ary executor, and which had not been revoked in the
codicil superseding him by Strahan. This legacy Smith felt that he
could not in the circumstances honourably accept, and he consequently
lost no time in forwarding to Ninewells the following letter:--

DALKEITH HOUSE, _31st August 1776_.

DEAR SIR--As the Duke proposes to stay here till Thursday
next I may not have an opportunity of seeing you before yr.
return to Ninewells. I therefore take the opportunity of
discharging you and all others concerned of the Legacy which
you was so good as to think might upon a certain event
become due to me by your Brother's will, but which I think
could upon no event become so, viz. the legacy of two
hundred pounds sterling. I hereby therefore discharge it for
ever, and least this discharge should be lost I shall be
careful to mention it in a note at the bottom of my will. I
shall be glad to hear that you have received this letter,
and hope you will believe me to be, both on yr. Brother's
account and your own, with great truth, most affectionately
yours,

ADAM SMITH.

_P.S._--I do not hereby mean to discharge the other Legacy,
viz. that of a copy of his works.[263]

Mr. Home answered him on the 2nd of September as follows:--

DEAR SIR--I was favoured with yours of Saturday, and I
assure you that on perusing the destination I was more of
oppinion than when I saw you that the pecuniary part of it
was not altered by the codicil, and that it was intended for
you at all events, that my brother, knowing your liberal way
of thinking, laid on you something as an equivalent, not
imagining you would refuse a small gratuity from the hands
it was to come from as a testimony of his friendship, and
tho' I most highly esteem the motives and manner, I cannot
agree to accept of your renunciation, but leave you full
master to dispose of it which way is most agreeable to you.

The copys of the _Dialogues_ are finished, and of the life,
and will be sent to Mr. Strahan to-morrow, and I will
mention to him your intention of adding to the last
something to finish so valuable a life, and will leave you
at liberty to look into the correction of the first as it
either answers your leisure or ideas with regard to his
composition or what effects you think it may have with