Obituary Notices. vii 
letter from Sir Walter addressed to Mr Campbell Swinton. He 
ends by saying : — 
“ We are going to Abbotsford, and from thence to London, so can hardly 
hope to see you before summer, but will be then delighted to see you in the 
country. Believe me, with respectful thanks to you and your enterprising 
friends, very much your faithful and affectionate cousin, 
“Walter Scott.” 
I have already mentioned the late Archbishop Tait, who studied 
at Glasgow and Oxford. He never attended the University of Edin- 
burgh, although he became a member of the Classical Society. It 
had a summer session, and during that period Tait attended the 
meetings, and took an active part in its proceedings. 
In 1831 Swinton became a member of the Speculative Society. 
His name appears in the volume entitled The History of the 
Speculative Society , on page 321 ; aud it appears that the essays 
which he contributed during the session were on “ Municipal Law 
and Moral Science,” on the “ State of European Politics at the 
Peace of Paris,” on the “ Causes which led to Buonaparte being 
declared Emperor of the French,” and on the “Rise of the Middle 
Orders in England.” In the course of his attendance at the Specu- 
lative he had occasion, of which he availed himself, to become well- 
informed as to current as well as past historical and political ques- 
tions. His companions there were, among others, the late Edward 
Horsman, M.P. for Stroud; David Mure, afterwards Lord Mure; 
James Craufurd, afterwards Lord Ardmillan; John Thomson Gordon, 
who became Sheriff of Edinburgh, a man of brilliant ability ; and 
George Makgill of Kemback, whom I have already mentioned. 
The latter died early, but was one of the most accomplished of 
the circle. 
At the Speculative, Swinton distinguished himself in a remarkable 
degree, and became a very finished speaker. His style of speaking 
was eminently calculated to be effective in a popular assembly, such 
as the House of Commons. His flow of well-chosen language was 
something phenomenal. The difficulties which beset most public 
speakers, and which many of them never overcome, of hesitancy, 
and want of readiness of expression and of choice of words, he 
never experienced. The only criticism which could be made upon 
his style was, that it was sometimes only too fluent — too unbroken; 
