Michael, My quick impression is that Smith was writing for a   
British, not just a Scottish audience, and primarily for the   
British statesmen and legislators mentioned in the introduction to   
Book Four of the Wealth of Nations as those concerned with   
political economy and its policies. He was seeking to reform the   
mercantile policies for which Britain was responsible, and was   
addressing himself to London rather than Edinburgh. Of course, some   
of the statesmen in London happened to be Scotsmen.  
  
Andrea Maneschi