e grammatical articles, too, in the
French _Encyclopedie_ have given me a good deal of
entertainment. Very probably Mr. Ward has seen both these
works, and as he may have considered the subject more than I
have done, may think less of them. Remember me to Mrs. Baird
and Mr. Oswald, and believe me to be, with great truth, dear
sir, sincerely yours,

ADAM SMITH.

Shortly after the date of this letter, Smith, who was now probably
beginning to see the approach of the day when he would lay down his
Glasgow professorship in order to superintend the studies of the young
Duke of Buccleugh, writes David Hume, pressing for his long-promised
visit to the West. The occasion of the letter is to introduce a young
gentleman of whom I know nothing, but who was doubtless one of the
English students who were attracted to Glasgow by Smith's rising fame.
He was possibly the first Earl of Carnarvon, of whose uncle, Nicholas
Herbert, Smith told Rogers the story that he had read over once a list
of the Eton boys and repeated it four years afterwards to his nephew,
then Lord Porchester. Smith said he knew him well. The letter is as
follows:--

MY DEAR HUME--This letter will be presented to you by Mr.
Henry Herbert, a young gentleman who is very well acquainted
with your works, and upon that account extremely desirous of
being introduced to the authour. As I am convinced that you
will find him extremely agreeable, I shall make no apology
for introducing him. He proposes to stay a few days in
Edinburgh while the company are there, and would be glad to
have the liberty of calling upon you sometimes when it suits
your conveniency to receive him. If you indulge him in this,
both he and I will think ourselves infinitely obliged to
you.

You have been long promising us a visit at Glasgow, and I
have made Mr. Herbert promise to endeavour to bring you
along with him. Though you have resisted all my
sollicitations, I hope you will not resist his. I hope I
need not tell you that it will give me the greatest pleasure
to see you.--I ever am, my dear friend, most affectionately
and sincerely yours,

ADAM SMITH.

GLASGOW, _22nd February 1763_.[127]

To that letter Hume returned the following answer:--

DEAR SMITH--I was obliged to you both for your kind letter
and for the opportunity which you afforded