any marks of the reception of the book, and found that Smith’s name was very seldom mentioned, and then without any idea of his importance.  One spot ought to be excepted—­the little kingdom of Hanover, which, from its connection with the English Crown, participated in the contemporary French complaint of Anglomania.  Goettingen had its influential school of admirers of English institutions and literature; the Wealth of Nations was reviewed in the Gelehrte Anzeigen of Goettingen early in 1777, and one of the professors of the University there announced a course of lectures upon it in the winter session of 1777-78.[309] But before Smith died his work was beginning to be clearly understood among German thinkers.  Gentz, the well-known politician, writes a friend in December 1790 that he had been reading the book for the third time, and thought it “far the most important work which is written in any language on this subject";[310] and Professor C.J.  Kraus writes Voigt in 1796 that the world had never seen a more important work, and that no book since the New Testament has produced more beneficial effects than this book would produce when it got better known.  A few years later it was avowedly shaping the policy of Stein.

It was translated into Italian in 1780, and in Spain it had the curious fortune of being suppressed by the Inquisition on account of “the lowness of its style and the looseness of its morals.”  Sir John Macpherson—­Warren Hastings’ successor as Governor-General of India—­writes Gibbon as if he saw the sentence of the Inquisition posted on the church doors in a Spanish tour he made in 1792;[311] but a change must have speedily come over the censorial mind, for a Spanish translation by J.A.  Ortez was published in four volumes in 1794, with additions relating to Spain.

Smith continued, as he says, to be a good customer for his own book.  There is another letter which, though undated and unaddressed, was evidently written about this time to Cadell, directing presentation copies of both his books to be sent to Mrs. Ross of Crighton, the wife of his own “very near relation,” Colonel Patrick Ross.

DEAR SIR—­Mrs. Ross of Crighton, now living in Welbeck Street, is my particular friend, and the wife of Lieutenant-Collonel (sic) Patrick Ross, in the service of the East India Company, my very near relation.  When she left this she seemed to intimate that she wished to have a copy of my last book from the author.  May I therefore beg the favour of you to send her a copy of both my books, viz. of the Theory of Moral Sentiments and of the Enquiry concerning the “Wealth of Nations,” handsomely bound and gilt, placing the same to my account, and writing upon the blank-leaf of each, From the Authour.  Be so good as to remember me to Mrs. Cadell, Mr. Strahan and family, and all other friends, and believe me, ever yours,

     ADAM SMITH.[312]