BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 125
Debating Society established in Edinburgh, in which he gave promise of that
eminence as a pleader which he afterwards attained.
The brilliant talents of Mr. Erskine soon placed him at the head of his profession.
His legal services were as much at the command of the poor as of the
wealthy, and he gratuitously devoted his abilities in behalf of any individual
whom he believed to be ill-used, with greater zeal than if he had been amply
remunerated for his exertions. So well was this benevolent trait in his character
known, that it was said of him by a poor man who lived in a remote
district of Scotland, when a friend would have dissuaded him from entering into
a ceeain lawsuit, ‘‘ There’s no a pub man in a’ Scotland need to want a friend
or fear an enemy, sae lang as Harry Erskine’s to the fore.”
During the Coalition Administration Mr. Erskine held the office of Lord
Advocate of Scotland, He succeeded Henry Dundas (afterwards Lord Melville).
On the morning of the appointment he had an interview with Dundas
in the Outer-House; when, obsening that the latter gentleman had already
resumed the ordinary stuff gown which advocates are in the custom of wearing,
he said gaily that he “ must leave off talking, to go and order his silk gown ” (the
official costume of the Lord Advocate and Solicitor-General).-“ It is hardly
worth while,” said Mr. Dundas, drily, “ for the time you will want it-you had
better borrow mine.” Erskine’e reply was exceedingly happy-“ From the readiness
with which you make the offer, Mr. Dundas, I have no doubt that the gown
is a gown made to Jit anyparty; but however short my time in office may be, it
shall ne’er be said of Henry Erskine that he put on the abandoned habits of
his predecessor.” The prediction ‘of Mr. Dundas proved true, however j for
Erskine held office only for a very short period, in consequence of a sudden
change of Ministry. He was succeeded by Ilay Campbell, Esq., afterwards
Lord President of the Court of Session, to whom he said, upon resigning his
gown, “My Lord, you must take nothing of it, far I’ll soon need it again.”
To which Mr, Campbell replied, “It will be bare cnolcgh, Harry, before you
get it.” On the return of the Whigs to power in 1806, Mr. Erskine once more
became Lord Advocate, and was at the same time returned member for the
Dumfries district of burghs. But this Administration being of short duration,
he was again deprived of office.
After a long, laborious, and brilliant professional career, extending over aperiod
of forty-four years, Mr. Erskine retired from public life to his villa of Almonddell
in West Lothian, where he died on the 8th of October 1817, in the
seventy-first year of his age.
In person Mr. Erskine was above the middle size, and eminently handsome.
His voice was powerful-his manner of delivery peculiarly graceful-his enunciation
accurate and distinctqualities which greatly added to the effect of his
oratory,
Mr, Erskine’s first wife (Miss Fullerton) was a lady of somewhat eccentric
habits-she not unfrequently employed half of the night in examining the family
wardrobe, to see that nothing was missing. On one of these occasions she
