ander, whose grandson, Thomas Alexander, ultimately succeeded by a destination in the entail, to the Lovat estates, and was, in 1837, created a British Peer by the title of Lord Lovat. Lord Strichen died 15th February 1775.

13 Barjarg. James Erskine, who subsequently changed his title, as a Lord of Session, to Alva, he was very diminutive in stature. He died in 1796.

14 Elliock. James Veitch, made a Judge of the Court of Session in 1761. He died in 1793. He owed his elevation to the Bench more to his political influence than to his legal talents.

15 Gardenstone.-Francis Garden became a Judge in 1764. He died in 1793. He was a clever but eccentric person, not overburdened with judicial wisdom.

16 Dundas.-Robert Dundas, Esq. Lord President. 17 Dundas.—Henry, first Viscount Melville.

18 Mess John.-John Erskine of Carnock, author of the Institute of the Law of Scotland.

19 Justice-Clerk.-Sir Thomas Miller of Glenlee, Bart. He was, upon the death of President Dundas, raised to the Presidency, (1788.) His Lordship held this high appointment but a short time, as he died in September 1789. He was the father of Lord Glenlee.

20 Stonefield.-John Campbell, who became a Judge of the Court of Session, and took that title.

21 Monboddo. James Burnet, Esq. appointed 1767,died 1799.

22 Pitfour. James Ferguson of Pitfour raised to the Bench 1764,-died 1777. His eyesight was weak, in consequence of which he always wore his hat on the Bench.

23 Kennet. Robert Bruce of Kennet, appointed a Judge 1764,-died 1785.

24 Tait.-Alexander Tait, Clerk of Session.

VIII.

THE FACULTY GARLAND.

From a printed broadside dated 1785, said to have been composed on occasion of the application of Mr. John Pattison, to be admitted a Member of the Faculty of Advocates.1

TUNE―The old woman of Grimstone.

Ye orators all,

Attend to my call,

Lest ye suffer a Jewish dispersion;
The Faculty, (sure,

To keep themselves pure,)
To rogues have ta'en up an aversion.

To wander about,

In a dirty black clout,

Tho' none are the fools to employ them;

They reckon of late

Privileges so great,

That they do not wish more to enjoy them.

The Advocates met,

The point to debate,

Upon this, so important occasion;

Knaves, Writers, and fools,

To bar by such rules,

As will not admit of evasion.

The first, I've heard say,

Who spoke, was C[harle]s Hay,2

And this was the lawyer's beginning;

Quoth sweet William Charles,"

We can't admit carles

Who keep company blackguard and low; Had the Justice e'er been

With a gentleman seen,

It had been a most singular show.

Says J[ami]e C[olquhou]n,"

We'll degenerate soon,

If we do not watch over the forum;
Reformers and thieves

Will soon be sherives,

And buy up the causes before 'em.

Says old M'[Intos]h,

If we bring in such trash, Without either kin, or connections :

Country Procu'tors next,

Will be Advocates fixt,

And then play the rogue at elections.

The chief thing, says C[orbe]t,'

Oh! I cannot absorb it,Illiterate fellows to ask in:

I'm affraid we shall see

People take our degree, With no other knowledge than Erskine.

With additional scouring

In his mouth, J[oh]n M'[Lauri]n,10 His sentiments thus did portray:Contemptuous looks,

11

Bawdy poems, or books,

Should bar up the candidate's way.

Honest plain I[sla]y C[ampbel],"
Who likes every sham ill,

No quibblers I'll have, he did say ;
For they never will stick,

By cheat, lie, or trick,

12

To wrest the just cause the wrong way.

Says bluff R[ober]t B[lai]r,1

13

With a fierce haughty stare,

All the pride of the church in his eyes,Let us keep away all

The Divinity Hall,

And those who religion despise.

Young Small Trash the third,14

Now put in a word,

To shew them John Bruce's 15 fine logic;

He swore by the wig,

That made him look big,

He'd have nobody grave, stiff, or tragic. 16

Great H[enrly D[unda]s,"

He no turncoat was,

(Tho' many did think it a gibe,-)
That would shift wind, and veer,

Like the vane on a spire,

To the offerer of the best bribe.

Quoth the lean demon Hugo,18
Since to make new laws you go,
Out, out of the Faculty close 'em ;
Whose malicious heart,

In dark corner apart,
Can dictate a carmen famosum.

Says rumbling S[inclai]r,"

With a voice like a tinkler,
To enter great care we should take;
First, none but whose tone is

All soft and harmonious;
Next, none with a spice of the rake.

But Bumbo,20 the sour,

By a fiat of power,

Has clagg'd up the fools empty mouths;
To mutter none dare on't,

For an Act of Sederunt

Must settle the point for the Youths.

Notes to Number VIII.

1 Mr. John Pattison, son of the Rev. Mr. John Pattison Minister of the Gospel in Edinburgh, was admitted Advocate 27th January 1787.