THE OLL BLUE BOOKS Anthologies from the Online Library of Liberty <http://oll.libertyfund.org/collection/160> THE INTRODUCTIONS TO THE GLASGOW EDITION OF THE WORKS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF ADAM SMITH (1981-1987) <oll.libertyfund.org/title/2557> 1 THE OLL “BLUE BOOK” ANTHOLOGIES <http://oll.libertyfund.org/collection/160> THE ONLINE LIBRARY OF LIBERTY (OLL) is a project of Liberty Fund, Inc., a private educational foundation established in 1960 to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals. The OLL website has a large collection of material about individual liberty, limited constitu- tional government, the free market, and peace. Texts are initially put online in a form which duplicates the way the books were originally published. They have been converted to electronic format but no change in the content has been made by the edi- tors. 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LIBERTY FUND, INC. 8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300 Indianapolis, IIndiana 46250-1684 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ...............................................................................................................7 About the “Glasgow Edition” of the Works of Adam Smith .................................................7 Copyright information: ...........................................................................................................7 Fair Use Statement: ................................................................................................................7 Bibilographical Information ...................................................................................................8 The Life and Work of Adam Smith (1723-1790) ......................................................9 Adam Smith (1723-1790) .......................................................................................................9 A Timeline of the Life and Work of Adam Smith (1723-1790) [DMH] .............................10 The Life and Works of Adam Smith [Mossner and Ross] ...................................................12 Dugald Stewart's “Account of the Life and Writings of Adam Smith, LL.D.” [January and March, 1793] ........................................................................................................................15 Introduction [I.S. Ross] ...............................................................................................................15 ACCOUNT of the LIFE AND WRITINGS of ADAM SMITH, LL.D. From the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh [Read by Mr Stewart, January 21, and March 18, 1793] ...............18 SECTION I. From Mr Smith’s Birth till the publication of the Theory of Moral Sentiments .............18 Section II. Of the Theory of Moral Sentiments, and the Dissertation on the Origin of Languages ........23 Section III. From the Publication of The Theory of Moral Sentiments, till that of The Wealth of Na- tions ...........................................................................................................................................39 SECTION IV. Of the Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations* .......................44 SECTION V. Conclusion of the Narrative .....................................................................................54 Notes to the LIFE OF ADAM SMITH, LL.D. ............................................................................59 Endnotes ....................................................................................................................................74 Introduction to Vol. 1 The Theory of Moral Sentiments [D.D. Raphael and A.L. Macfie] .....................................................................................................................91 3 1. Formation of The Theory of Moral Sentiments .............................................................91 (a) Adam Smith’s lectures on ethics ................................................................................................91 (b) Influence of Stoic philosophy ...................................................................................................95 (c)Influence of contemporary thinkers .............................................................................................99 2. Evolution .........................................................................................................................103 (a) Development between editions ................................................................................................103 (b) Relation of TMS to WN .....................................................................................................107 3. Reception ........................................................................................................................111 (a) Early comment and foreign translations ...................................................................................111 (b) Select bibliography ................................................................................................................117 4. The Text .........................................................................................................................120 (a) Account of editions 1–7 ........................................................................................................120 (b) Editorial policy ....................................................................................................................130 Endnotes. ............................................................................................................................135 General Introduction to Vol. 2: The Wealth of Nations [R.H. Campbell and A.S Skinner] .................................................................................................................137 Scope and Method .............................................................................................................137 Social Theory .....................................................................................................................140 The Stages of Society .........................................................................................................146 Economic Theory and the Exchange Economy ................................................................152 The Role of the State .........................................................................................................162 The Institutional Relevance of the WN .............................................................................167 Smith’s use of History ........................................................................................................175 Endnotes. ............................................................................................................................183 Introductions to Volume III: Essays on Philosophical Subjects .............................190 4 1. General Introduction[1] [D.D. Raphael and A.S. Skinner] ...........................................190 I ..............................................................................................................................................190 II .............................................................................................................................................192 III ...........................................................................................................................................194 IV ............................................................................................................................................198 V .............................................................................................................................................201 Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................206 2. Introduction to Works edited and introduced by W.P.D. Wightman [Astronomy, Ancient Physics, etc] .........................................................................................................................208 The History of Astronomy .........................................................................................................213 The History of the Ancient Physics and the History of the Ancient Logics and Metaphysics ..............221 3. Bibliographical Note .......................................................................................................225 Note on the Text ........................................................................................................................226 Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................226 Introduction to Volume IV: Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres [J.C. Bryce] ..... 228 1. The Manuscript ..............................................................................................................228 2. The Lectures ..................................................................................................................233 3. Considerations concerning the First Formation of Languages ......................................246 Note on the Text ........................................................................................................................249 4. Rhetoric and literary criticism ........................................................................................251 5. System and aesthetics .....................................................................................................254 Bibliographical Note ...........................................................................................................257 Introduction to Volume V: Lectures on Jurisprudence [R.L. Meek, D.D. Raphael, and P.G. Stein] .......................................................................................................258 1. Adam Smith’s Lectures at Glasgow University ..............................................................258 5 2. The Two Reports of Smith’s Jurisprudence Lectures ....................................................261 3. Adam Smith’s Lecture Timetable in 1762–3 .................................................................267 4. The Collation of LJ(A) and LJ(B) ...................................................................................273 Notes on the collation .................................................................................................................276 5. Some Particular Aspects of the Report of 1762–3 ........................................................281 6. The Principles Adopted in the Transcription of the Texts ............................................283 i. Numbering of Pages ...............................................................................................................285 ii. Punctuation ...........................................................................................................................286 iii. Capitalization ......................................................................................................................286 iv. Straightforward Overwritings and Interlineations ......................................................................286 v. Contractions ..........................................................................................................................287 vi. Spelling Errors, Omissions, etc. ...............................................................................................287 vii. Paragraphing ......................................................................................................................288 viii. Deletions, Replacements, etc. .................................................................................................288 ix. Doubtful Readings, Illegible Words, Blanks in MS., etc. ...........................................................289 x. Treatment of the Verso Notes in LJ(A) .....................................................................................289 xi. Cross–references ....................................................................................................................290 Endnotes. ............................................................................................................................290 6 INTRODUCTION About the “Glasgow Edition” of the Works of Adam Smith The Glasgow Edition was originally commissioned to celebrate the bicentenary of The Wealth of Nations, Smith’s greatest work and was published by Oxford University Press in a hard cover edition. The six titles of the Glasgow Edition, but not the associated volumes, are published in softcover by Liberty Fund. The online edition is published by Liberty Fund under license from Oxford University Press. This Edition is the authoritative, scholarly edition of Smith’s works and each volume is ac- companied by a detailed Introduction written by leading scholars in the field. The introductions were written by D.D. Raphael and A.L. Macfie, R H. Campbell, A.S. Skinner, W.P.D. Wightman, J.C. Bryce, R.L. Meek, P. G. Stein, E. C. Mossner and I. S. Ross. We have gathered these infor- mative introductions here, along with additional biographical material about Smith, in order to assist the reader is exploring the ideas of Smith further. The introductions are reproduced here in their entirely with no alteration and links back to the full volumes from which they are taken are provided. Copyright information: The Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith and the associated volumes are published in hardcover by Oxford University Press. The six titles of the Glasgow Edition, but not the associated volumes, are being published in softcover by Liberty Fund. The online edition is published by Liberty Fund under license from Oxford University Press. ©Oxford University Press 1976. All rights reserved. No part of this material may be stored transmitted retransmitted lent or reproduced in any form or medium without the permission of Oxford University Press. Fair Use Statement: This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless oth- erwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit. 7 Bibilographical Information Adam Smith, The Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982). 7 vols. <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/197>. 1. Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, ed. D.D. Raphael and A.L. Macfie, vol. I of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/192>. 2. Adam Smith, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, 2 Vols., ed. R. H. Campbell and A. S. Skinner, vol. II of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1981). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/220>. 3. Adam Smith, Essays on Philosophical Subjects, ed. W. P. D. Wightman and J. C. Bryce, vol. III of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1982). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/201>. 4. Adam Smith, Lectures On Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, ed. J. C. Bryce, vol. IV of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1985). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/202>. 5. Adam Smith, Lectures On Jurisprudence, ed. R.. L. Meek, D. D. Raphael and P. G. Stein, vol. V of the Glasgow Edition of the Works and Correspondence of Adam Smith (Indianapolis: Lib- erty Fund, 1982). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/196>. 6. Adam Smith, 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). <http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/203>. 8 THE LIFE AND WORK OF ADAM SMITH (1723-1790) Adam Smith (1723-1790) Adam Smith (1723-1790) is commonly regarded as the first modern economist with the pub- lication in 1776 of The Wealth of Nations. He wrote in a wide range of disciplines: moral philoso- phy, jurisprudence, rhetoric and literature, and the history of science. He was one of the leading figures in the Scottish Enlightenment. Smith also studied the social forces giving rise to competi- tion, trade, and markets. While professor of logic, and later professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow University, he also had the opportunity to travel to France, where he met François Quesnay and the physiocrats; he had friends in business and the government, and drew broadly on his observations of life as well as careful statistical work summarizing his findings in tabular form. He is viewed as the founder of modern economic thought, and his work inspires econo- mists to this day. For additional information about Smith nd his contemporaries see the following resources at the Online Library of Liberty: • a list of works in various electronic formats can be found at the main bio page: Adam Smith (1723-1790) <http://oll.libertyfund.org/person/44>. 9 • works by other members of the Scottish Enlihgtenment: School of Thought: The Scot- tish Enlightenment <http://oll.libertyfund.org/collection/19> • Fo r u m : Re s o u r c e s : E s s a y s : O n A d a m S m i t h <http://oll.libertyfund.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=73 &Itemid=277>. • Re a d i n g L i s t : Re a d i n g s o n A d a m S m i t h <http://oll.libertyfund.org/readinglists/view/282-readings_on_adam_smith>. A Timeline of the Life and Work of Adam Smith (1723-1790) [DMH] Source: Timelines in various sizes and formats are available at the OLL website: • PDF <http://files.libertyfund.org/img/Smith.pdf> • JPG <http://files.libertyfund.org/img/AdamSmith_Timeline2339.jpg> • JPG <http://files.libertyfund.org/img/Smith1200.jpg> 10