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was desirous to see him rise to eminence; and the probabilities of success or disappointment, were the thoughts of his father by day, and his dream by night." ""*

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It is easy to imagine the original of this portrait, writing to one of his friends, about the end of June 1792 I have the pleasure to tell you that my son has passed his private Scots-Law examinations with good approbation —a great relief to my mind, especially as worthy Mr. Pest † told me in my ear, there was no fear of the 'callant,' as he familiarly called him, which gives me great heart. His public trials, which are nothing in comparison, save a mere form, are to take place, by order of the Honourable Dean of Faculty, ‡ on Wednesday first, and on Friday he puts on the gown, and gives a bit chack of dinner to his friends and acquaintances, as is the custom. Your company will be wished for there by more than him.-P. S. His thesis is, on the title, 'De periculo et commodo rei vendita,' and is a very pretty piece of Latinity." §

And all things passed in due order, even as they are figured. The real Darsie was present at the real Alan Fairford's "bit chack of dinner," and the old Clerk of the Signet was very joyous on the occasion. Scott's thesis was, in fact, on the Title of the Pandects, Concerning the disposal of the dead bodies of Criminals. It was dedicated, I doubt not by the careful father's advice, to his friend and neighbour in George's Square, the coarsely

* Redgauntlet, vol. i.

† It has been suggested that Pest is a misprint for Peat. There was an elderly practitioner of the latter name, with whom Mr. Fairford must have been well acquainted. 1839.

The situation of Dean of Faculty was filled in 1792 by the Hon-. ourable Henry Erskine, of witty and benevolent memory.

§ Redgauntlet, vol. i.

humorous, but acute and able, and still well-remembered, Macqueen of Braxfield, then Lord Justice-Clerk (or President of the Supreme Criminal Court) of Scotland.

I have often heard both Alan and Darsie laugh over their reminiscences of the important day when they "put on the gown." After the ceremony was completed, and they had mingled for some time with the crowd of barristers in the Outer Court, Scott said to his comrade, mimicking the air and tone of a Highland lass waiting at the Cross of Edinburgh to be hired for the harvest work "We've stood here an hour by the Tron, hinny, and de'il a ane has speered our price." Some friendly solicitor, however, gave him a guinea fee before the Court rose; and as they walked down the High Street together, he said to Mr. Clerk, in passing a hosier's shop "This is a sort of a wedding-day, Willie; I think I must go in and buy me a new night-cap." He did so accordingly; perhaps this was Lord Jeffrey's "portentous machine.” His first fee of any consequence, however, was expended on a silver taper-stand for his mother, which the old lady used to point to with great satisfaction, as it stood on her chimney-piece five-and-twenty years afterwards.

* An eminent annotator observes on this passage: "The praise of Lord Braxfield's capacity and acquirement is perhaps rather too slight. He was a very good lawyer, and a man of extraordinary sagacity, and in quickness and sureness of apprehension resembled Lord Kenyon, as 1839. well as in his ready use of his profound knowledge of law."

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CHAPTER VII.

First Expedition into Liddesdale

Study of German — Political Trials, &c. Specimen of Law Papers - Bürger's Lenore translated Disappointment in Love.

1792-1796.

SCOTT was called to the Bar only the day before the closing of the session, and he appears to have almost immediately escaped to the country. On the 2d of August I find his father writing, "I have sent the copies of your thesis as desired; " and on the 15th he addressed to him at Rosebank a letter, in which there is this paragraph, an undoubted autograph of Mr. Saunders Fairford, anno ætatis sixty-three:

"Dear Walter, I am glad that your expedition to the west proved agreeable. You do well to warn your mother against Ashestiel. Although I said little, yet I never thought that road could be agreeable; besides, it is taking too wide a circle. Lord Justice-Clerk is in town attending the Bills.* He called here yesterday, and inquired very particularly for you. I told him where you was, and he expects to see you at Jedburgh upon the 21st. He is to be at Mellerstain† on the 20th,

* The Judges then attended in Edinburgh in rotation during the intervals of term, to take care of various sorts of business which could not brook delay, bills of injunction, &c.

†The beautiful seat of the Baillies of Jerviswood, in Berwickshire, a few miles below Dryburgh.

and will be there all night. His Lordship said, in a very pleasant manner, that something might cast up at Jedburgh to give you an opportunity of appearing, and that he would insist upon it, and that in future he meant to give you a share of the criminal business in this Court, all which is very kind. I told his Lordship that I had dissuaded you from appearing at Jedburgh, but he said I was wrong in doing so, and I therefore leave the matter to you and him. I think it is probable he will breakfast with Sir H. H. MacDougall on the 21st, on his way to Jedburgh." *

*

*

This last quiet hint, that the young lawyer might as well be at Makerstoun (the seat of a relation) when His Lordship breakfasted there, and of course swell the train of His Lordship's little procession into the county town, seems delightfully characteristic. I think I hear Sir Walter himself lecturing me, when in the same sort of situation, thirty years afterwards. He declined, as one of the following letters will show, the opportunity of making his first appearance on this occasion at Jedburgh. He was present, indeed, at the Court during the assizes, but "durst not venture." His accounts to William Clerk of his vacation amusements, and more particularly of his second excursion to Northumberland, will, I am sure, interest every reader :

"To William Clerk, Esq., Advocate, Prince's Street, Edinburgh. Rosebank, 10th Sept. 1792.

“Dear William, — Taking the advantage of a very indifferent day, which is likely to float away a good deal of corn, and of my father's leaving this place, who will take charge of this scroll, I sit down to answer your favour. I find you have been, like myself, taking advantage of the good weather to look around you a little, and congratulate you upon the pleas

ure you must have received from your jaunt with Mr. Russell.* I apprehend, though you are silent on the subject, that your conversation was enlivened by many curious disquisitions of the nature of undulating exhalations. I should have bowed before the venerable grove of oaks at Hamilton with as much respect as if I had been a Druid about to gather the sacred mistletoe. I should hardly have suspected your host Sir William † of having been the occasion of the scandal brought upon the library and Mr. Gibb‡ by the introduction of the Cabinet des Fées, of which I have a volume or two here. I am happy to think there is an admirer of snug things in the administration of the library. Poor Linton's § misfortune, though I cannot say it surprises, yet heartily grieves me. I have no doubt he will have many advisers and animadverters upon the naughtiness of his ways, whose admonitions will be forgot upon the next opportunity.

"I am lounging about the country here, to speak sincerely, as idle as the day is long. Two old companions of mine, brothers of Mr. Walker of Wooden, having come to this country, we have renewed a great intimacy. As they live directly upon the opposite bank of the river, we have signals agreed upon by which we concert a plan of operations for the day. They are both officers, and very intelligent young fellows, and what is of some consequence, have a brace of fine greyhounds. Yesterday forenoon we killed seven hares, so you may see how plenty the game is with us. I have turned a keen duck shooter, though my success is not very great; and when wad* Mr. Russell, surgeon, afterwards Professor of Clinical Surgery at Edinburgh.

Sir William Miller (Lord Glenlee.)

‡ Mr. Gibb was the Librarian of the Faculty of Advocates.

§ Clerk, Abercromby, Scott, Fergusson, and others, had occasional boating excursions from Leith to Inchcolm, Inchkeith, &c. On one of these their boat was neared by a Newhaven one- Fergusson, at the moment, was standing up talking; one of the Newhaven fishermen, taking him for a brother of his own craft, bawled out, "Linton, you lang bitch, is that you?" From that day Adam Fergusson's cognomen among his friends of The Club was LINTON.

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