel eneugh put on" (dressed). It was often 

 so too in society. Once during dinner at Dalkeith he 

 broke out in a long lecture on some political matters 

 of the day, and was bestowing a variety of severe 

 epithets on a statesman, when he suddenly perceived 

 his nearest relative sitting opposite, and stopt ; but he 



* The Scotch word is " doited" or " donnert" and expresses one whose 

 faculties are entirely gone, if ever they existed. 



