Economists -- Great Britain -- Biography; Smith, Adam, 1723-1790
After the Duke reached London, however, at the Christmas recess, it
seems to have been quickly settled to send him out on his travels
without more delay, and on the 8th of January 1764 Smith intimated to
the Faculty of Glasgow College that he was soon to leave that city
under the permission granted him by the Dean of Faculty's meeting of
the 8th of November, and that he had returned to the students all the
fees he had received that session. He likewise acquainted the meeting
that he proposed to pay his salary as paid by the College for one
half-year, commencing the 10th of October previous, to the person who
should teach his class for the remainder of the session. Mr. Thomas
Young, student of divinity, was, on Smith's recommendation, chosen for
this purpose. A committee was appointed to receive from Smith the
private library of the Moral Philosophy class; next day at a meeting
of Senatus he was paid the balance due to him on his accounts as
Quaestor, and was entrusted with a copy of Foulis's large _Homer_,
which they asked him to carry to London and deliver, in their name, to
Sir James Gray, as a present to his Sicilian majesty, who had shown
them some favour; and the Senate-room of Glasgow knew him no more.
His parting with his students was not quite so simple. They made some
difficulty, as he seems to have anticipated, about taking back the
fees they had paid him for his class, and he was obliged to resort
almost to force before he succeeded in getting them to do so. The
curious scene is described by Alexander Fraser Tytler (Lord
Woodhouselee) in his _Life of Lord Kames:_ "After concluding his last
lecture, and publicly announcing from the chair that he was now taking
a final leave of his auditors, acquainting them at the same time with
the arrangements he had made, to the best of his power, for their
benefit, he drew from his pocket the several fees of the students,
wrapped up in separate paper parcels, and beginning to call up each
man by his name, he delivered to the first who was called the money
into his hand. The young man peremptorily refused to accept it,
declaring that the instruction and pleasure he had already received
was much more than he either had repaid or ever could compensate, and
a general cry was heard from every one in the room to the same effect.
But Mr. Smith was not to be bent from his purpose. After warmly
expressing his feelings of gratitude and the strong sense he had of
the regard shown to him by his young friends, he told them this was a
matter betwixt him and his own mind, and that he could not rest
satisfied unless he performed what he deemed right and proper. 'You
must not refuse me this satisfaction; nay, by heavens, gentlemen, you
shall not;' and seizing by the coat the young man who stood next him,
he thrust the money into his pocket and then pushed him from him. The
rest saw it was in vain to contest the matter, and were obliged to let
him have his own way."[138]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account