Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations “to pass away the time” – 250th anniversary

Monday 9 March 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of one of the most important texts in the Scottish Enlightenment – the publication of Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations.

To mark the occasion, the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s President, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli visited the RSE’s archive at the National Library of Scotland to read a letter written from Smith to David Hume, prior to the book’s publication. In the letter Smith states: “I have begun to write a book in order to pass away the time”.

First known reference

Smith’s comment on the book he was writing to “pass away the time” is actually the first known reference to what would become Smith’s magnum opus, one of the most important texts in Scottish history, and in the entire field of economics.

Even in its day, Wealth of Nations was an instant success. Despite this, in his final days, Smith ordered nearly all his work should be destroyed upon his death by his executors and fellow RSE colleagues Joseph Black and James Hutton. This deliberate destruction makes the surviving letters and essays all the more valuable, especially those touching on the creation and early reception of The Wealth of Nations. On its 250th anniversary, these remnants offer a direct glimpse into the mind of Adam Smith.

Both Smith and Hume are key figures in what became known as the Scottish Enlightenment, and the letter from Smith mentions his work on a new theory of economics. The book, the full title of which is An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations, outlines an economic model based on a division of labour and free trade. Many of Smith’s ideas have formed the basis of economic systems still used today the world over.

Sir Anton Muscatelli said: “This letter is a fascinating artefact of the Scottish Enlightenment, as well as a priceless window into the relationship between two scholars Hume, and Adam Smith, who would go on to become a founding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, such was his intellectual clout.

“What The Wealth of Nations has meant to Scotland and the world cannot be overstated. Smith’s work has influenced every modern economy on the planet in some way or another. It is also a classic example of Scotland on the world stage – small but formidable, and able to make massive and lasting contributions.

“My own field is economics, and I can say from experience that Smith’s work is still relevant a quarter of a millennium later, and it should be celebrated for its role in global progress.”

The letter from Adam Smith forms part of the Hume Bequest, a collection of letters written to Hume by his contemporaries and bequeathed by Hume’s nephew, David Hume, Baron of the Exchequer, to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. This collection is held on deposit at the National Library of Scotland.

Each year the RSE presents the Adam Smith Medal for outstanding achievement in the business world. In addition the University of Glasgow, with the proud support of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, is planning a series of activities to mark the anniversary of the publication, visit Wealth of Nations at 250 for details.