Adam Smith is known to the Russian reader more as an economist than a philosopher. After a hundred-year hiatus, we get the opportunity to renew our acquaintance with Smith, the author of the original ethical essay. His work reveals the most important role of morality in society and the life of mankind. Smith is convinced that the "wealth of nations" is created precisely by those people who not only excel in practical activities, but are also endowed with "high virtues."