"If The Wealth of Nations had never been written," he asserts, "this previous work would have earned for him a prominent place in intellectual history.

"If The Wealth of Nations had never been written," he asserts, "this previous work would have earned for him a prominent place in intellectual history.

"If The Wealth of Nations had never been written," he asserts, "this previous work would have earned for him a prominent place in intellectual history.

A scholarly edition of a work by Adam Smith. The edition presents an authoritative text, together with an introduction, commentary notes, and scholarly apparatus.

' So begins The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), the first major text by Adam Smith, who, seven years later, was to publish what was to become one of the major economic classics, The Wealth of Nations (1776).

' So begins The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), the first major text by Adam Smith, who, seven years later, was to publish what was to become one of the major economic classics, The Wealth of Nations (1776).

In this edition the missing part of one letter and eighteen entirely new ones are presented. The search for these letters even extended to Japan. Therefore, all new Smith letter discovered since 1977 are included.

The book is divided into "an examination of the several ways of communicating our thoughts by speech" and "an attention to the principles of those literary compositions which contribute to persuasion or entertainment.