.EARLY LIFE. 55 



Square was under the same roof, and next door to 

 Lord Buclian, eldest brother of the Erskines, a man 

 of eccentric character and much underrated, but of 

 considerable learning and talents, and so highly 

 esteemed by Lord Chatham that he gave him a diplo- 

 matic appointment, which he was kept from filling by 

 some quarrel about etiquette and rank ; but Chatham 

 continued his correspondent all his life, and I have 

 seen his letters when I used to visit Lord Buchan at 

 Dry burgh. They were on various subjects, public and 

 personal, and I recollect the orthography was very 

 indifferent, as for instance does being generally spelt 

 dos or doz. He was exceedingly kind to us as chil- 

 dren, and I continued his acquaintance afterwards, 

 his phrase being, " Ye're min ain bairns of the hoose," 

 (you are mine own children of the house). This led 

 naturally to a great intimacy with his brother Henry; 

 and when I was called to the bar, I had the benefit 

 of his advice and instruction, as well as of profiting 

 by the example of his advocacy, which had the highest 

 merit, and placed him at the head of the Scotch bar. 

 When I afterwards removed to London, the family 

 friendship was continued by the celebrated brother, 

 with whom my intercourse was constant and familiar. 

 Both these eminent men impressed upon me, as the 

 first of qualities in an advocate, that to which they 

 owed their own great success, the sacrificing every- 

 thing to the cause, and indulging in no one topic, or 

 any illustration, or any comment, or even in a phrase 

 or a word, that did not directly and manifestly serve 



