66 HIS -TOR]' of the SOCIETY 



Account of 



hearer tlie impreflloii of his own belief in the dodlrines he 

 Miller. maintained. Men there might perhaps be in the profeffion, 



more eminent for invention of topics in a defperate caufe, or 

 who fliowed more verfatility of genius in placing the fame bu- 

 finefs in different Hghts, or turning it into all variety of fhapes ; 

 but there was none who better underftood the flrength of a good 

 or a tenable caufe, or took his ground in one of that defcrip- 

 tion with more judgment and difcretion,2oT ufed its advantages 

 to better purpofe. Having found the foundeft or mofl favour- 

 able part of his client's plea, that he attached himfelf to, and 

 on it exerted all his ftrength ; throwing afide, with juft and 

 proper confidence, all the more doubtful points and weaker 

 confiderations in the caufe. Captious and quibbling argu- 

 ment indeed, and all perverfion of an adverfary's words or 

 meaning, he held to be as foreign to the lawyer's duty, as they 

 are derogatory to the honour of the Court where they are 

 heard ; nor could he, on any occafion, be prevailed on to 

 attempt the aiding of his caufe, in a manner fo inconfiftent 

 with his own feelings of what was right and proper. 



No wonder then, that thus qualified, and regulated by fen- 

 timents fo refped^able, he quickly rofe to a high degree of em- 

 ployment in his profefllon, though he had among his cotempo- 

 raries, for rivals in the public favour, men of the greateft 

 acutenefs and fplendovir of parts. 



Hence alfo he, at an early period of life, entered the career 

 of public offices and honour in the department of the law. 



In the year 174S, on the new arrangement of the office of 

 Sheriff, (which has been attended with fo many falutary confe- 

 quences) he was pitched upon as a fit perfon for one of thofe 

 appointments. The county which Government had deflined 

 for him, was that of Invernefs, in thofe times of recent diforder 

 and rebellion, accounted the mod important of any, and what 

 required the fteadiefl: and moft able fuperintendence. But this 

 appointment, though more advantageous, he declined 3 becaufe 



his 



