238 THE SCOTCH BAR. [1800. 



Allan Maconochie (afterwards Lord Meadowbank) 

 was perhaps the most thoroughly grounded in legal 

 principles, and indeed had received the most general 

 legal education, of any man at the Scotch, perhaps at 

 any bar; for beside being deeply versed in Scotch and 

 civil law, he studied and attended court, and kept 

 terms, with a view of being ca]led to the English bar, 

 particularly studying under Lord Mansfield : he also, 

 for several years, attended the French courts of law, 

 the Parliament of Paris. His general education, 

 under the advice of his kinsman, Dr Eobertson, whose 

 ward he was, had been carefully conducted, and he 

 was the only private pupil that Adam ever had. He 

 made him a distinguished classical scholar. He had 

 even attended lectures on divinity and church history, 

 and was so familiar with medical subjects that he 

 lent assistance to an eminent physician (Dr Gregory) 

 in preparing his thesis on taking his degree. He was 

 professor of the law of nature and nations, and pre- 

 pared an elaborate course of lectures on the subject, 

 In business, which he had to a great extent, he was 

 distinguished by his great learning, his close reasoning, 

 and his clear, lucid statement of facts. But his great 

 fame is in his judicial character, having proved one 

 of the very best judges that ever sat on any bench ; 

 nor on Scotch cases is there any one whose authority 

 weighs to this day more in the Lords.'' 5 " 



Among those of less standing at the bar in those 



* Allan Maconochie, born 1748 ; raised to the bench by the title of 

 Lord Meadowbank in 1796 ; died 1816. 



