“I have just now received a copy of Douglas from London.  It will instantly be put in the press.  I hope to be able to send you a copy in the same parcel with the dedication."[96]

Hume was now very anxious to have his friend nearer him, and thought in 1758 an opportunity could be contrived of translating Smith to a chair in the University of Edinburgh.  There was at that time some probability of Professor Abercromby resigning the chair of Public Law (then styled the chair of the Law of Nature and Nations), and as Smith, though not a lawyer, was yet a distinguished professor of jurisprudence, his friends in Edinburgh immediately suggested his candidature, especially as they believed such a change would not be unacceptable to himself.  The chair of the Law of Nature and Nations was one of the best endowed in the College, having a revenue of L150 a year independently of fees, but it had been founded as a job, and continued ever since to be treated as a sinecure.  Not a single lecture had ever been delivered by any of its incumbents, in spite of repeated remonstrances on the part of the Faculty of Advocates, and Hume believed that if the Town Council, as administrators of the College, could be got to press for the delivery of the statutory lectures, the present professor would prefer the alternative of resignation.  In that event the vacant office might easily, in Hume’s opinion, be obtained by Smith, inasmuch as the patronage was in the hands of the Crown, and Crown patronage in Scotland at the time was virtually exercised through Lord Justice-Clerk Milton (a nephew of Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun, the patriot), who had been, ever since the death of Lord President Forbes, the chief confidential adviser of the Duke of Argyle, the Minister for Scotland, and was personally acquainted with Smith through his daughter Mrs. Wedderburn of Gosford, the friend of Robertson and John Home.

Others of Smith’s Edinburgh friends zealously joined Hume in his representations, especially the faithful Johnstone (afterwards Sir W. Pulteney), who actually wrote Smith a letter on the subject along with Hume’s.  Hume’s letter is as follows:—­

DEAR SMITH—­I sit down to write to you along with Johnstone, and as we have been talking over the matter, it is probable we shall employ the same arguments.  As he is the younger lawyer, I leave him to open the case, and suppose that you have read his letter first.  We are certain that the settlement of you here and of Ferguson at Glasgow would be perfectly easy by Lord Milton’s Interest.  The Prospect of prevailing with Abercrombie is also very good.  For the same statesman by his influence over the Town Council could oblige him either to attend, which he never would do, or dispose of the office for the money which he gave for it.  The only real difficulty is then with you.  Pray then consider that this is perhaps the only opportunity we shall ever have of getting you to town.  I dare swear that you think the difference of