faithful and most obedient
humble servant,

C. TOWNSHEND.

Lady Dalkeith presents her compliments to you.

ADDERBURY, _25th October 1763_.[134]

Smith accepted the offer. The terms were a salary of L300 a year, with
travelling expenses while abroad, and a pension of L300 a year for
life afterwards. He was thus to have twice his Glasgow income, and to
have it assured till death. The pension was no doubt a principal
inducement to a Scotch professor in those days to take such a post,
for a Scotch professor had then no resource in his old age except the
price he happened to receive for his chair from his successor in the
event of his resignation; and we find several of them--Professors Moor
and Robert Simson of Glasgow among others--much harassed with
pecuniary cares in their last years. Smith's remuneration was liberal,
but nothing beyond what was usual in such situations at the time. Dr.
John Moore, who gave up his medical practice in Glasgow a few years
later to be tutor to the young Duke of Hamilton, got also L300 a year
while actively employed in the tutorship and a pension of L100 a year
afterwards.[135] Professor Rouet, who, as already mentioned,
sacrificed his chair in Glasgow for his tutorial appointment, is said
to have received a pension of L500 a year from Lord Hopetoun, in
addition to a pension of L50 he received, in consideration of previous
services of the same kind, from Sir John Maxwell; and Professor Adam
Ferguson, who was appointed tutor to the Earl of Chesterfield on
Smith's recommendation, had L400 a year while on duty, and a pension
of L200 a year, which he lived to enjoy for forty years after,
receiving from first to last nearly L9000 for his two years' work.
Smith did almost as well, for with the pension, which he drew for
twenty-four years, he got altogether more than L8000 for his three
years' service.

This residence abroad for a few years with a competent tutor was then
a common substitute for a university education. The Duke of Buccleugh,
for example, was never sent to a university after he came back from
his travels with Smith, but married almost immediately on his return,
and entered directly into the active duties of life. It was generally
thought that travel really supplied a more liberal education and a
better preparation for life for a young man of the world than
residence at a university; and it is not uninteresting to recall here
how strongly Smith disagrees w