APPENDIX. 125 



tions with refp^cT: to the advantages of a free commerce, may Account of 

 be collected from various writers of an early date. But in 

 queftions of fo complicated a nature as occur in political ceco- 

 noray, the credit of fuch opinions belongs of right to the au- 

 thor who firft eftabliihed their folidity, and followed them out 

 to their remote confequences ; not to him who, by a fortunate 

 accident, firft {tumbled on the truth. 



Besides the principles which Mr Smith confidered as more 

 peculiarly his own, his Inquiry exhibits a fyftematical view of the 

 mod important articles of political ceconomy, fo as to ferve the 

 purpofe of an elementary treatife on that very extenfive and 

 difficult fcience. The fkill and the comprehenfivenefs of mind 

 difplayed in his arrangement, can be judged of by thofe alone 

 who have compared it with that adopted by his immediate pre- 

 deceflbrs. And perhaps, in point of utility, the labour he has 

 employed in connecting and methodifing their fcattered ideas, 

 is not lefs valuable than the remits of his own original fpecula- 

 tions : For it is only when digefted in a clear and natural or- 

 der, that truths make their proper impreflion on the mind, and 

 that erroneous opinions can be combated with fuccefs. 



It does not belong to my prefent undertaking (even if I were 

 qualified for fuch a talk) to attempt a feparation of the folid 

 and important doctrines of Mr Smith's book from thofe opi- 

 nions which appear exceptionable or doubtful. I acknowledge, 

 that there are fome of his conclufions to which I would not be 

 underftood to fubfcribe implicitly ; more particularly in that 

 chapter, where he treats of the principles of taxation, and 

 which is certainly executed in a manner more loofe and unfa- 

 tisfadlory than the other parts of his fyftem. 



It would be improper for me to conclude this fection with- 

 out taking notice of the manly and dignified freedom with 

 which the author uniformly delivers his opinions, and of the 

 3 fuperiority 



