How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
But, among the ancient Romans, the lands of the rich were all cultivated by slaves, who wrought under an overseer, who was likewise a slave. (4.7.3)
Adam Smith is no fan of slavery, and he's glad he lives in an England where the practice is all but gone. In the old days of Rome, people used to have entire classes of slaves, where some slaves were in charge of other slaves.
Quote #5
The greater part of the citizens had no land, and without it the manners and customs of those times rendered it difficult for a freeman to maintain his independency. (4.7.3)
In the old days of England, very few people owned farmland, which meant that a few landowners pretty much controlled the society and farmers worked for them like slaves. In modern times, Smith looks forward to a world where there is more competition and you have more people owning land and trying to make it productive.
Quote #6
[So] the labour of farmers and country labourers is certainly more productive than that of merchants, artificers and manufacturers. (4.9.18)
Even though business people tend to be more respected, Adam Smith is convinced that there is no one in society more productive than a farmer. That's because these folks produce the food that people need to survive. And better yet, they grow the stuff out of dirt, which seems like they're producing something out of nothing.