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WRITINGS OF Dll. SMITH.

The acceffion to his income which his new officebrought him, enabled him to gratify, to a muchgreater extent than his former circumftances ad-mitted of, the natural generofity of his difpofi-tion ; and the hate of his funds at the time of hisdeath, compared with his very moderate eltablifli-ment, confirmed, beyond a doubt, what his in-timate acquaintances had often fafpedied, that alarge proportion of his annual favings was allottedto offices of fecret charity. A fmall, but excellentlibrary , which he had gradually formed withgreat judgment in the feleftion ; and a fimple ;though hofpitable table , where, without the for-mality of an invitation , he was always happy toreceive his friends, were the only expenfes thatcould be confidered as his own A

The change in his habits which his removal toEdinburgh produced, was not equally favorableto his literarypurfuits. The duties of his office,though they required but little exertion ofthought, were yet fufficient to wafte his fpirity

* Some very affe&ing inftances of Mr. Smith’s beneficence,in cafes where he found it impoffible to conceal entirely his goodoffices, have been mentioned to me by a near relation of his , andone of hismoft confidential friends, Mils Rofs, daugthcr of thelate Patrick Ross, £fq. ofInnernethy. They were all on afcale much beyond what might have been expe&ed from his for-tune; and were accompanied with circumftances equally honor-able to the delicacy of his feelings an the liberality of his heart.