BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 437
11.-ROBERT BELL, Procurator for the Kirk, was the second son of the
late Benjamin Eell, an eminent surgeon in Edinburgh, of whom a portrait and
memoir has already appeared in this Work. He passed advocate in 1804, and
is known.as the author of a (( Report of a case of Legitimacy under a Putative
Marriage, tried before the Second Division of the Court of Session in February
1811.” Edinburgh, 1825, 8vo.
He was a member of the
Bannatyne, Maitland, and Abbotsford ’Clubs, to the former of which he contributed
“An Account of the Siege of the Castle of Edinburgh in 1689,” printed
from the original manuscript in the library of the Faculty of Advocates. He
married Miss ROSSd, aughter of Colonel Andrew ROSSo, f the 31st Foot, and by
her, who died in 1832, had a son and daughter surviving. The former joined
the Facultyof Advocates; and the latter was married, 12th September 1835, to
James Moncreiff, Esq., advocate,’ eldest son of the late Lord Moncreiff.
Mr. Bell had a great taste for the fine arts.
111.-MATHEW ROSS, of Candie, son of a Deputy-Clerk of Session, was
admitted advocate in 1772, and chosen Dean of Faculty in 1808. He died in
1823 unmarried. He was a good lawyer, and had considerable practice, chiefly
as a chamber counsel.
Mr. Ross was a man of mild and unassuming manners ; and he is believed
to have refused a seat on the bench from diffidence in his ability to discharge
the duties of that office. Naturally of a thoughtful habit, matters of very small
importance frequently provoked the most serious deliberation. Having been
requested on one occasion to add his signature, in his official capacity, to a
circular letter, after writing his name he laid the sheet down on his desk, and
closing his eyes appeared for some time to be engaged in profound meditation,
Mr. Gibb, one of the depute-librarians, at length remarked, that all he had to
do was to add (( D. F.” after his name. ‘( That is the very thing I was thinking
of,” said Mr. ROSS“,w hether to make it D. F. or Dean of Faculty!”
Mr. Ross was very diminutive in size, had a florid countenance, blue eyes,
and was well made. In his advanced years he presented the appearance of a
nice, tidy, little, old “ gentleman.” He left a considerable fortune,
1V.-EDWARD M‘CORMICK, Sheriff-Depute of Ayrshire, was the son of
Samuel MCormick, Esq., General Examiner of Excise in Scotland. He was
born in 1745, and admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates in 1772.
His practice at the bar was respectable, and he was remarkable for the precision
and correctness of his statements. He succeeded Lord Craig as Sheriff of Ayr j
and, for upwards of twenty years that he held that office, gave such satisfaction as
a judge, that, on his death in 1814, the county gave various proofs of the high
of Redcastle, Inveimess-shire, and lately connected with the Sun newspaper; the third, Robert Dundas,
married a Mr. North, an officer in one of the regiments stationed in New South Walea, with whom
Mrs. Burnett and her son sailed for that colony.
For an intareating
account of the late Lord Moncreiff (who died in l85l), George Ckmstoun, and Clerk of El&, see
Cockhrn’a me of JefTey.
Now the Right Hon. Lord MoncreiB of Tulliebola, Lord Justice-clerk.