APPENDIX. 6 3 



jujiice, but that of expediency, and which are calculated to in- Account of 

 creafe the riches, the power and the profperity of a State. Un- 

 der this view, he conlidered the political inftitution> relating 

 to commerce, to finances, to ecclefiaftical and military efta- 

 blifhments. What he delivered on thefe fubje&s contained the 

 fubftance of the work he afterwards published under the title 

 of An Inquiry into the Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of 

 Nations. 



" There was no fituation in which the abilities of Mr Smith 

 appeared to greater advantage than as a ProfeiTor. In deliver- 

 ing his lectures, he trufted almoSt entirely to extemporary elo- 

 cution. His manner, though not graceful, was plain and un- 

 affected ; and as he feemed to be always interested in the Sub- 

 ject, he never failed to intereft his hearers. Each difcourfe 

 confided commonly of feveral diftinct propositions, which he 

 fucceflively endeavoured to prove and illuftrate. Thefe propo- 

 sitions, when announced in general terms, had, from their ex- 

 tent, not unfrequently fomething of the air of a paradox. In 

 his attempts to explain them, he often appeared, at firft, not 

 to be fufficiently poSTeffed of the Subject:, and fpoke with fome 

 hefitation. As he advanced, however, the matter feemed to 

 crowd upon him, his manner became warm and animated, and 

 his expreflion eafy and fluent. In points fufceptible of contro- 

 verfy, you could eafily difcern, that he fecretly conceived an 

 opposition to his opinions, and that he was led upon this ac- 

 count to Support them with greater energy and vehemence. 

 By the fulnefs and variety of his illuftrations, the Subject gra^ 

 dually fwelled in his hands, and acquired a dimension which, 

 without a tedious repetition of the fame views, was calculated 

 to feize the attention of his audience, and to afford them plea- 

 fure, as well as instruction, in following the fame object, 

 through all the diverfity of Shades and afpects in which it was 

 prefented, and afterwards in tracing it backwards to that ori- 

 ginal: 



