APPENDIX. 87 



The mathematical fciences, both pure and mixed, afford, in 

 many of their branches, very favourable fubjects for theoreti- 

 cal hiftory ; and a very competent judge, the late M. d'ALEM- 

 bert, has recommended this arrangement of their elementary 

 principles, which is founded on the natural fucceffion of inven- 

 tions and difcoveries, as the beft adapted for interefting the 

 curiofity and exercifing the genius of ftudents. The fame au- 

 thor points out as a model a paflage in Montucla's Hiftory 

 of Mathematics, where an attempt is made to exhibit the gra- 

 dual progrefs of philofophical fpeculation, from the firft con- 

 clufions fuggefted by a general furvey of the heavens, to the 

 doctrines of Copernicus. It is fbmewhat remarkable, that 

 a theoretical hiftory of this very fcience, (in which we have, 

 perhaps, a better opportunity than in any other inftance what- 

 ever, of comparing the natural advances of the mind with the 

 actual fucceffion of hypothetical fyftems), was one of Mr 

 Smith's earlieft compofitions, and is one of the very fmall 

 number of his manufcripts which he did not deltroy before his 

 death. 



I already hinted, that enquiries perfectly analogous to 

 thefe may be applied to the modes of government, and to the 

 municipal inftitutions which have obtained among different na- 

 tions. It is but lately, however, that thefe important fubjects 

 have been confidered in this point of view; the greater part of 

 politicians before the time of Montesquieu, having content- 

 ed themfelves with an hiftorical ftatement of facts, and with a 

 vague reference of laws to the wifdom of particular legislators, 

 or to accidental circumftances, which it is now impoffible to af- 

 certain. Montesquieu, on the contrary, confidered laws as 

 originating chiefly from the circumftances of fociety ; and at- 

 tempted to account, from the changes in the condition of man- 

 kind, which take place in the different ftages of their progrefs, 

 for the correlponding alterations which their inftitutions un- 

 dergo,, 



Account of 

 Dr Smith. 



