108 ADAM SMITH. 



laborious and the idle alike must submit, closing his long 

 and brilliant career. 



Dr. Smith's other paper in the Review is a letter to 

 the editors upon the propriety of extending their plan, 

 which had been confined to the criticism of works 

 published in Scotland. He enters at some length into 

 the general state of literature on the Continent, and 

 shows a familiar acquaintance with it, that could only 

 have been acquired by very extensive reading in the 

 works of foreign writers. The advice which he gave 

 would in all probability have been followed ; but the 

 Review was given up, as I have elsewhere stated*, in 

 consequence of the ferment excited by the fanatical part 

 of the Kirk. 



In 1759 Dr. Smith published his 'Theory of Moral 

 Sentiments/ being the greater part of the second division 

 of his course of lectures, and the explanation of the prin- 

 ciples upon which his ethical system rested. To the 

 ' Theory' was subjoined a ' Dissertation on the Origin of 

 Language/ a subject to which he had paid great atten- 

 tion. There is some doubt whether this was not added 

 to the second edition of the work. Mr. Stewart is 

 inclined to think that it was not in the first, but a 

 different opinion has been confidently expressed by others. 

 The success of this publication was great, and it was 

 immediate. The book became at once generally popular; 

 and Mr. Hume, who was in London at the time of its 

 first appearance, wrote him a most lively and humorous 

 letter, in which he gives the history of his friend's com- 

 plete success. In this letter there is mentioned a circum- 



* 'Life of Robertson/ Vol. I. 



