1818.] Lord Woodhouselee 409 



thence travelled to Jedburgh and Dumfries. From that time I 

 had the satisfaction of perceiving that I had some share in his 

 good opinion, of which he gave me many proofs. While prose- 

 cuting my studies in the law, I was wont frequently to resort to 

 him for his advice ; and in the vacations I made many excursions 

 to Blair-Drummond, where I staid for 10 days or a fortnight at 

 a time, and partook in all his occupations, either of study or of 

 amusement. Having read to him a little literary dialogue which 

 I had composed, with which he was pleased, he gave me his 

 advice to fill up my intervals of leisure by composing a set of 

 literary essays : in consequence of which, I wrote a few detached 

 sketches, which I showed him from time to time. It was upon 

 one of these visits to Blair-Drummond, about three years after I 

 had put on the gown, that, in talking of some of his law works, 

 he asked me if ever I had attempted to write any thing in the 

 way of my profession. I told him that I had not, but that I was 

 at that time meditating something of that kind. He then pro- 

 posed to me to write a supplemental volume to his Dictionary 

 of Decisions, bringing down that work to the present time. I 

 told him that the boldness of the undertaking terrified me ; but 

 that the good opinion he had shown of me by making such a 

 proposal was certainly a strong inducement to me to make the 

 attempt. I took, however, some time to deliberate upon it ; and 

 having at length resolved to undertake the work, I went out 

 again to Blair-Drummond to inform myself of the method he 

 had followed in abridging and arranging the cases. These he 

 communicated to me, and I set to work under his eye. The 

 simple abbreviation of the printed cases occupied me above four 

 years ; and during all that time I read over occasionally to Lord 

 Karnes the sheets of my abstracts, on which he gave me his 

 notes and emendations. The arrangement of the cases gave me 

 another year's employment; and while this was going on, I 

 showed the sheets from time to time to Lord Karnes, a great 

 part of them to Mr. Hay Campbell, as also to the Lord President 

 Dundas, to all of whom I was much indebted. When the work 

 was completed and printed, I was much gratified to find that 

 Lord Karnes was pleased with it. Some passages in the preface, 

 apologizing for defects, he desired that I would strike out. 

 ' The work (said he) does you honour ; and a man ought not too 

 much to undervalue his labour, or depreciate his own abilities.' " 

 This volume of the Dictionary of Decisions was published in 

 folio in 1778 ; and of the character and value of the work, no 

 other testimony is necessary after the sanction of the great 

 lawyers that have been mentioned. 



Mr. Tytler had now avowedly dedicated his life to the pursuits 

 of literature ; and his friends became anxious to see him placed 

 in some one of those public literary stations where his talents 

 and his industry might be more conspicuously displayed than in 

 the retirement of private study. An opening of this kind 



