(4) HIS TORT of the SOCIETT. 



Accoonioftord always maintained in an uncommon degree, he felt it unworthy 

 of him not to make every effort for rifing into eminence in the 

 profeffion which he had chofen, from which, being a younger 

 fon, and not likely to be poffeffed of a large patrimony, he was 

 to derive fupport and independence. 



An opportunity foon occurred of drawing the attention of 

 the Court in which he pradlifed, and indeed of the country at 

 large, to the talents which he poffeffed, and to that exertion of 

 them which he could command. He was counfel in a caufe, 

 which, from its peculiar circumftances, had attracSled much pu- 

 blic curiofity, and divided for fome time the public opinion. 

 This was the cafe of Wilfofi and Maclean, in which a particular 

 faifl (-the period of the death of a fliipmafter, from whom a 

 receipt was produced in bar of the plaintiff's claim, but which 

 receipt was alleged to be a forgery) was involved in fo much 

 imcertainty, and that uncertainty ftrengthened by the oppofite 

 depofitions of fuch a number of witneffes, that it became a que- 

 ftion of uncommon notoriety and expedlation, not only from 

 the exti'aordinary circumftances of that individual caufe, but 

 as involving a general legal confeqiience of the incertitude of oral 

 teftimony in fixing the date of not very diftant events. In this 

 caufe Mr Abercromby was employed for the purfuer or plaintiff, 

 and made a fpeech, in oppofition to one of equal ability frona Mr 

 Blair, now Solicitor-General, fo confpicuous for the clofenefs 

 of its deducftion, tlie force and clearnefs of its argument, the 

 eloquence and impreflive fenfibillty of its declamation, as to ex- 

 cite a very flrong fenfation at the bar and in the pviblic, and to 

 mark him as an Advocate from whom the moft ftrenuous and 

 fuccefsfvil exertions were to be expedled. It is feldom that at 

 the bar of Scaland, any appearance, however brilliant, has 

 much effect in bringing a counfel into profeffional celebrity or 

 employment. From the conftittition of the Supreme civil 

 Court in this country, where trial by jury does not take place, 



and 



