WRITINGS OF D It. S M I T II.

CIII

daring that fliort period, he had not only the fa-tisfaâion of feeng the opposition it a firft excited,gradually fubfi de , buttowitnefs the pra£lical in-fluence of his writings on the commercial policyof his country.

SECTION V.

Conclufion of the Narrative.

.A.bout two years after the publication of “TheWealth of Nations, " Mr. Smith was appointedone of the Commiffioners of his Majefty’s Cuflomsin Scotland ; a preferment which , in his estima-tion , derived an additional value from its beingbellowed on him at the requeft of the Duke ofBuccleugh. The greater part of these two yearshe palled at London , in a society too extensiveand varied to afford him any opportunity of in-dulging his talle for ftudy. His time, however ,was not loll to himfelf; for much of it was spentwith some of the firft names in Englilh literature.Of these no unfavorable specimen is preserved by ,Dr. Barnard, in his well known “ Verses ad-“ dreffed to Sir J OSH u aReynolds and his friends.”