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21.: To [DR. GEORGE STONE] - Adam Smith, Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence Vol. 6 Correspondence of Adam Smith [1740]

Edition used:

Correspondence of Adam Smith, ed. E. C. Mossner and I. S. Ross, vol. VI of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1987).

Part of: The Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith, 7 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


21.

To [DR. GEORGE STONE]1

MS., GUA/MS./B/Snell 15626 (draft unsigned); unpubl.

[Glasgow, 14 Feb. 1755]2

My Lord

I am commanded by the University to whom your Graces Letter of the 25th January was communicated, to inform your Grace, that they had, before they received the honor of this last application been solicited by several persons of the greatest distinction in this country particularly by the Earl of Glasgow the Present Rector of the University3 to allow Mr Anderson to stay abroad another year with Mr Campbell; that, however, upon account of some inconveniencies, which they foresaw might follow from complying with this request, both to the University and to Mr Anderson,4 they excused themselves from granting it. All the members of the Society being personally known to that Noble Lord made confident that He would pardon want of complaisance in this particular and not impute it to any failure of regard to him by whose condescension in allowing himselfe to be placed at the head of the University [they] think [themselves] highly honoured and obliged. They hoped too that the neighbourhood of that Nobleman and of the other Persons of Distinction who sollicited them to the same purpose, would afford the University many opportunities of expressing the high esteem which it has for that friendship. The Great Distance which separates us from your Grace giving us but few opportunities of expressing the very great veneration which we have for your Graces person, Character and station we cannot avoid even in so small a matter embracing any occasion to assure your grace that no distance can render us insensible of what is due to all of these. Mr Anderson has by order of the University meeting of yesterday obtain’d leave of absence till the 4th. Oct. 1756 which is the whole time desired by Mr Campbell. Be pleased [to] give me leave to assure you that tho’ unknown, I have the honour to be with the highest regard Your Graces

Most Obedient and most humble Servant

The principal5 whose indisposition puts it out of his power to write, heartily concurrs in granting the allowance and desires that his most humble compliments should be offered to your Grace

[1 ]On 13 Feb. a University meeting heard a letter from the ‘Primate of Ireland’ to which this letter is a reply; the dignitary in question was Dr. George Stone (?1708–64), Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland: see Scott 188 n. 1.

[2 ]The reference to the ‘University meeting of yesterday’, i.e. 13 Feb. (Scott 188), suggests the draft letter was written on the 14th.

[3 ]John Boyle, Earl of Glasgow, Lord Rector of the University 1754–5.

[4 ]John Anderson (1726–96), Professor of Oriental Languages, 1754–6, and of Natural Philosophy from 1757. Known as ‘Jolly Jack Phosphorus’, Anderson was a talented but quarrelsome man, sometimes given to beating students and directing polemic against his colleagues. He stressed the teaching of applied science, and Anderson’s College was founded after his death to incorporate some of his ideas. His papers are at Strathclyde University, which is perhaps the fullest realization of his schemes. The ‘Mr Campbell’ to whom he acted as a travelling tutor has not been identified.

[5 ]Principal Neil Campbell.