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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 289 found him in a paroxysm of passion, kicking the astonished official of the taxoffice out of doors ! Mr. Cooper, who, on the death of his second wife, married a third time, had in all a family of seventeen children.’ He resided in the upper flats of the corner land, looking into the High Street and North Bridge. This property was bnilt by Mr. Cooper jointly with his friend Mr. Weddell, whose shop was on the ground floor. He died in December 1818. KO. CCLXVI. THE ARTIST UNDER EXAMINATION BY SHERIFF PRIN GL E, WITH THE PURSUERS, BELL AND RAE, SITTING BEHIND. WHEN the two preceding Etchings made their appearance, BELL and RAE were so highly incensed that they raised a prosecution against the artist, and obtained an interdict, prohibiting the publication of the Prints. While the process was pending, Kay adopted his usual method of retaliation, by publishing the “ Examination,” which represents him before the Sheriff, with the prosecutors, “black in the face” with rage, seated behind. As the truth only had been set fort,h-the fact having been established that Bell did bet and carry the waiter on his back-the parties found they could do nothing further in the matter. Mr. Innes had the good sense not to interfere. The Sheriff before whom Kay is represented as having compeared was JOHN PRINGLE, Esq., son of Robert Pringle, Esq., of Edgefield, one of the Senators of the College of Justice.’ He was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in January 1763, and succeeded the late Baron Cockburn as Sheriff-Depute of Edinburgh in June 1790. In January 1794 Mr. Pringle was appointed one of the Principal Clerks of Session. This situation he held till his death, which occurred at Edinburgh on the 14th of February 1811. One of the daughters of Mr. Cooper was married to Mr. Livingaton, well known in the commercial world. He pawed advocate 4th July 1724; was appointed Sheriff-Depute of the county of Banff in 1748 ; and wan raised to the bench 20th November 1754. ’ Lord Edgefield was the son of Thomaa Pringle, W.S. He died on the 8th of April 1764. VOL 11. 2 P
Volume 9 Page 384
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290 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. On the formation of the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers, Mr. Pringle was appointed Lieutenant of the Left Grenadiers, and afterwards promoted to a Captaincy. He lived at that time in “ the Society,” Brown Square. The Clerk seated at the table, of whom only a back view is afforded, is Mr. JOSEPH MACK, who for many years officiated as a Clerk in the Sheriff Court. His father was one of the officials of St. Cuthbert’s Church, under the late Rev. Sir Henry MoncreifT and Mr. Paul. As an amanuensis, or copyist, Mr. Joseph was remarkably expeditious. He died on the 1st of October 1801, the day on which the account of the peace of Amiens arrived in Edinburgh, He was a native of Edinburgh. No. CCLXVII. THE HON. SIR NASH GROSE, ONE OF THE JUDGES OF THE COURT OF KING’S BENCH? NASH GROSE, son of Edward Grose, Esq., of the city of London, was born in 1740. Admitted of Lincoln’s Inn in 1756, he was called to the bar in 1766 ; and, by the display of considerable professional abilities, speedily established himself in extensive business. After eight years’ practice as a barrister he obtained the degree of Sergeant, and for many years took the lead in the Court of Common Pleas. He was also allowed to be an excellent Nisi Prius advocate ; and, as a special pleader, he had distinguished himself by blending with the formal nature of his duties a degree of eloquence seldom associated with the office. The elevation of Mr. Grose to a judicial seat, in 1780, was generally regarded as a just appreciation of his talents and rectitude of conduct; and, while he continued on the bench, he is universally allowed to have maintained an uprightness, integrity, and freedom from political bias, which with one or two exceptions, has been the proud characteristic of the English judges since the Revolution. Shortly after his elevation the honour of knighthood was conferred on him by his Majesty George the Third. Sir Nash Grose retired from the bench in 1813, and died suddenly the following year. He was at the time (the 6th of June) on his return to his seat in the Isle of Wight, and had scarcely entered the room when he fell on a sofa, and expired in a few minutes afterwards, His remains were interred in the Isle of Wight. The Portrait of Judge Grose was taken by the artist when in London in 1800.
Volume 9 Page 385
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