240 THE SCOTCH BAR. [1800. 



much more happy in discrimination than if he had 

 said he was the finest speaker since Catalani or John 

 Kemble; for assuredly the two things, though each 

 greatest in its kind, were so absolutely different as to 

 admit of no comparison. They did not profess to 

 effect the same purpose; they were incommensurable 

 quantities."'" 



The rare accomplishments of Meadowbank for the 

 profession have been mentioned. Next to him I am 

 not aware of any one who had so diligently prepared 

 himself for it as Reddie. I knew him intimately from 

 the time we were together at the High School, under 

 the same masters Eraser and Adam. 



At Eraser's class, during the four years we were in 

 it, he was without intermission constantly at its head, 

 no one ever dreaming of entering into competition 

 with him. In the rector's class, where he only re- 

 mained one year, his modest nature kept him back; 

 and "Wishart, whose second year it was, not he, left it 

 at the head, no one ever conceiving it possible for a 

 one-year's boy to attempt that place. Next year, 

 which was my second nominally (I having been de- 

 tained at home by illness all the first but six weeks), 

 he had left the school, else there can be no doubt 

 neither Kcay nor I would have had a chance with 

 him. At college he applied himself to scientific and 

 literary subjects diligently, and then to the civil law 

 and general jurisprudence. lie passed some time 



* George Cranstoun, raised to the bench in 1826 ', took the title of 

 Lord Corehouse. 



