L ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE ANI3

of the caufes which have inverted this order in thedifferent countries of modern Europe . His lectureson jurifprudence feem, from the account of themformerly given, to have abounded in fuch inquiries.

I am informed by the fame gentleman who fa-vored me "with the account of Mr. Smith s lec-tures at Glafgow, that he had heard himfometimeshint an intention of writing a treatife upon theGreek and Roman republics. “ And after all that“ has been publifhed on that fubjefl, I am convin-ced (fays he), that the obfervations of Mr. Smith“ would have fuggefted many new and important

views concerning the internal and domeltic cir-<{ cumftances of thofe nations, which would have“ difplayed their feveral fyftems of policy, in a“ light much lefs artificial than that in which they“ have hitherto appeared.”

The fame turn of thinking was frequently, inhis focial hours, applied to more familiar fubjecls;and the fanciful theories which, without the leaftaffectation of ingenuity, he was continually Halt-ing upon all the common topics of difcourfe, gaveto his converfation a novelty and variety that werequite inexhauftible. Hence too the minutenefs andaccuracy of his knowledge on many trifling articleswhich, in the courfe of his fpeculations, he hadbeen led to confider from fome new and interefl-jng point of view; and of which his lively and cir-cumftantial descriptions amufed his friends the