424 Biographical Account of [Dec. 



posed in his labours, by enforcing on the minds of mankind the 

 conviction of an all-wise and all-beneficent Author of Nature. 

 The demonstration, in short, of that great and central truth, on 

 which depends our present happiness and our future hopes. 

 Since the publication of this edition, some other excellent works 

 have appeared upon the same subject, from which many valuable 

 additions may be made to the Notes on Derham, and I intend, 

 accordingly, to make those additions, if a new edition should be 

 wanted in my lifetime." 



The year 1799 was distinguished by the agitation of the great 

 question with regard to the Union with Ireland ; and in attend- 

 ing to the debates it occasioned, Mr. Tytler thought that no view 

 of the subject could be better fitted to conciliate the minds of 

 the Irish people to this important measure, than a representation 

 of the benefits which Scotland had derived from the Union with 

 England. These observations he threw into the form of a letter; 

 and they were published at Dublin, with the title of " Ireland 

 profiting by Example ; or, the Question considered, Whether 

 Scotland has gained or lost by the Union ? " Of this little work 

 it is enough to say, that such was its merit, or its popularity, 

 that three thousand copies were sold upon the day of its publi- 

 cation. 



In the year 1801, a vacancy occurred in the Bench of the 

 Court of Session, by the death of Lord Stonefield. The friend- 

 ship of Lord Melville had a new opportunity for its display ; and 

 the friends of Mr. Tytler had now the satisfaction of seeing him 

 elevated to the highest honours of his profession. On the 2d of 

 February, 1802, he took his seat upon the Bench with the title 

 of Lord Woodhouselee. v 



Of Lord Woodhouselee's qualifications for this important 

 office, it would be presumptuous in me to offer any opinion ; and 

 I feel, with gratitude, that it is unnecessary, as, of all the honours 

 which the Government of this country has to bestow, those 

 which have been in the estimation of the public most purely 

 won, and most honourably worn, are those which belong to the 

 Administration of Justice. He brought not to the Bench, indeed, 

 either that profound acquaintance with the details of law, which 

 nothing but continued and extensive practice can give ; nor that 

 metaphysical acuteness, which so often seeks to distinguish 

 itself by subtlety of distinction, or novelty of interpretation ; nor 

 that impatient eloquence which loves to find in the most trivial 

 cases, an opportunity for its own display. But he brought to it 

 qualities, in a country like this, of higher value, and of more 

 genuine usefulness, — a just and enlightened admiration of the 

 laws he was called to administer, — the most conscientious 

 patience in the investigation of truth, — and a mind incapable 

 either of being intimidated in the discharge of duty, by the 

 dread of censure, or of being misled by the love of praise. In 

 his conduct en the Bench, the characteristic integrity and 



