100 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1903 
opinion of the law-officers of the Crown with respect to 
them.’” Again a smile stole over Barwick Baker’s face as 
he added, “It was found we were right, and the two rules 
were withdrawn.” 
Even later than the War of Independence, the practice 
was maintained in English Courts of giving fees in certain 
cases to jurymen to bias a verdict. This evil custom 
lingered on till the trial for smuggling, of a grocer in 
Glasgow,’ a canny Scot named Robert MacNair. The 
case was pretty clear against him, and the Counsel for the 
Crown closed his speech by saying that if the jury found 
a verdict for the Crown there would be a guinea each for 
the jurymen! MacNair conducted his own defence. It 
was brief. He simply stated that he would only make 
one observation on the eloquent speech for the prosecu- 
tion. “The learned gentleman who made it told you that 
if you find a verdict for the Crown there will be a guinea 
each for the gentlemen of the jury. All I have to say in 
reply is, that if the verdict is given for the defendant there 
will be ¢wo guineas each and a supper for you at my 
house.” The verdict was for the defendant; but the 
incident brought such ridicule on the practice of offering 
fees to the jury that this was the last time it was used. 
A striking evidence of the progress that has been made 
in the evolution of the country since George III’s time is 
afforded in Southey’s Essays ;* while it is at the same time 
a wonderful proof of that writer’s insight into the true 
requirements of the nation, and of the accuracy of his 
forecast, that 18 out of the 20 reforms for which he pleads 
have now been carried out more or less completely. 
His son has made out a long list of measures urged upon 
the English in the Quarterly Review, or elsewhere, by his 
father, as follows, and I append to each where it has been 
accomplished, the word (“done”.) 
1 See “ Old Glasgow,” by Seney, published 40 or 50 years ago. 
2 Southey—by Edward Dowden, English Men of Letters Series—pp. 154, 155- 
