AAG 
domain ire 
inson| was: first: chosen -M.P. forthe city 
of Cork; » where, as) it| has been *seen, his 
father possessed:considerable interest, and 
for which place his brother, Lord Hutchin- 
son; had»sat;-before his'advancement to the 
peerage, in 1801. From that period, until 
the time of his: decease, he held his seat for 
Cork; in eachosucceéssive parliament. Only 
two days before his death he wrote, or 
dictated, an address to the electors of that 
city in favour of his son. 
Mr. Hutchinson married, first, on the 
24th of December 1792, Miss Bond, 
daughter of Sir James Bond, Bart; and 
by her, who died on the 30th of March 
1796, he had issue a son, John, born in 
March 1795. He married, secondly, Anne, 
relict of SirJohn Brydges Woodcock, Bart, 
daughter of the Jate Hon. and Rey. Mau- 
rice’ Crosbie, Dean of Limerick, sister to 
the present Lord Brandon, and great grand- 
daughter'of Thomas Fitzmaurice, first earl 
of Kerry. By that lady he also had issue. 
LORD GIFFORD. 
. Robert Lord Gifford, who died on the 
4th of September, at the early age of 
forty-seven, Master of the Rolls, Deputy 
Speaker of the House of Lords, &c. &c. 
affords, in his professional career, one of 
those extraordinary instances of rapid) ad- 
vancement from an humble origin, which im 
this country alone can be successfully sought 
for. His attainment of high rank and 
honours within a few brief years, is the 
more remarkable when it is considered that 
his powers, though respectable, were) not 
splendid—though solid; not profound. 
' Mr. Gifford was born at Exeter, on the 
24th of February 1779. His father was a 
respectable tradesman there, in the hop, 
grocery, and drapery lines ; his mother was 
of very humble connexions. His father left a 
large family, and for their benefit one of his 
elder brothers, Me. Wearman and Mr. 
Charles Gifford (who are still living) carried 
on the business till within these ten years. 
His’ education was commenced at a small 
school-kept by a dissenting minister, in 
Exeter, who was accustomed to aflirm, 
that Gifford was the cleverest boy he had 
ever had under him. He was next at the 
grammar school of Alpheston, near Exeter, 
‘under the very clever and very noto- 
‘ous Dr: Halloran, (at least we know Dr. 
‘Halloran always assumed the » credit» of 
having educated Lord Gifford) a person 
whose ~auto-biography, faithfully written; 
would be one of the most curious.and inte- 
resting of our time.* It was one of the 
habits of his boyhood to go to Exeter, 
when permitted, atethe time of the as- 
sizes, and to» take his seat in the court, 
+ 
* st4nieageaAP ) 
* Dr. Halloran it will be. recollected, was, in the 
ear 1818, tried and convicted at the Old Bailey of 
ging a frank in the name of;Judge Garrow, an - 
offence for which he was sent to Botany Bay, where 
he is said to have established a school, and also a 
literary magazine. 
Biographical Memoirs of Eminent Persons. 
bAeRy 
[Ocr. 
~ ih 7 : Sita he 
and remain: there) tik the» close of, each’ 
day’s business. \/ Whether »these:visits.ori=. 
ginated in a love, of! the law, or iwhetlier 
it were the proceedings at the assizes whieh 
inspired him witha preference for: the legal 
profession, it might» mow be difficult te, 
ascertain. However, when he:hadcom-' 
pleted his education, he! was ,articled; at; 
the age of 17, to Mr. Jones, an\attorney, 
of Exeter, with whom he remained for, the 
usual period. Jt is said that, Mr. Jones, 
violated his promise, that he would take 
him into partnership. on his admission to 
practise as an attorney. At that period the 
attorneys at Exeter were embodied in a 
society; to which it was usual, to refer 
matters in dispute amongst themselves, To 
this society young Gifford appealed ; before 
a special meeting he and his master argued 
their respective cases: the decision of the 
society was, that the young man’s claim 
was valid and ought to be allowed ; but his 
master, who had not demurred tothe juris- 
diction of his brethren in the first instance, . 
then refused to abide by their award ; alleg> 
ing, as it has been stated, that his promise 
had been given on the contingency .of his 
nephew’s not returning. from London: to 
Exeter to practise. From the forensic 
talent which Mr. Gifford displayed on. 
that. occasion, the attorneys'-received a 
most favourable ‘impression , of, his. abili- 
ties for the bar; and on. their: suggestion, . 
aided by ‘intimations) of: professional sup= 
port on the circuit at; a) future, period, -he 
entered his name! as) a )student,-of. the 
Middle Temple. ‘For-some years previously 
to his death, he hadbeen one of the 
benchers of ‘that honourable society...) 
On his first coming’ to, London, Mr. 
Gifford was two} years with, Mr. Robert 
Bayly, at present one of the barristers be- 
longing to the Western circuit ; and after- 
wards, according to some of the statements 
which we have seen, he was twelve months 
in the office of Mr. Godfrey Sykes, who was 
then practising as a special pleader, and. 
who is now the solicitor of the stamp 
office. ; 
On the 12th-of February; 1808, Mr. Gif- 
ford: was called to, the bar.) His earliest 
professional efforts were made at the Exeter 
sessions, where his talents for business,and 
the assiduity with which. he, evidently de- 
voted himself to! the jacquisition of legal. 
knowledge, attracted much notice.. Almost 
from the commencement of ‘his practice-he 
was distinguished by the quickness with 
which he could/seize upon.certain points ; ° 
and also by:that: unerring test of ,abilitys the, 
facility of reply. fd} af trsmcitied 
In 1814); Mr, Abbott, the present Lerd.., 
Chief Justice of the Court,of King’s Bench, 
and.)Mr. Dauncey. (one of the: most bril--= 
liant» orators of; his. day) were engaged. at: 4 
Exeter on. special retainers, to eonduct-as 
great lunacy» question, which- oceupied ~~ 
nine days; and Mr, Gifford was: selected — 
alone to conduct the case on the other 
