ADAM SMITH. 117 



equable life which he had ever had ; nor had he reached 

 three score when he was sensible, not that his faculties, 

 but that his bodily strength and spirits were somewhat 

 impaired. The domestic losses to which I have adverted 

 left him solitary and helpless ; and though he bore them 

 with an equal mind, as became a great philosopher, his 

 health gradually declined. The immediate cause of his 

 death, which happened in July, 1790, was a chronic ob- 

 struction in the bowels, under which he lingered for a 

 considerable time and suffered great pain ; but he bore it 

 with perfect resignation. When he left Edinburgh in 

 1773, on a journey to London, the object of which has 

 not been explained, but which gave him the expectation 

 of a long absence from Scotland, he wrote a letter to Mr. 

 Hume, intrusting him with the charge of his papers, and 

 intimating that, except the 'Speculative History of 

 Astronomy/ he desired all his other writings to be 

 destroyed, stating that they were contained in eighteen 

 folio paper books, which were not even to be exa- 

 mined before destroying them. Dr. Button's account 

 of what afterwards passed, coincided with this intention 

 and must be subjoined, as it is extremely interesting. 

 " When he became weak and saw the approaching end of 

 his life, he spoke to his friends again upon the subject of 

 his papers. They entreated him to make his mind easy, 

 as he might depend upon their fulfilling his desire. He 

 was then satisfied, but some days afterwards finding his 

 anxiety not entirely removed, he begged one of them to 

 destroy the volumes immediately. This accordingly was 

 done, and his mind was so much relieved that he was 

 able to receive his friends in the evening, with his usual 

 complacency. They had been in use to sup with him 



