SPORTSMEN OF BENCH AND BAR 347 



and his son walking together behind — Cockburn, making 

 a sign over his shoulder towards the two who were following, 

 said, " Which of them shot you, Bacup ? " " Which, Sir 

 Alexander ? " replied the keeper. " Both, damn 'em ! " 



Chief Baron Pollock was a first rate runner, jumper, and 

 boxer ; he was probably the most active man for his years 

 that ever graced the Bench. When he was made chief 

 Baron of the Exchequer in 1844, being then in his sixty- 

 second year, he offered to run, walk, or box with any man 

 twenty years his junior, and I am sure there was no man 

 of forty at the Bar who could have beaten him. To the 

 very last he prided himself on his athletic vigour, and the 

 following story is told of him. When he was close upon 

 eighty an officious friend urged upon him the advisability 

 of resigning on account of his advancing years and general 

 infirmities. When the gentleman had finished the Chief 

 Baron rose and said, in his own peculiar, sarcastic 

 manner : 



" Oh ! you think it is about time I gave up work, do 

 you ? Got too old and stiff, you fancy ? Come here ! " 



The too candid friend stood up, and the Chief Baron, 

 skipping up to him with all the nimbleness of a lad in his 

 teens, said : 



" Will you dance with me ? Imagine yourself a charming 

 lady, and abandon yourself to the ravishing waltz." 



" Thank you ; I don't dance," replied the other coldly. 



" Dear me ! you don't dance ? Well, but you can box, 

 can't you ? " 



" I could when I was a young man." 



" But surely you haven't forgotten — come, let us have a 

 spar." 



And with that the Chief Baron began to frame up to his 

 officious friend, and let out right and left. He kept on 

 hitting with bewildering quickness and considerable sting, 

 till a smart left-hander on the nose drew blood from that 

 organ and tears from both eyes. This was more than the 

 candid friend had bargained for from the man whose de- 

 crepitude he had been insisting on ; he turned and fled 

 from the room. After that, I need hardly say that Chief 

 Baron Pollock had no more visits from friends suggesting 



