unemrecom

ckstone

arispru

nd the

cience; e office;

n which

sciences toilet of hors and

re to in

the most societies

any, the nchanting

ot that the

anter whe

Almost th

manual es
"designe
and, at
forming t
nanimous

y of £2

ed, and

his class at Oxford. So devoted, indeed duties of his lectureship, that, it is said, years he read his lectures at the universit remember that he had ever kept his audi him even for a few minutes. "Melar says his biographer, "could not have be observing the hour and minute of an app

The great Oxonian law-lecturer had no his re-appearance in the legal courts of to find himself at once in extensive pra offered the honours of his profession. he continued to pass some part of the versity, and continued to read his lec while, in the autumn of 1759, he publish of "The Great Charter, and the Charter This work added greatly to his reputati an accomplished lawyer, but as an ac and an able historian.

Shortly after this time, a dissolution having taken place, Mr. Blackstone was of the representatives of Hindon in Wilt patent of procedure granted him to rank sel, having declined the office of Chie Common Pleas in Ireland. His prac

amply remunerative, he married, in the Sarah, the daughter of James Clitherow, House, Middlesex. He was blessed wit

ch has become so universal a texts "almost rendered the abstruse devoted a popular study," cannot

The period at which the author e composition of the "Commenar; but unquestionably he was led preparation of his private lectures is, therefore, to these readings, and I with them, that the public is inagnum.

Dassage in Halliday's Life of Lord in the earlier part of Justice Blackfe, the chair of civil law at Oxford t, the Duke of Newcastle consulted olicitor-General (afterwards Lord ection of a proper person to fill the tor-General warmly recommended was accordingly introduced to the is of ascertaining the principles of ace observed that, in case of any the University, he might, he preBlackstone's exertions in behalf of Grace may be assured that I will giving law-lectures to the best of the reply. "And your duty in the added the Duke. Mr. Blackstone y; and a few days afterwards Dr. to the vacant chair.

Mansfield, short

point out the
dent, is said to
never, with any
tion; but sinc
'Commentaries
other hand, the
cism, and a hos
positions with d
Although mo

stone was a firm
was patronized
day. In 1770
General, which
the justices of
disliked the co

quences of his
himself, was his
"where," he us
tending parties
meet no quarte
As a judge,
himself above 1
expected, his ju
and good sense
very superior,
to the interests
undertaken the

struse

Cannot

author mmen

was led lectures gs, and

c is in

of Lord
ce Black

t Oxford
consulted
ds Lon
to fill the

mmended

ed to the nciples c

se of ar

t, he pre
n behalf
that I

he best c
duty in th
Blacksto
rwards

to point out the books proper for the p dent, is said to have replied: "Until never, with any satisfaction to myself, an tion; but since the publication of M 'Commentaries,' I can never be at a other hand, the work did not escape the cism, and a host of censors arose to atta positions with determined zeal and abilit

Although moderate in his political ser stone was a firm supporter of constituti was patronized by the Conservative Gov day. In 1770 he was offered the situat General, which he declined. He was th the justices of the Court of Common disliked the contentions of parties, one quences of his elevation on which he mo himself, was his removal from the House "where," he used to remark, "amidst t tending parties, a man of moderation meet no quarter from any side."

As a judge, he does not seem to ha himself above his fellows, although, as m expected, his judgments were never defic and good sense. His talents for genera very superior, and he discharged, with to the interests of the University, the vario undertaken there.

i col, were

ons of

IX.

Lord Erskine.

"Nostræ eloquentiæ forensis facile prin

HE line placed at the head of scribed upon an admirable

Erskine, by Nollekens; and

universal award, this great Nisi Prius palm from all his compeers-nay, it i whether his eloquence was ever surpass modern forensic orator.

Lord Campbell, in his Lives of the given a striking sketch of his truly s He has told how, on the 10th January, ill-furnished room, in an upper "flat house in the Old Town of Edinburg youngest son of Henry David, tenth E peer of ancient pedigree, but now redu of poverty, and burdened with a numer Honourable Thomas Erskine had two than himself, for whom it was necessary and the means of his parents were exha turn came. There was nothing they c him to sea as a midshipman; and th