ansdowne made this speech in 1793 two different translations of
the _Wealth of Nations_ into French had already been published; a
third (by the Abbe Morellet) had been written but not published, and a
fourth was possibly under way, for it appeared in a few years. The
first and worst of these translations, moreover (Blavet's), had
already gone through three separate editions, after having originally
run through a periodical in monthly sections for two years. These are
all tokens that the work was unquestionably influencing French
opinion.

But if the French Revolution stopped for a time, as is most likely,
the onward advance of Smith's free-trade principles, it does not seem
to have exercised the same effect on the actual sale of the book. I do
not know whether the successive editions were uniform in number of
copies, but as many editions of the _Wealth of Nations_--four English
and one Irish--appeared between the years 1791 and 1799 as between the
years 1776 and 1786, and since none was called for from 1786 till
1791, the edition of 1786 took longer to sell off than the subsequent
editions of 1791, 1793, and 1796. It is quite possible--indeed it is
only natural--that the wave of active antagonism which, according to
Stewart's testimony, rose against the principles of the book after the
outbreak of the French Revolution would have helped on the sale of
the book itself by keeping it more constantly under public attention,
discussion, and, if you will, vituperation. The fortune of a book,
like that of a public man, is often made by its enemies.

But the very early influence of the _Wealth of Nations_ in the English
political world is established by much better proofs than quotations
in Parliament. It had actually shaped parts of the policy of the
country years before it was ever publicly alluded to in either House.
The very first budget after its publication bore its marks. Lord North
was then on the outlook for fresh and comparatively unburdensome means
of increasing the revenue, and obtained valuable assistance from the
_Wealth of Nations_. He imposed two new taxes in 1777, of which he got
the idea there; one on man-servants, and the other on property sold by
auction. And the budget of 1778 owed still more important features to
Smith's suggestions, for it introduced the inhabited house duty so
strongly recommended by him, and the malt tax.[253] Then in the
following year 1779 we find Smith consulted by statesmen like Du