100 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
No. XLVIII.
HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE
AND
THE HON. ROBERT DUNDAS OF ARNISTON,
LORD CHIEF BARON OF THE COURT OF EXCHEQUER.
THE first figure in this Print represents the Right Honourable HENRY
DUNDAS, Viscount Melville and Barop Dunira.
Mr. Dundas was second son of Robert Dundas of Arniston, Lord President
of the Court of Session,’ by Anne, daughter of Sir William Gordon of Invergordon,
his lordship’s second wife, and was borq an the 28th April 1742.
After completing his education at the University of Edinburgh with the
usual course of legal st,udy, he was admitted a Member of the Faculty of Advocates
in the year 1763,
At this period it has been said, that, after paying the expense of his education
and admission to the faculty, Mr. Dundas had just sixty pounds remaining of
his patrimony.
Mr. Dundas began his splendid public career in the comparatively humble
capacity of an assessor to the Magistrates of Edinburgh. The office of one of his
Majesty’s Depute-Advocates was then conferred upon him j and subsequently
he was appointed Solicitor-General for Scotland.
To these situations he recommended himself by his superior talents, which
were early displayed, and which obtained for him the highest consideration of
the Bench and Bar. But the ambition of Mr. Dundas was directed to higher objects
than were to be attained even by the most brilliant success at the Scotch
bar, where the only honour that would follow the most successful exertion of
talent, would be a seat on the bench. He accordingly resolved to try his fortunes
in the sister kingdom, and with this view, in the year 1774, successfully
contested the county of Mid-Lothian with the Ministerial candidate. He, however,
afterwards joined the party then in power-became a zealous and able
supporter of Lord North‘s Administration-and was, as a reward for his services,
appointed Lord Advocate of Scotland in 1775. Two years afterwards, he
obtained the appointment of Keeper of his Majesty’s Signet for Scotland.
1 To prevent any misconception, it may be right to mention that there were two Presidents of
the Court of Session hearing the name of Robert Dundas. The first, who waa born on the 9th
December 1685, and died on the 26th August 1753, was the father of Lord Viscount Melville. The
second, who was born on the 18th July 1713, and died, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, on the
13th December 1787, waa the eldest son of the preceding judge by his first marriage with Elizabeth,
daughter of Robert Watson, Esq. of Xuirhouse, and in this way was the “half-brother ” (to use a
Scotticism) of Lord Melville.