Smith, Chaules

, an able writer on the subject of the corn-trade, was horn at Stepney, in 1713. His father was Charles Smith, who occupied several mills by descent, and erected those great establishments of the kind at Barking in Essex, from which he retired to Croydon, where he died in 1761. Our author succeeded, on his father’s retirement, to the occupation of his predecessors: but, having a competent fortune, left the active management to his partner and relation, while he found leisure to pursue his inquiries at Barking, and discharge the duties of a country magistrate. In 1748, he married Judith, daughter of Isaac Lefevre, brother to Peter Lefevre, who had established the largest malt-distillery in England; and from henceforth he resided among his wife’s relations at Stratford in Essex. Here, inquisitive and industrious, he turned his attention to the operations of the corn-trade, and policy of the corn-laws, and was induced by the scarcity of 1757, to lay the result of his labours on this subject before the public, in three valuable tracts published in 1758 and 1759. These were well received, and the author lived to see an edition of them published by the city of London; to hear his work quoted with approbation by Dr. Adam Smith, in his “Wealth of Nations;” and to observe his recommendations adopted by parliament. But in the midst of these enjoyments he died by a fall from his horse, Feb. 8, 1777, aged sixtythree. His only son, Charles Smith, esq. was lately member of parliament for Westbury in Wiltshire. Mr. Smith’s tracts on corn had become very scarce, when in 1804 they | were re-published by George Chalmers, esq. with a memoir of the author. ¹