Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-10-03

| British domlnions to which his carriage would
have dragged him, where he would not havo
found esteem and applause; and that tribute OF
| gratitude would have been echoed heartily and
sincerely, III after times, when every trace OF
his own generation would have long been OBJ
| liberated.
! He rose from the ranks Of tho people. II
was his duty-it is the imperative obligation of
| every man who builds hiln up such Il towering
| structure oi earthly iortunc-to prove, by some
splendid return Of service TO his country, how
wise is that constitutional principle which
| places the materials within his reach. Let
| lim do such deeds that every mans heart will
| desire 10 see the example OF his elevation drawn
INTO precedent. II is heavy debt which
! the crminod Peer owes to the plcbcian adven-
| turer-thc Earl of Eldon to John Scotland
woe TO him! he has very partially pargcd off
| the claim
| In the latter part Of the year I749, Mr.
Scott, The second son OF Mr. William Scott,
ofNcw-Castlc on-Tync, was born. The faith
or originally was in the situation of Il domestic
in the family Of the Earl of Strathmore: he
was thrifty well conducted man, and con-
trh ed TO accumulate moderate fund from his
earnings, whercwith he commenced the busi-
ness OF 4 coal-ttcr in the town above mcn-
toned William Scott (now Lord StoweiD
and the subject of this memoir, were sent TO
the grammar school at Newcastle, where they
| spent the usual interval that preccdes trans
lation 10 the university. Happily the two
boys were able to profit by the exhibitions en-
joyed by the grammar school Of their native
| town, and they went TO Oxford. To this day
Lord Eldon strives to give Importance to these
foundations; and part of his wrath against Mr..
Brougham is isaccountcd for by the nsparing in
vcstigation, which that gentleman has been so
successful in opening into their timc-honourcd
abuses.
The SCOTS were looked upon clever boys.
William was lively and social; John was a
more passive character. They maintained
themselves at the University chiefly by the
fruit ofthcr own cxcrtions. William gave pub
lie lectures at Oxford, for which lac had to
stand many jest afterwards from DR.. John
son.
John Scott entered the Inner Temple, in Hi
larry Term, 1872. He kept sixteen Terms, and
was called to the bar at the age oftwcnty six,
in the year I716. While he was vet on his
pilgrimage 10 the profession, he was distn-
gushcd by great legal attainments. He WIS
never known TO sacrifice even n moment, be-
yond what was absolutely ncedfu for health
| TO amusement; and, in his zeal for a knowl-
edge OF the law, he abandoned the pursuit of
almost every other species Of information.
| liam would sometimes say TO John, with n
view Of engaging him TO meet johnson, Bos-
well, or some other of the literary men with
| whom it was Williams delight to be in con-
| stant association. The uniform answer to this
| mterrogatory was, "I dine on Coke to-day"
| May, but come 10 my chambcrs-you'll sec
| the Doctor. He can't draw bill" AnC
here the conversation would drop. II was il
consequence Of this habi.ual aversion to an,
,n1 LII,
! known so little to Boswell never even tt
have been alluded to in his four volumes of gar
rulity, where William is so conspicuously men
! toned.
( The bias for legal inquiry was moro a hal
lucinaton than passion with the young bar
! ristcr. Even in his rccreations, law was up
| pcrmost in his mind. have it from the best
| authority, that It was once an amusement OF
John Scott to turn pieces of poetry into the
form of legal instruments; and that he actual
" converted the ballad of" Chevy Chase in
to the shape and style of bill in Chanccyy
Some circumstances attended the very first
professional act which MIR. Scott was called
on to perform, that had tendency in direct
ing his future fortunes. Ii was the first or Sec
ond day after he had been called to the bar
and he was slowly leaving the Court, when d
smart dappcr person, with bag dangling be.
pardon, sir" said he, hesitatingy and polite
ly-" Mr. Scott, l believe" The barr.stci
bowcd profoundly. 81 have been looking fol
you, sir, YOU can do this well as the best O
them; waM you to sign this And he pull.
ed out a paper which required, as n matter o
form only, the signature of a barristcr, who
was entitled to the fee of half guiuca for hi.
share of his ceremony. The counsel bowed
himself almost TO the ground, and scizng a
pen, inditcd John Scott" with greater pleas
urc than he ever before wrote the same in hi.
life. " Beautifully written clear open hanC
it would be well if we could get the profess
ion to write like that, Mr.. Scott Some o
them make such an abomnablc scratch of il -
we have clerks on purpose to dccphcr." And
all the time the man was fumbng for the fee
He thrust his right hand into this pocket, his
left hand into the other; and he looked on
the ground with an air of great disappointment.
Z" ] must have left my purse in the coffee room:
it is only over the way. beg you may not
stir until I return" And had the grcen-horn
of the law complied with this advice, he might
have remained on the spot to this hour; I" for
never since," has Lord Eldon been heard to
say, " have laid my eyes on the same man.
But the event had its use. promise you, |
took care ever afterwards to let these gentry
know that when they brought their briefs 10
me they should not leave their purses in coffee
| rooms"
AT the time when Mr.. Scott began the world
the branches Of pra cticc which are now 80 dis
tinctly followed, were scarcely Disseminated
in the eyes ofihe profession in general. Al
most all the law Judges were, previous 10 thciI
| elevation, chanccry practitioners; and tho
great Lord Mansfield was exclusively devoted
to equity business during the time that he was
a counsel Contrary TO the modern custom,
the barristcrs who frerucntcd the Lord Chan
collor's court attended the country assi1cs.-
Mr.. Scott was a member Of the Northern Cir
J cult, besides being drauehtsman in Equity.