WHITINGS OF DR. SMITH.

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much converfantin thefe abftrait difquifitions, byprefenting to them the leading principles uf thefyftem in one conneited view, without thole in-terruptions of the attention which necessarily arifefrom the author’s various and happy illuftrations,and from the many eloquent digressions which a-nimate and adorn his compofition.

The fundamental principle of Mr. Smith’stheory is that the primary objects of our moralperceptions are the aitions of other men ; and thatour moral judgments with refpeit to our ownconduit are only applications to ourfelves of deci-sions which we have already passed on the conductof our neighbour. His work accordingly conliftsof two parts. In the former, he explains in whatmanner we learn to judge of the conduit of ourneighbour; in the latter- in what manner, byapplying thefe judgments to ourfelves, we acquirea fenfe of duty.

Our moral judgments, both with refpeit to ourown conduit and that of others, include two dif-tinit perceptions : jirjl , A perception of conduitas right or wrong: and ,fecond/y, A perception ofthe merit or demerit of the agent. To that qua-lity of conduit which moral ills, in general, ex-press by the word Reititude, Mr. Smith givesthe name of Propriety ; and he begins his theorywith inquiring in what it conflits , and how weare led to form the idea of it. The leading