266 ROBERTSON. 



what off his guard, and showing a feeling of great 

 displeasure, if not of anger, in a severe remark upon a 

 young member. But the provocation was wholly out 

 of the ordinary course of things, and it might well 

 have excused, nay, called for, a much more unsparing 

 visitation than his remark, which really poured oil 

 into the wound it made. Mr. Cullen, afterwards 

 Lord Cullen, was celebrated for his unrivalled talent 

 of mimicry, and Dr. Robertson, who was one of his 

 favourite subjects, had left the Assembly to dine, 

 meaning to return. As the aisle of the old church, 

 consecrated to the Assembly meetings, was at that late 

 hour extremely dark, the artist took his opportunity of 

 rising in the Principal's place and delivering a short 

 speech in his character, an evolution which he accom- 

 plished without detection. The true chief returned 

 soon after ; and, at the proper time for his interposition, 

 rose to address the house. The venerable Assembly 

 was convulsed with laughter, for he seemed to be 

 repeating what he had said before, so happy had the 

 imitation been. He was astonished and vexed when 

 some one explained the mystery opened as it were the 

 dark passage where Mr. Cullen had been acting. He 

 said he saw how it was, and hoped that a gentleman 

 who could well speak in his own person would at 

 length begin to act the character which properly 

 belonged to him.* 



That great additional weight accrued to him as ruler 



* A somewhat similar scene occurred in the House of Commons 

 on the publication of Mr. Tickell's celebrated jeu d'esprit, ' Anti- 

 cipation.' It only appeared on the morning of the day when the 

 session opened, and some of the speakers who had not read it 

 verified it, to the no small amusement of those who had. 



