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The day after his arrival at Paris, Mr Smith sent a formal resignation of his Professorship to the Rector of the University of Glasgow. 'I never was more anxious (says he in the conclusion of this letter) for the good of the College, than at this moment; and I sincerely wish, that whoever is my successor may not only do credit to the office by his abilities, but be a comfort to the very excellent men with whom he is likely to spend his life, by the probity of his heart, and the goodness of his temper.'
The following extract from the records of the University, which follows immediately after Mr Smith's letter of resignation, is at once a testimony to his assiduity as a Professor, and a proof of the just sense which that learned body entertained of the talents and worth of the colleague they had lost:
'The meeting accept of Dr Smith's resignation, in terms of the above letter, and the office of Professor of Moral Philosophy in this University is therefore hereby declared to be vacant. The University, at the same time, cannot help expressing their sincere regret at the removal of Dr Smith, whose distinguished probity and amiable qualities procured him the esteem and affection of his colleagues; and whose uncommon genius, great abilities, and extensive learning, did so much honour to this society; his elegant and ingenious Theory of Moral Sentiments having recommended him to the esteem of men of taste and literature throughout Europe. His happy talent in illustrating abstracted subjects, and faithful assiduity in communicating useful knowledge, distinguished him as a Professor, and at once afforded the greatest pleasure and the most important instruction to the youth under his care.'

See note E.

The following letter, which has been very accidently preserved, while it serves as a memorial of Mr Smith's connection with the family of Rochefoucauld, is so expressive of the virtuous and liberal mind of the writer, that I am persuaded it will give pleasure to the Society to record it in their Transactions.
Paris, 3 Mars 1778.
'Le desir de se rappeller votre souvenir, Monsieur, quand on a eu l'honneur de vous connotre, doit vous paroitre fort naturel; permettez que nous saisissions pour cela, ma Mre et moi, l'occasion d'une edition nouvelle des Maximes de la Rochefoucauld, dont nous prenons la libert de vous offrir un exemplaire. Vous voyez que nous n'avons point de rancune, puisque le mal que vous avez dit de lui dans la Th orie des Sentimens Moroux, ne nous empche point de vous envoyer ce m me ouvrage. Il s'en est m me fallu de pue que je ne fisse encore plus, car j'avois eu peut- tre la t m rit d'entreprendre une traduction de votre Th orie; mais comme je venois de terminer la premire partie, j'ai vu paro tre la traduction de M. l'Abb Balvet, et j'ai t forc de renoncer au plaisir que j'aurois eu de faire passer dans ma langue un des meilleurs ouvrages de la vtre. [See note F]
Il auroit bien fallu pour lors entreprendre une justification de mon grandp re. Peut- tre n'auroit-il pas t difficile, premi rement de l'excuser, en disant, qu'il avoit toujours vu les hommes la Cour, et dans la guerre civile, deux th atres sur lesquels ils sont certainement plus mauvais qu'ailleurs; et ensuite de justifier par la conduite personelle de l'auteur, les principes qui sont certainement trop g n ralis s dans son ouvrage. Il a pris la partie pour la tout; et parceque les gens qu'il avoit eu le plus sous les yeux toient anim s par l'amour propre, il en a fait le mobile g n ral de tous les hommes. Au reste, quoique son ouvrage merite certains gards d' tre combattu, il est cependant estimable m me pour le fond, et beaucoup pour la forme.
Permittez-moi de vous demander, si nou aurons bientt une dition complette des oeuvres de votre illustre ami M. Hume? Nous l'avons sinc rement regrett .
Recevez, je vous supplie, l'expression sinc re de tous les sentimens d'estime et d'attachement avec lesquels j'ai l'honneur d'tre, Monsieur, votre tr s humble et tr s obeissant serviteur.
Le Duc de la Rochfoucauld.
Mr Smith's last intercourse with this excellent man was in the year 1789,when he informed him, by means of a friend who happened to be then in Paris, that in the future editions of his Theory the name of Rochefoucauld should no longer be classed with that of Mandeville. In the enlarged edition, accordingly, of that work, published a short time before his death, he has suppressed his censure of the author of the Maximes; who seems indeed (however exceptionable many of his principles may be) to have been actuated, both in his life and writings, by motives very different from those of Mandeville. The real scope of these maxims is placed, I think, in a just light by the ingenious author of the notice to the edition of them published at Paris in 1778.

See the Preface to Voltarie's Oedipe, edit. of 1729.