An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) was Adam Smith's landmark work, yet no book has ever before captured the impact it had on Smith's contemporaries. This volume gathers together for the first time a wide range of contemporary texts to trace the reception and influence of this groundbreaking work.The collection documents the immediate reaction in Britain, the entrance of the Wealth of Nations into politics, and the early reception on the Continent. Featuring letters written to Smith, early reviews, and extracts from books, this volume includes a wealth of previously inaccessible criticism and analysis. The new editorial material and the careful selection and presentation of the texts makes this a unique reference source in the history of economic thought.