158 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
from necessity, we do not pretend to know. The bachelor respected his sisters
very much, although in his freaks he called the one Sodm and the other
Gomorrah.
Like most of his contemporary lords of the quill, Macpherson possessed many
‘‘ social qualities ;” but he quaffed so deeply and so long, that towards night
he seldom found his way up the High Street in a state short of total inebriety.
On arriving at the West Bow, and when he came to the bottom of the stair, he
used to bellow to Sodom or Gomorrah to come down and help up their
drunken bother, which they never failed to do ; and, for additional security in
such cases, it is said he generally ascended the stair 6ackwaTds.
Notwithstanding his potations, Macpherson maintained for some time a
degree of respectability, at least, consistent with the laxity of the times. When
associating with the more respectable ban wivants of these his better days, his
favourite saying, before tossing off his glass of claret, of which he was very fond,
used to be, “Here goes another peck of potatoes.”’ Macpherson at length
became, we regret to say, a habitual drunkard. A loss of respectability in his
profession was the consequence ; and from the practice which he followed of
signing Signet letters for very small sums of money, and other low habits of
business, inconsistent with the dignity of the Society, his professional brethren
at last urged him to retire upon an annuity, This, however, his pride would
never allow him to consent to ; and he continued a member of the Society of
Writers to the Signet till the day of his death.
No case, however trifling-no client, however poor or disreputable, was
latterly beneath the legal aid of Macpherson; and no mode of payment, whether
in goods or currency, was deemed unworthy of acceptance. As an instance of his
practice, he was seen one day very tipsy, plodding his way up the West Bow
from the Grassmarket, with an armful of “ neeps ” (turnips), which he had
obtained from some green-stall keeper, in remuneration for legal services performed.
Not being able to maintain a proper equilibrium, his occasional
“bickers” at last unsettled ,his burthen ; one or two of the turnips, like
Newton’s apple, found the centre of gravity, and in attempting to recover
these, nearly the whole of his armful trundled down the causeway. Macpherson,
determined not to lose what might otherwise contribute much to a favourite
dinner, coolly, and as steadily as possible, set about collecting the turnips,
and actually succeeded, to the astonishment of every one, in accomplishing his
object. On arriving with his load at the accustomed stair-foot, he shouted, as
usual, for Sodom and Gomorrah to render assistance ; and by their aid he and
his cargo eventually reached his apartments in safety.
There is another amusing anecdote told of this decayed, but still independent,
lawyer. The Governor of Edinburgh Castle had been in want of a respectable
cook, and applied to Mr. Creech, the bookseller, to do what he could to procure
one. Creech having found some difficulty in fulfilling the commission, felt
The origin of this saying is
attributed to Mr. Creech, bookseller, but afterwards became a standing remark with Macpherson.
1 A glass of claret was then equal in price to a peck of potatoes.
