APPENDIX. 101 



man of this Society fince Mr Smith's death, I have reafon to 

 believe, that no evidence of the correfpondence exifls among 

 the papers of M. Turgot, and that the whole ftory has taken 

 its rife from a report fuggefted by the knowledge of their for- 

 mer intimacy. This circumftance I think it of importance to 

 mention, becaufe a good deal of curiofity has been excited by 

 the paffage in queftion, with refpect to the fate of the fuppofed 

 letters. 



Mr Smith was alfo well known to M. Quesnai, the pro- 

 found and. original author of the Oeconomical Table ; a man 

 (according to Mr Smith's account of him) " of the greateft 

 " modefty and fimplicity j" and whofe fyflem of political ceco- 

 nomy he has pronounced, " with all its imperfections," to be 

 " the neareft approximation to the truth that has yet been pu- 

 " blifhed on the principles of that very important fcience." 

 If he had not been prevented by Quesnai's death, Mr Smith 

 had once an intention (as he told me himfelf ) to have infcribed 

 to him his " Wealth of Nations." 



It was not, however, merely the diftinguifhed men who 

 about this period fixed fo fplendid an aera in the literary hiftory 

 of France, that excited Mr Smith's curiofity while he remain- 

 ed in Paris. His acquaintance with the polite literature both 

 of ancient and modern times was extenfive ; and amidft his 

 various other occupations, he had never neglected to culti- 

 vate a tafte for the fine arts ; — lefs, it is probable, with a view 

 to the peculiar enjoyments they convey, (though he was by no 

 means without fenfibility to their beauties), than on account of 

 their connection with the general principles of the human 

 mind ; to an examination of which they afford the molt plea- 

 fing of all avenues. To thofe who fpeculate on this very deli- 

 cate fubjedt, a comparifon of the modes of tafte that prevail 

 among different nations, affords a valuable collection of facts ; 

 and Mr Smith, who was always difpofed to afcribe to cuftom 

 and falhion their full fhare in regulating the opinions of man- 

 kind 



Account of 

 Dr Smith. 



