APPENDIX. 127 



SECTION V. 



Conclujlon of the Narrative. 



ABOUT two years after the publication of " the Wealth JSif 

 of Nations," Mr Smith was appointed one of the Com- 

 miflioners of his Majefty's Cuftoms in Scotland ; a preferment 

 which, in his eftimation, derived an additional value from its 

 being beftowed on him at the requeft of the Duke of Buo 

 cleugh. The greater part of thefe two years he paffed at 

 London, in a fociety too extenfive and varied to afford him any 

 opportunity of indulging his tafte for ftudy. His time, how- 

 ever, was not loft to himfelf ; for much of it was fpent with 

 fome of the firft names in Englifh literature. Of thefe no un- 

 favourable fpecimen is preferved by Dr Barnard, in his well 

 known " Verfes, addrefled to Sir Joshua Reynolds and his 

 friends." 



If I have thoughts, and can't exprefs 'em, 

 Gibbon fhall teach me how to drefs 'em 



In words felecl and terfe : 

 Jones teach me modefty and Greek, 

 Smith how to think, Burke how to fpeak, 



And Beauclerc to converfe *. 



In confequence of Mr Smith's appointment to the Board of 

 Cuftoms, he removed, in 1778, to Edinburgh, where he fpent 

 the laft twelve years of his life ; enjoying an affluence which 

 was more than equal to all his wants ; and, what was to him 

 of ftill greater value, the profpect of paffing the remainder of 

 his days among the companions of his youth. 



His mother, who, though now in extreme old age, ftill pof- 

 fefled a confiderable degree of health, and retained all her fa- 

 culties unimpaired, accompanied him to town j and his coufin 



Mifs 



* See Annual Regifler for the year 1776, 



