Scrooge and Adam Smith

It will no doubt delight critics of economics everywhere to learn that Ebenezer Scroggie, the merchant who inspired Charles Dickens’ miserly tale, was related to Adam Smith:

Scroggie was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife; his mother was the niece of Adam Smith, the 18th century political economist and philosopher.”

Dickens, however, had mild dyslexia and read Scroggie’s headstone as “Ebenezer Lennox Scroggie – mean man” when in fact it read “meal man,” referring to Scroggie’s trade in corn. Scroggie by most accounts was actually the life of the party.

Hat tip to Tim Taylor who has further thoughts.