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Smith, Adam, 1723-1790, political economist |
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Biographical Information |
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Occupation, Sphere of Activity |
Adam Smith was born at Kirkcaldy on 5 June 1723. He was the only child of Adam Smith, writer to the signet, by Margaret, daughter of John Douglas of Strathendry, Fifeshire. He was educated initially at the burgh school of Kirkcaldy, before attending the University of Glasgow for the session of 1737-1738, studying there for four sessions. Smith went to Oxford in June 1740, and stayed there without interruption until 1746. Smith returned to Kirkcaldy in 1746. He was acquainted with Henry Home, Lord Kames, and, at Kames's suggestion, gave a course of lectures upon English literature in 1748-1749. Smith repeated his literary lectures for three winters, and gave also some lectures upon economic topics. His course of lectures, and his reputation presumably led to his unanimous election to the chair of logic at Glasgow on 9 January 1751. He began his official lectures in October 1751. In 1752, he was transferred to the chair of moral philosophy, following the death of the previous professor. Smith had a house in the college, where his mother and his cousin, Jane Douglas, lived with him. There were some three hundred students in the college, of whom about eighty or ninety attended the moral philosophy class. Most of them were preparing for the ministry, and about a third were Irish Presbyterians. Smith gave lectures during the session at 7.30 a.m., followed by an 'examination' at eleven, besides some private lectures. His lectures included four topics: natural theology, ethics, containing the substance of his 'Moral Sentiments,' the theory of those political institutions which are founded upon 'justice,' that is, of jurisprudence, a treatise upon which is promised, though it was never completed, at the end of the 'Moral Sentiments;' and of the political institutions founded upon 'expediency,' a topic which corresponds to the 'Wealth of Nations'. The lectures became famous, especially after Smith's publication of the 'Moral Sentiments'. Smith took a very active part in business during his Professorship. He was employed to conduct various legal matters, and was appointed to examine the state of the University manuscripts and consider methods for their preservation. He was Treasurer, 1758-1764, and Curator of the chambers let to students; he was Dean of faculty, 1760-1762; and in 1762 was appointed Vice-Rector, in which capacity he had to preside over all college meetings. The number of quarrels among the professors, of which Reid complains upon succeeding Smith, shows that this position was no sinecure. Smith was a patron of James Watt, who was enabled by the college to set up as mathematical-instrument maker in Glasgow in spite of the trade privileges of the town; he advised Robert Foulis when starting an academy of design at Glasgow, and supported the university typefoundry established by his friend Wilson, the Professor of astronomy. Smith also took a leading part in protesting against the claim of a professor to vote upon his own election to another professorship, and in favour of the deprivation of another for going abroad with a pupil in defiance of the refusal of his colleagues to grant leave of absence. Smith joined in the social recreations characteristic of the time. He belonged to a club founded by Andrew Cochran, provost of Glasgow, for the discussion of trade. Sir James Stewart Denham found soon afterwards that Smith had converted the Glasgow merchants to free trade in corn; and such matters had doubtless been discussed at the club. Smith was a member of the Literary Society of Glasgow, and he joined the weekly dinners of the Anderston Club. Smith's orthodoxy seems to have been a little suspected at Glasgow, partly on account of his friendship with Hume. He was elected a member of the Philosophical Society, to which Hume was the secretary upon its revival in the same year; and in 1754 was one of fifteen persons present at the first meeting of the Select Society, started by the painter Allan Ramsay, which became the Edinburgh Society for encouraging Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, and Agriculture in Scotland. In 1759 Smith published his 'Theory of the Moral Sentiments.' The book was warmly welcomed by Hume, and was highly praised in the 'Annual Register' in an article attributed to Burke. Smith was henceforth recognised as one of the first authors of the day. In 1763 Smith resigned from Glasgow University and accepted a position as travelling tutor to Henry, third duke of Buccleuch. Smith left London for Paris with the duke in February 1764. They met Hume at Paris, and proceeded almost immediately to Toulouse, where he stayed for eighteen months, before travelling to Geneva. On his return to Paris, Smith had much intercourse with philosophers in the Parisian salons. He saw Holbach, Helvetius, D'Alembert, Necker, Turgot, and Quesnay. Morellet, with whom he became especially intimate, afterwards translated the 'Wealth of Nations.' The influence of the French economists upon Smith's opinions has been much discussed; but it is clear that the facts of the intercourse at this time throw no doubt upon the view that Smith reached his main theories independently; and that he was influenced only so far as discussions with eminent men of similar tendencies would tend to clear and stimulate his mind. On 18 October 1766, Smith's younger pupil, Hew Campbell Scott, was murdered in the street in Paris. Smith at once returned with the remains to London. He had by this time returned to Kirkcaldy, where he lived with his mother and his cousin Jane Douglas, who had moved from Glasgow after his resignation of the Professorship. Smith was now occupied with the composition of the 'Wealth of Nations.' He went to London with the manuscript of his book in the spring of 1773, leaving directions with Hume as to the disposal of his other manuscripts in the event of his death. He was in London frequently, if he did not stay there continuously, during the next four years. 'The Wealth of Nations' was at last published on 9 March 1776. The book succeeded at once, and the first edition was exhausted in six months. In January 1777 he was again in London, but returned to Kirkcaldy, and there received his appointment as Commissioner of Customs in December 1777. He was becoming infirm; and though his duties were not severe, they occupied him sufficiently to prevent him from completing new original work. He was consulted by William Eden (afterwards Lord Auckland) and the secretary to the board of trade in 1779 in regard to free trade with Ireland, and in 1783 in regard to the regulations of the American trade. Smith was a steady Whig, and heartily approved of Fox's East India Bill. Smith's mother died on 23 May 1784 in her ninetieth year. His grief was so intense as to surprise his friends, and was the more trying as his own health was declining. In the winter of 1786-1787 he had an attack which caused serious alarm. In November 1787 Smith was elected Lord Rector of Glasgow. He acknowledged the honour in a warm letter of thanks to the principal, and was installed on 12 December 1787, but he gave no inaugural address. In 1788 he was in much better health. He lost his cousin, Jane Douglas, who had lived with him for many years, in the autumn. In the spring of 1790 Smith was plainly failing. It cannot be known whether he adjourned the meeting to another place or to another and a better world. He died on 17 July 1790, and was buried in the Canongate churchyard. |
Relationships |
Smith's father, a native of Aberdeen, had been private secretary to Hugh Campbell, third earl of Loudoun, who in 1713 gave him the Comptrollership of Customs at Kirkcaldy. He died in April 1723. Smith was brought up by his mother, and the bond between them came to be exceptionally close. Smith had a long friendship with David Hume, philosopher and historian, although it is not at what time precisely this friendship began. Hume did not settle at Edinburgh until Smith was leaving for Glasgow. In 1752 they were in correspondence, and Hume was consulting Smith about his essays and his projected history. Smith frequently visited his friend at Edinburgh. One of the most important influences on Smith, was that of his teacher at Glasgow University, Francis Hutcheson, whose teaching both on moral and economic questions had considerable affinity to the later doctrines of his pupil. Matthew Stewart, mathematician, was a fellow-student and lifelong friend. |
Other Significant Information |
Notable publications: The Theory of Moral Sentiments, ( An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, ( Essays on Philosophical Subjects, ( |
Honours, Qualifications and Appointments |
1751-1752: Professor of logic at the University of Glasgow 1752: Professor of moral philosophy 1760-1762: Dean of Arts Faculty from 1760 to 1762 1762: Vice-Rector, University of Glasgow 1767: Fellow of the Royal Society 1787: Lord Rector of Glasgow : Member of the Literary Society of Glasgow : Member of the Philosophical Society |
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Author and Date of Biographical History |
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