Account of 

 Dr Smith. 



116 HISTORr of the S0CIE7T. 



of that ftate of fociety which prevails in this quarter of the 

 globe. His obfervations on this fubjedt tend to fhew, that thefe 

 circumftances were, in their firfl origin, the natural and the 

 unavoidable refultof the peculiar fituation of mankind during a 

 certain period ; and that they took their rife, not from any general 

 fcheme of policy, but from the private interefts and prejudices 

 of particular orders of men. 



The ftate of fociety, however, which at firft arofe from a fin- 

 gular combination of accidents, has been prolonged much be- 

 yond its natural period, by a falfe fyftem of political ceconomy, 

 propagated by merchants and manufacturers ; a clafs of indi- 

 viduals, whofe interefl is not always the fame with that of the 

 public, and whofe profeflional knowledge gave them many ad- 

 vantages, more particularly in the infancy of this branch of 

 fcience, in defending thofe opinions which they wifhed to en- 

 courage. By means of this fyftem, a new fet of obftacles to 

 the progrefs of national profperity has been created. Thofe 

 which arofe from the diforders of the feudal ages, tended di- 

 rectly to difturb the internal arrangements of fociety, by ob- 

 structing the free circulation of labour and of flock, from em- 

 ployment to employment, and from place to place. The falfe 

 fyftem of political ceconomy which has been hitherto preva-r 

 lent, as its profefTed object has been to regulate the commercial 

 intercourfe between different nations, has produced its effect. 

 in a way lefs direct and lefs manifeft, but equally prejudicial 

 to the Mates that have adopted it. 



On this fyftem, as it took its rife from the prejudices, or rather 

 from the interefted views of mercantile fpeculators, Mr Smith 

 beftows the title of the Commercial or Mercantile Syftem ; and 

 he has confidered at great length its two principal expedients 

 for enriching a nation ; reftraints upon importation, and en- 

 couragements to exportation. Part of thefe expedients, he ob- 

 ferves, have been dictated by the fpirit of monopoly, and part 



by 



