[219] Wealth of Nations, Book V, chap. 2, part ii; Cannan, vol. ii, p. 308.
[220] Cf. particularly Burgin, Les Communaux et la Révolution française, in Nouvelle Revue historique de Droit, Nov.-Dec. 1908.
[221] Wealth of Nations, Book V, chap. 1, part iii, art. 2; Cannan, vol. ii, p. 250.
[222] Ibid., Book IV, chap. 9; vol. ii, p. 185.
[223] Ibid., Book I, chap. 10, part ii; vol. i, p. 130.
[224] Wealth of Nations, Book V, chap. 1, part iii, art. 1; Cannan, vol. ii, p. 233.
[225] Ibid., Book V, chap. 1, part iii, art. 1; vol. ii, p. 246.
[226] Ibid., Book II, chap. 4, in fine. It is probable that his conversion to belief in absolute liberty took place later as the result of his perusal of Bentham’s Defence of Usury, published in 1787, advocating the right of taking interest. This seems to have been the case if we can credit the report of a conversation which Smith had with one of Bentham’s friends, mentioned in a letter written to Bentham by another of his friends—George Wilson. Cf. John Rae, Life of Adam Smith, p. 423.
[227] Wealth of Nations, Book II, chap. 2; Cannan, vol. i, p. 307.
[228] Wealth of Nations, Book II, chap. 2; Cannan, vol. i, p. 307. He continues: “The obligation of building party walls in order to prevent the communication of fire, is a violation of natural liberty, exactly of the same kind with the regulations of the banking trade which are here proposed.” This passage proves that Smith was in favour of public regulations which would further the material security of the citizens. Elsewhere he shows his partiality for adopting hygienic precautions against the spread of contagious diseases (Book V, chap. 1, part iii; vol. ii, p. 272).