Smith would begin work at Glasgow on the 10th of October, and before the middle of November he and Cullen were already deeply immersed in quite a number of little schemes for the equipment of the College.  There was first of all the affair of the vacancy in the Moral Philosophy chair, which was anticipated to occur immediately through the death of Mr. Craigie—­referred to in the following letter as “the event we are afraid of.”  This vacancy Cullen and Smith were desirous of seeing filled up by the translation of Smith from the Logic to the Moral Philosophy chair, and the Principal (Dr. Neil Campbell) seems to have concurred in that proposal, and to have mentioned Smith’s name with approbation to the Duke of Argyle, who, though without any power over the appointment to any except the Crown chairs, took much interest in, and was believed to exercise much influence over, the appointment to all.  This was the Duke Archibald—­better known by his earlier title of the Earl of Islay—­who was often called the King of Scotland, because he practically ruled the affairs of Scotland in the first half of last century, very much as Dundas did in the second.  Smith seems to have gone through to Edinburgh to push his views with the Duke, and to have waited on him and been introduced to him at his levee.

Then there was the affair of Hume’s candidature for the Logic chair, contingent on Smith’s appointment to the other.  There was the affair of the Principal’s possible retirement, with, no doubt, some plan in reserve for the reversion, probably in favour of Professor Leechman, mentioned in the previous letter, who did in the event succeed to it.  Then there was Cullen’s “own affair,” which Smith was promoting in Edinburgh through Lord Kames (then Mr. Home), and which probably concerned a method of purifying salt Cullen had then invented, and wanted to secure a premium for.  At any rate, Lord Kames did speak to the Duke of Argyle on this subject in Cullen’s behalf a few months later.

While immersed in this multiplicity of affairs Smith wrote Cullen the following letter:—­[28]

     EDIN., Tuesday, November 1751.

     DEAR SIR—­I did not write to you on Saturday as I promised,
     because I was every moment expecting Mr. Home to town.  He is
     not, however, yet come.

I should prefer David Hume to any man for the College, but I am afraid the public would not be of my opinion, and the interest of the society will oblige us to have some regard to the opinion of the public.  If the event, however, we are afraid of should happen we can see how the public receives it.  From the particular knowledge I have of Mr. Elliot’s sentiments, I am pretty certain Mr. Lindsay must have proposed it to him, not he to Mr. Lindsay.  I am ever obliged to you for your concern for my interest in that affair.

When I saw you at Edinburgh you talked to me of the Principal’s proposing to retire.