An Abstract of a Book lately Published, full title An Abstract of a Book lately Published; Entitled, A Treatise of Human Nature, &c. Wherein the Chief Argument of that Book is farther Illustrated and Explained [1] is a summary of the main doctrines of David Hume's work A Treatise of Human Nature, published anonymously in 1740.
Some scholars believe it was written by Hume's friend, the economist Adam Smith.
His case depends on the identity of the 'Mr Smith' referred to in a letter of 4 March, 1740 from Hume at Ninewells to Francis Hutcheson at Glasgow.
Norman Kemp Smith, in a review of the Keynes and Sraffa edition, also accepted this, as well as pointing out the entry on Hume in Watkins Biographical Dictionary attributing authorship of the Abstract to Hume, suggesting that the author of the entry possessed inside information about Hume’s motives in publishing the Abstract.
David Raynor has argued that all of the presently available internal and external evidence suggests that Hume wrote the Abstract.