Hume had told him that his book had "depth and solidity and acuteness"; the younger Pitt had consulted him on public affairs.

Few men have moved amid such happy peace within the very centre of what was most illustrious in their age.
We are less concerned here with the specific economic details of the _Wealth of Nations_ than with its general attitude to the State.

But here a limitation upon criticism must be noted.

The man of whom Smith writes is man in search of wealth; by definition the economic motive dominates his actions.

Such abuse, therefore, as Ruskin poured upon him is really beside the point when his objective is borne in mind.