LORD ELDON. 105 



confine his labours to the equity branch of the profession. At this 

 time Thurlow was Chancellor, a man possessed of strong mind, 

 vigorous thought, and great vanity. There was a consciousness of 

 his own superiority a knowledge of the excellence of his natural 

 powers, which led him to disdain the efforts of more cultivated minds, 

 and to endeavour to stifle discussion. He became impatient when 

 an advocate ventured to cull a rhetorical flower, or introduce a 

 poetical quotation ; and he has been known to silence a barrister by 

 stopping him in the middle of a phrase, and ordering him to read his 

 brief, and not trouble the court with declamation.* 



It was before this proud, overbearing judge, that Mr. Scott ventured 

 to appear. Fearless, undaunted, and armed with considerable learn- 

 ing, he cared little for Thurlow's bluster, and less for his law. His 

 manner, however, was in direct contrast to the vulgar brutality of 

 the Chancellor. He was mild, affable, and good natured his tem- 

 perament even and unruffled neither calculated to irritate others, or 

 ba annoyed himself. His whole demeanour was pleasing, his hu- 

 mility apparent, and his reverence to the bench almost without a 

 parallel. His mode of addressing the court was to rise with much 

 show of diffidence, and patiently wait for the nod that would autho- 

 rize his commencement. He would then artfully direct his observa- 

 tions as much to the judge as to the merits of the cause. The conse- 

 quence was soon obvious : he was listened to. He was happy, also, 

 in discovering how far to push an argument, without rendering the 

 Chancellor uneasy ; but if he ever found himself transgressing, he 

 would dexterously take up another point, or listen with the most 

 profound attention to the words of the oracle. 



In 1783 Mr. Scott received a patent of precedency, and shortly after- 

 wards was returned to Parliament for Weobly, in Herefordshire. 

 Like many other worthies who have entered on their parliamentary 

 career with a determination to be honest, or with an appearance of 

 being so, Mr. Scott's maiden efforts were well directed. His oppo- 

 sition, however, was too violent to have been sincere, and appeared 

 more like a display of what Walpole would have called " a knowledge 

 of his price." Mr. Pitt had just returned to power, after the loss of 

 the East India Bill, and the retirement of Lord North : several 

 motions and addresses had been carried in the Commons, expressive 

 of their want of confidence in the new ministers, and the Chancellor 

 of the Exchequer began to rumour his intention of resorting to a 

 dissolution. Mr. Scott, in one of his speeches, alluded to the rumour, 

 ridiculed it as improbable, nay more, impossible ; and maintained 

 that such a proceeding would be unconstitutional, and that he would 

 pledge himself to be the first man to come forward to move an im- 

 peachment, should Mr. Pitt dare to take such a step. Alas ! for the 

 honor of consistency, it is much to be regretted that Mr. Scott's 

 memory failed him ; for it is well known that the minister did 

 dissolve the Parliament, and that the impeachment was forgotten. 



* Lord Thurlow wore a smile when in court, Lut it did not suit his face it 

 failed to please ; there was nothing in it to excite a presumption of amiability. 

 On the contrary, it was of the same character with his tears, which Burke de~ 

 scribed as u more like the dismal bubbling of the Styx, than the gentle niur* 

 muring streams of Aganippe." 



