onscientious and on the whole, no doubt, a satisfactory
administrator, though he may have been in some things slower than a
clerk bred to business would have been, and caused occasionally a
ludicrous mistake through his incidental absence of mind. Sir Walter
Scott relates two anecdotes illustrative of that weakness, on the
authority of one of Smith's colleagues on the Board of Customs. Having
one day to sign an official document as Commissioner, Smith, instead
of signing his own name, wrote an imitation of the signature of the
Commissioner who had written before him. The other story, though,
possibly enough, embellished unconsciously by the teller in some
details, is yet of too distinct and peculiar a character to be easily
rejected, and for the same reason will best be given in Scott's own
words:--

"That Board (the Board of Customs) had in their service as porter a
stately person, who, dressed in a huge scarlet gown or cloak covered
with frogs of worsted lace, and holding in his hand a staff about
seven feet high as an emblem of his office, used to mount guard before
the Custom House when a Board was to be held. It was the etiquette
that as each Commissioner entered the porter should go through a sort
of salute with his staff of office, resembling that which officers
used formerly to perform through their spontoon, and then marshal the
dignitary to the hall of meeting. This ceremony had been performed
before the great economist perhaps five hundred times. Nevertheless
one day, as he was about to enter the Custom House, the motions of
this janitor seem to have attracted his eye without their character or
purpose reaching his apprehension, and on a sudden he began to imitate
his gestures as a recruit does those of his drill serjeant. The porter
having drawn up in front of the door, presented his staff as a soldier
does his musket. The Commissioner, raising his cane and holding it
with both hands by the middle, returned the salute with the utmost
gravity. The inferior officer, much annoyed, levelled his weapon,
wheeled to the right, stepping a pace back to give the Commissioner
room to pass, lowering his staff at the same time in token of
obeisance. Dr. Smith, instead of passing on, drew up on the opposite
side and lowered his cane to the same angle. The functionary, much out
of consequence, next moved upstairs with his staff upraised, while the
author of the _Wealth of Nations_ followed with his bamboo in
precisely the