it says, "to confirm an observation
that has sometimes been made, that in Scotland every disinterested
plan of public utility is slighted as soon as it loses the charm of
novelty."[89]

Another interesting but even more abortive project which Smith took a
leading part in promoting at this same period was the publication of a
new literary magazine, entitled the _Edinburgh Review_, of which the
first number appeared in July 1755, and the second and last in January
1756. This project also originated, like the Select Society, in a
sentiment of Scotch patriotism. It was felt that though Scotland was
at the time stirring with an important literary and scientific
movement, the productions of the Scotch press were too much ignored by
the English literary periodicals, and received inadequate
appreciation even in Scotland itself for want of a good critical
journal on the spot. "If countries may be said to have their ages with
respect to improvement," says the preface to the first number of the
new _Review_, "then North Britain may be considered as in a state of
early youth, guided and supported by the more mature strength of her
kindred country. If in anything her advances have been such as to make
a more forward state, it is in science." After remarking that the two
obstacles to the literary advancement of Scotland had hitherto been
her deficiency in the art of printing and her imperfect command of
good English, and that the first of these obstacles had been removed
entirely, and the second shown by recent writers to be capable of
being surmounted, it proceeds: "The idea therefore was that to show
men at this particular stage of the country's progress the gradual
advance of science would be a means of inciting them to a more eager
pursuit of learning, to distinguish themselves and to do honour to
their country." The editor was Alexander Wedderburn, who afterwards
became Lord High Chancellor of England and Earl of Rosslyn, but had in
1755 only just passed as an advocate at the Scotch bar; and the
contributors were Robertson, who wrote eight review articles on new
historical publications; Blair, who gave one or two indifferent
notices of works in philosophy; Jardine, one of the ministers of
Edinburgh, who discussed Ebenezer Erskine's sermons, a few theological
pamphlets, and Mrs. Cleland's Cookery Book; and Adam Smith, who
contributed to the first number a review of Dr. Johnson's
_Dictionary_, and to the second a remarkable lette