ACCOUNT

OF THE

XIF E AN D WRITINGS

OF

ADAM SMITH , ll . d,

SECTION I.

From Mr. SMITH’S, Birth till the Publication ofthe Theory of Moral Sentiments,

DAM SMITH , Author of the Inquiry intothe Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of Nations,was the fon of Adam Smith , Comptroller of theCuftoms at Kirkaldy and of Margaret Dou-glas , daughter of Mr. Douglas of Strathenry.He was the only child of the marriage, and wasborn at Kirkaldy on the 5th of June 1723, a fewmonths after the death of his father.

* Mr. Smith , the father , was a native of Aberdeenshire ,and in the earlier part of his life pra&ifed at Edinburgh as awriter to the Signet. He was afterwards private fecretary to theEarl of Loudoun, (during the time that he held the offices ofprincipal Secretary of State for Scotland , and of Keeper of theGreat Seal,)and continued in this fituation till 1713 or 1714, when

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