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Mr Smith, the father, was a native of Aberdeenshire, and, in the earlier part of his life, practised at Edinburgh as a writer of the signet. He was afterwards private secretary to the Earl of Loudoun (during the time he held the offices of principal secretary of state for Scotland and of keeper of the great seal), and continued in this situation till 1713 or 1714, when he was appointed comptroller of the customs at Kirkaldy. He was also clerk to the courts-martial and councils of war for Scotland; and office which he held from 1707 till his death. As it is now seventy years since he died, the accounts I have received of him are very imperfect; but, from the particulars already mentioned, it may be presumed that he was a man of more than common abilities.

See Note A.

George Drysdale. Esq. of Kirkaldy, brother of the late Dr Drysdale.

As the word exhibitioner has misled a French author, to whose critical acquaintance with the English language I am indebted for a very elegant translation of this memoir. I think it proper to mention, that it is used here to denote a student who enjoys a salary to assist him in carrying on his academical education. 'The word Exhibition' (says Johnson) 'is much used for pensions allowed to scholars at the university.' -- In the translation above referred to, as well as in the Notice prefixed to M. Garnier's translation of the Wealth of Nations, the clause in the text is thus rendered: il entra au college de Baliol Oxford, en qualit de d monstrateur de la fondation de Snell. With respect to Snell's foundation ('the largest, perhaps, and most liberal in Britain'), see the Statistical Account of the University of Glasgow by Dr Thomas Reid.

Redargutio Philosophiarum. ('Although he had not taken up politics, he was by nature and entire disposition inclined towards civil affairs, and his talents tended chiefly in that direction; nor was he particularly concerned about Natural Philosophy, except to the degree it should suffice for maintaining the good name and fame of Philosophy, and adding to moral and civil disciplines and shedding on them a kind of majesty.')

See Note B.

The uncommon degree in which Mr Smith retained possession, even to the close of his life, of different branches of knowledge which he had long ceased to cultivate, has been often remarked to me by my learned colleague and friend, Mr Dalzel, Professor of Greek in the University. -- Mr Dalzel mentioned particularly the readiness and correctness of Mr Smith's memory on philological subjects, and the acuteness and skill he displayed in various conversations with him on some of the minutiae of Greek grammar.

Mr Millar, the late celebrated Professor of Law in the University of Glasgow.