278 BI 0 G R A P HI C AL SI< ET CHES.
alluding to his inferior office, when holding a higher one, and not unfrequently
prefaced his decisions by saying, “When I was Shirra’ of Fife,” a peculiarity
noticed in the celebrated Diamond-Beetle Case. He spoke with a strong Scotch
accent. He was fond of his joke, and sometimes indulged in it even on the
bench. On one occasion a young counsel was addressing him on some not very
important point that had arisen in the division of a common, or commonty (according
to law phraseology), when having made some bold averment, Balmuto
exclaimed-“ That’s a lee, Jemmie.” ‘( My lord ! ” ejaculated the amazed
barrister. “ Ay, ay, Jemmie : I see by your face you’re leeing.” (‘ Indeed,
my lord, I am not.” “Dinna tell me that ; it’s no in your memorial (brief)-
awa wi’ you ;” and, overcome with astonishment and vexation, the discomfited
barrister left the bar. Balmuto thereupon chuckled with infinite delight ; and,
beckoning to the clerk who attended on the occasion, he said, “Are ye no
Rabbie H-’s man 1” “Yes, my lord,” ‘(Was na Jemmie -l eeing 2”
“ 0 no, my lord.” “Ye’re quite sure 1” “ 0 yes.” Then just write out
what you want, and I’ll sign it ; my faith, but I made Jemmie stare.” So the
decision was dictated by the clerk, and duly signed by the judge, who left the
bench highly diverted with the fright he had given his young friend.
No. CCLXIII.
REV. JAMES HALL, D.D.,
OF TIlE SECESSION CHURCH, EROUGHTON PLACE, EDINBURGH.
THROUGHOtUhTe long period of his ministry in this city, few men enjoyed a
greater degree of popularity, or were more highly and generally esteemed, than
the Rev. gentleman whose Portrait is prefixed. He was born at Cathcart Mill,
a few miles west of Glasgow, on the 6th January 1756.’ His ancestors were
millers, and had occupied the mill for several generations. His father, James
Hall, a man of education and intelligence greatly superior to his rank, was one
of the original seceders from the Church of Scotland, and feued the site of the
first Secession Church in Glasgow ; and his mother, Isabella Bulloch, whose
paternal property lay in the vicinity of Kirkintilloch, presented the Seceders
of that place with the ground on which their church is erected.
DR. HALL had the misfortune to lose his father at a very early age ; but the
pious deportment and acquaintance with Scripture which Characterised his
1 He had three sisters and two brothers, four of whom were older thar. himself. The Rev.
Robert Hall, his younger brother, was long a minister in Kelso. His sisters were all married to
clergymen of the Secession-Mary, to the Rev. John Lindsay, of Johostoue ; Helen, Rev. Jam-
Illoir, of Tarboltoil ; and Isobel, to the llev. Dwid Walker, of Pollockshaws.