24 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
Having come to the bar in 1842, he soon got into considerable 
practice, and was popular among his brethren in the Parliament 
House. He was appointed Advocate-Depute in 1854, an office 
which he held till 1858, when he lost it on a change of Grovern- 
ment. He was reinstated in 1858, and was appointed Sheriff of 
Fife in 1861. In the discharge of this office, he is said to have 
given great satisfaction, both to the practitioners in the Sheriff- 
Court and to the resident gentry. 
Mr Mackenzie was raised to the Bench in 1870, and was not 
only most conscientious in his attention to the judicial duties, but 
was successful in pronouncing judgments which were seldom 
reversed. It is related that on two occasions, when they were 
reversed in the Inner House, they were, by an appeal to the House 
of Lords, adhered to. 
Lord Mackenzie was exceedingly fond of all country sports. A 
serious illness was contracted, about two years before his death, in 
consequence of his continuing to fish in wet clothes, till he got a 
severe chill. In November 1874 he became so ill, that he was 
obliged to ask leave of absence for the winter. During the subse- 
quent Christmas holidays, he attempted to return to his work in 
the Bill Chamber, but he was obliged to give it up, and confine 
himself to bed. Disease of the heart, aggravated by rheumatism, 
had set in. He continued more or less an invalid for a whole year 
before his death, seldom discharging any judicial work. 
Lord Mackenzie was universally respected for his close attention 
to duty, his sound knowledge and judgment as a lawyer, his 
freedom from guile, and his conciliatory disposition toward all 
with whom he was brought in contact. His life was shortened by 
a determination to perform any duty incumbent on him, though 
probably conscious that he was thereby weakening his constitu- 
tion. 
John Sinclair was born 20th August 1797, and died 22d May 
1875. He was the third son of the Right Hon. Sir John Sinclair, 
Bart, of Ulbster, in the county of Caithness, author of that 
valuable repertory, the Statistical Account of Scotland. His 
mother was Diana, daughter of Alexander, the first Lord Mac- 
donald. 
