464 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
V.-ROBERT CORBET, the late Solicitor of Teinds, was born in Dumfries,
of which town his father was for some time Provost. He passed advocate
in 1777; and was appointed Solicitor of Teinds in 1816. This office he
held till his demise in 1833, when he was succeeded by Sir William Hamilton.
Mr. Corbet was for many years a very successful and popular pleader, especially
before the General Assembly, where he was much employed, and for
some time had almost the whole practice there. He is thus alluded to in the
“ Faculty Garland,” 1785.
‘‘ The chief thing, said Corbet-
Oh ! I cannot absorb it-
Illiterate fellows to’ask in ;
I’m afraid we shall see
People take our degree,
With no other knowledge than Erskine.”l
He was a strong-built, vigorous man, with a large excrescence, or wen, on one
side of his face. Corbet made what is termed a mes-alliance, but there was no
issue of the marriage.
VI,-GEORGE JOSEF‘H BELL, Professor of the Law of Scotland
in the University of Edinburgh, was the son of the Rev, William Bell, one of
the Episcopal ministers of Edinburgh. Mr. Bell was admitted to the bar
in 1791. He early turned his attention to the study of the Mercantile Law
-a part of the Scottish Jurisprudence at that time almost unregarded ; and,
in the year 1800, he published his Commentaries on the Mercantile Law,
especially considered in relation to the subject of Bankruptcy. This work
passed through five editions, and is regarded as by far the most valuable and
complete treatise on the subject. In 1822 he was chosen by the Faculty of
Advocates, in whom the right of nomination is vested, subject to the approval
of the Magistrates and Town-Council of Edinburgh, to fill the chair of
Scottish Law in the University, then vacant by the promotion of Mr. Baron
Hume to the Exchequer. About the year 1828 he published Outlines of his
Lectures, at first merely intended as a text-book for the students of his class,
but which, under the title of “ Principles of the Law .of Scotland,” proceeded
through several editions, and became one of the most useful practical books on .
the law of this country.
In 1822 Mr. Bell was appointed a member of the Commission for Inquiring
into Scottish Judicial Proceedings. He was selected by his colleagues to draw
up their Report j and soon after he was called up to London in order to assist
the committee of the House of Lords in framing the bill. He was subsequently
named a member of another commission, appointed to examine into, and simplify
the mode of proceeding in the Court of Session. The report of the
gentlemen who formed this Commission was the groundwork of what is termed
the Scottish Judicature Act (prepared by Mr. Bell), by which many important
This was written in consequence of certain discussions on the Faculty of Advocates, as to preventing
unqualified and objectionable persons from being admitted members.