72 HISTORY of the SOCIETY. 



Account of 



Lord p re fident witn ms own e 7 es many of the picturefque fcenes which had fo 

 often delighted him in the defcriptions of their poets. He re- 

 turned in perfect health, after being abfent for about a year, 

 and remmed his former occupations with his wonted vigour 

 and activity. 



, In the month of January 1788. on the death of Prefident 

 Dundas, he was, to the entire fatisfaction of his country and 

 the Bar, called to prefide in the Civil Court. His Majefty, at 

 the fame time, thought proper to requite his long fervices, by 

 bellowing on him the title of a Baronet of Great Britain. 



It was a very difficult tafk for any man, the youngeft and 

 moft vigorous, to enter on the extenfive labours of this office, 

 after the Lord Prefident Dundas ; whofe lingular powers for 

 the rapid difpatch of bufinefs will always be remembered with 

 regret, whoever the perfon be that fills his chair. Yet of his 

 fucceflfor, during the fhort time he held it, we may with truth 

 fay, that he gained an acceffion of reputation, by his manner 

 of conducting himfelf in this new flation, though advanced to 

 the age of Seventy before he attained it. And if he fometimes 

 confulted with his brethren upon matters which he might have 

 fettled without fuch deliberation, this was almoft unavoidable 

 upon the firft entry into office; at leaft in a perfon like Sir Tho- 

 mas Miller, who, with the beft pretentions to lead and di- 

 rect, was free from all defire to exert his influence. This mild- 

 nefs of difpofition fecured to him, in an uncommon degree, 

 the refpect and affection of the Gentlemen at the Bar ; whom 

 he always heard with fuch patience, and treated with fuch at- 

 tention and good breeding, as fhould, more effectually than 

 the fharpeft animadverfion, reprefs all petulance and indecorum. 



Having thus then gained the fummit of his honeft ambi- 

 tion, in rifing fucceffively, by his own talents and ufeful la- 

 bours, to all the great offices of the law ; — having obtained 

 them all without blame or envy, and held them with credit and 

 diflinction ; — happy in retaining, at an advanced age, the full 



pofleffion 



