Shortly after the date of this letter, Smith, who was now probably beginning to see the approach of the day when he would lay down his Glasgow professorship in order to superintend the studies of the young Duke of Buccleugh, writes David Hume, pressing for his long-promised visit to the West.  The occasion of the letter is to introduce a young gentleman of whom I know nothing, but who was doubtless one of the English students who were attracted to Glasgow by Smith’s rising fame.  He was possibly the first Earl of Carnarvon, of whose uncle, Nicholas Herbert, Smith told Rogers the story that he had read over once a list of the Eton boys and repeated it four years afterwards to his nephew, then Lord Porchester.  Smith said he knew him well.  The letter is as follows:—­

MY DEAR HUME—­This letter will be presented to you by Mr. Henry Herbert, a young gentleman who is very well acquainted with your works, and upon that account extremely desirous of being introduced to the authour.  As I am convinced that you will find him extremely agreeable, I shall make no apology for introducing him.  He proposes to stay a few days in Edinburgh while the company are there, and would be glad to have the liberty of calling upon you sometimes when it suits your conveniency to receive him.  If you indulge him in this, both he and I will think ourselves infinitely obliged to you.

You have been long promising us a visit at Glasgow, and I have made Mr. Herbert promise to endeavour to bring you along with him.  Though you have resisted all my sollicitations, I hope you will not resist his.  I hope I need not tell you that it will give me the greatest pleasure to see you.—­I ever am, my dear friend, most affectionately and sincerely yours,

     ADAM SMITH.

     GLASGOW, 22nd February 1763.[127]

To that letter Hume returned the following answer:—­

DEAR SMITH—­I was obliged to you both for your kind letter and for the opportunity which you afforded me of making acquaintance with Mr. Herbert, who appears to me a very promising young man.  I set up a chaise in May next, which will give me the liberty of travelling about, and you may be sure a journey to Glasgow will be one of the first I shall undertake.  I intend to require with great strictness an account how you have been employing your Leisure, and I desire you to be ready for that purpose.  Wo be to you if the Ballance be against you.  Your friends here will also expect that I should bring you with me.  It seems to me very long since I saw you.—­Most sincerely,

     DAVID HUME.

     EDINBURGH, 28th March 1763.[128]

This long-meditated visit was apparently never accomplished, the chaise, notwithstanding.  Only a few months more pass and the scene completely changes; the two friends are one after the other transported suddenly to France on new vocations, and their first meeting now was in Paris.