2l8 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



them, and to men of plain, good sense, or of ordi- 

 nary capacities, they appear altogether a great mass 

 of unintelligible matter, or a complete u riddle-me- 

 ree." This may, indeed, be intended or winked at; 

 for it gives employment to a great number of men 

 of the law, of all kinds of character, from the basest 

 up to others who are ornaments to their country. 

 Indeed, were it not for the latter description, the 

 rest would not be endurable. They are more to be 

 dreaded than highwaymen and housebreakers, and 

 as such are viewed by the thinking part of the 

 community ; but the former find employment from 

 clients of their own character, who trust to them 

 for their ability in twisting, evading, and explaining 

 the law away. 



I have had the honour of being acquainted with 

 some of the respectables of this learned profession ; 

 but to enumerate all of those I knew intimately 

 would swell out an unnecessary list of names. 

 I therefore think it sufficient first to notice such 

 only as were held in great public estimation. Of 

 these, in this neighbourhood, as councillors, stood 

 Robert Hopper Williamson, Esq., Recorder of this 

 town, a Newcastle worthy, and Thomas Losh, Esq., 

 worthy of the like designation. Among the latter, 

 as men of the law w 7 hom I greatly respected, and 

 with whom I associated on terms of closer and 

 more social intercourse, were John Davidson, 

 Esq., Clerk of the Peace for Northumberland,* 

 and his brother Thomas f who succeeded him in 

 that office. The character which both these affable 



* John Davidson, died at Tynemouth, 21 June, 1818, aged 66, and 

 was buried at All Saints. 



f Thomas Davidson died at Lemington near Alnwick, 29 July, 

 1823, aged 69, and was buried at All Saints. 



