THE EARLY TEACHING OF ECONOMICS IN THE UNITED STATES 301 
upon the Science of Politics.” * A few weeks later he writes as 
follows: “My studies require considerable labor and exertion. 
Few sciences are more abstruse are (sic) intricate than that of 
political economy, yet the extensive information, the compre- 
hensive and powerful talents of Smith have thrown upon the 
subject a light which I believe no other man could have given. 
In this study I have felt most forcibly the inconvenience of hav- 
ing never studied a system of geography. Upon the subject of 
politicks (taking this term in its common acceptation) I feel the 
necessity of historical information.” * 
These extracts prove beyond the peradventure of a doubt that 
political economy was taught in 1801. In a subsequent batch of 
letters, however, we find evidence that it was probably taught in 
1799. A letter from one of the students, Chapman Johnson, 
bearing the date 1799, contains the following: “Finding that I 
could not get through the Bishop's political course before Tucker's 
(George Tucker, professor of law) commenced, I have thought it 
best to join the Seniors. I shall consequently begin Rousseau 
immediately.” 
Although this student says nothing of Adam Smith, it appears 
from the Chandler letter that Smith was studied with Locke and 
Paine; and Rousseau would naturally be studied in the same 
COUTSE. 
The conclusions are as follows: The subject of political 
economy was certainly taught at William and Mary in 1801, and 
very probably in 1799. It was probably taught in 1798, if the 
possession of a copy of the Wealth of Nations by a student in the 
college in that year may be considered pertinent. There is no 
proof that the study was included in the curriculum before that 
date. Inasmuch as the first American edition of the Wealth of 
Nations was published in 1789, it is almost certain that it was 
not used as a textbook in the eighties. There is nothing to make 
us believe that it was taught, as alleged, as early as 1784 for 
the argument which is used for William and Mary would equally 
apply to every other college of that date where moral philosophy 
was taught. 
! This letter is dated A. R. 25. Some of the letters are dated Anno 
Rep. 25, ie., twenty-five years from the Declaration of the Independence 
or 1801. Letters from William and Mary College 1798-1801, Virginia His- 
torical Magazine, vol. xxix (1921), 159-160. 
* Op. cit., p. 166. 
* Op. cit., p. 266.