many Erskines, one should learn to think better of mankind.

The character of Mr. Erskine's eloquence bore a strong resemblance to that of his noble brother, (Lord Erskine ;) but being much less diffusive, it was better calculated to leave a forcible impression." He was distinguished," says Mr. Jeffrey, in an animated sketch which he has written of his departed friend, "not only by the peculiar brilliancy of his wit, and the gracefulness, ease, and vivacity of his eloquence, but by the still rarer power of keeping those seducing qualities in perfect subordination to his judgment. By their assistance, he could not only make the most repulsive subjects agreeable, but the most abstruse easy and intelligible. In his profession, indeed, all his wit was argument, and each of his delightful illustrations a material step in his reasoning. To himself it seemed always as if they were recommended rather for their use than their beauty; and unquestionably they often enabled him to state a fine argument, or a nice distinction, not only in a more striking and pleasing way, but actually with greater precision than could have been attained by the severer forms of reasoning. In the extraordinary talent, as well as the charming facility of his eloquence, and the constant radiance of good humour and gaiety which encircled his manner in debate, he had no rival in his own times, and as yet has had no successor."

Like most men who have a high reputation in society for that wit and hilarity which render social converse so delightful, Mr. Erskine had for a long time the imputed property of almost all the bon-mots and jeux d'esprit circulated in the northern metropolis. An

abundant collection of happy thoughts and expressions, the genuine effusions of Henry Erskine, might certainly be formed, without pressing one of doubtful origin into the service; and it becomes therefore the more hazardous to offer any thing in the light of specimens of so fertile an excellence. The following we give, not as by any means characteristic of a mind which was once the delight and admiration of (perhaps) the most enlightened capital in Europe; but as the only specimens relating to our immediate subject, which happen at the present moment to lie in our way.

Soon after being called to the bar, Mr. Erskine went a circuit in the train of the celebrated Lord Kaimes. His lordship, though a man of very enlarged mind, fell sometimes into the sin of being pitifully parsimonious; and on no occasion was he more apt to be so, than when he travelled and feasted at the public expense, and there was a possibility of saving something to himself out of the sum regularly allotted in Scotland to Judges in their official county excursions. On the rising of the court one day, Lord K. invited Mr. E. with some other young barristers, to dine with him. When the cloth was removed, the company found that port alone was to be the order of the day hint after hint was given to his lordship, that since the public were to pay, something better might be afforded; his lordship passed over every allusion of the kind unnoticed; and when at last the war oblique seemed verging towards a more direct order of hostilities, he turned towards Mr. Erskine, and with the view of shifting the subject, asked him very gravely, "What could have become of the Dutch? who had a short time before been drubbed off the Doggerbank by Admiral

Parker." No shift could have been more unfortunate for his lordship. Mr. Erskine, with a smile, replied, "I suppose, my lord, they are like us, confined to Port." Lord K., who with all his riggardliness had a mind sensibly alive to the sallies of genius, immediately ordered a supply of the best claret in the house to be placed on the table.

Some parts of the north-east coast of Scotland are famous for a peculiar sort of small dried haddocks, called speldings, which are sent in large quantities to the southern counties, and form a prominent article of luxury at all the country fairs. The best idea that an English reader can form of this luxury is, to suppose himself chewing a strap of leather. The late eccentric Hugo Arnot, author of the History of Edinburgh, who was in his person remarkably meagre, happening one day to come into the Parliament House exercising his jaws on one of these delicacies, Mr. Erskine stepped up to him, said, "I wish you much joy, Mr. Arnot; I never saw you look so like your

meat before."

The same gentleman, Mr. Arnot, was remarkable for the looseness of his opinions with respect to futurity; while Mr. Erskine was, on the contrary, as much distinguished for a deep sense of revealed religion, and an attention to every Christian ordinance. One Sunday afternoon Mr. A. happened to be on horseback, when he met Mr. Erskine returning from divine service. "Where have you been, Harry?" said the historian. "What has a man of your sense and education to do among a parcel of old women? What did you expect to hear? Where was your text?" "Our text," said Mr. Erskine," was in the sixth chap

ter of the Revelations: " And I looked, and beheld a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was DEATH, and Hell followed with him." Mr. Arnot, who was actually mounted on a pale-coloured horse, felt the sarcasm in all its force; and muttering a hasty execration, rode off.

On the formation of what was called the Coalition Ministry, Mr. Erskine was appointed to succeed Mr. Henry Dundas (afterwards Lord Melville), in the important situation of Lord Advocate for Scotland. On the morning of receiving his appointment, he had an interview with Mr. Dundas in the Outer Parliament House; when, observing that the Ex-Premier had already resumed the ordinary stuff gown which all practitioners at the Scottish bar, except the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for the time being, are in the custom of wearing, he gaily said, that "he must leave off talking, and go and order his silk gown to be made." "It is hardly worth while," said Mr. Dundas dryly, "for the time you will want it. You had better borrow mine." Mr. Erskine, with admirable promptness, replied: "From the readiness, Mr. Dundas, with which you make the offer, I have no doubt that yours is a gown made to fit any party; but however short my time in office may be, it shall never be said of Harry Erskine, that he adopted the abandoned habits of his predecessor."

Mr. Dundas, though foiled in wit, had however the advantage in prescience. Mr. Erskine held the office for little more than half a year; when the downfall of the Coalition Ministry carried his situation of Lord Advocate along with it.

ANDREW CROSBIE.

The name of Andrew Crosbie is well known to all those who are in the slightest degree acquainted with the modern torensic eloquence of Scotland. The imprudences that tarnished the splendour of his great talents, the vicissitudes that shed a malignant gloom over the evening of his days, it is painful to recollect and tedious to record. His latter indi

gence was extreme. While in this situation, Mr. Dundas, (afterwards Lord Melville) who had been Crosbie's rival at the bar, and his enemy in politics, gave him to understand, that a vacant seat in the Court of Sessions was ready for his acceptance.

“No,” said Crosbie, " judges ought to be blameless, superior to corruption, as well in situation as in principle. I never will sacrifice the reputation of my country's tribunals to my necessities."

The praise of good men will be divided between the generosity of the offer and the magnanimity of the refusal.

PLEADING v. AUCTIONEERING.

On the 20th of July, 1789, an action was tried before the Court of King's Bench, brought by Mr. Spurrier, auctioneer, against a Mr. Beard, to recover a sum of about £230, being a charge of one per cent. commission for selling an estate.

Mr. Christie, the auctioneer, of "hanging wood" memory, was called as a witness for the plaintiff. He said, "he had been an auctioneer upwards of