THE LIVES

OF

TWELVE EMINENT JUDGES

OF THE LAST AND OF THE PRESENT

CENTURY.

BY

WILLIAM C. TOWNSEND, ESQ. M.A.

RECORDER OF MACCLESFIELD.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS,

PATERNOSTER-ROW.

UCD-LIBRARY

LONDON:

Printed by A. SPOTTISWOODE,

New-Street-Square.

CONTENTS

OF

THE SECOND VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

LIFE OF LORD ERSKINE CONTINUED.

His Success in obtaining Verdicts and heavy Damages in Cases of

Seduction and Crim. Con. Trial of Markham and Fawcett ; of Stock-

dale; of Cuthell. Letter to Dr. Parr. Brilliant Defence of Hardy

and Horne Tooke. Erskine's Dexterity, Readiness, Tact, and

Eloquence. Impassioned Pleading for Thelwall. His triumphal

Procession to Serjeants' Inn. This the proudest and happiest Period

of his Life. Always retained for Defendants with two Exceptions.

Prosecution of Age of Reason and Williams. Erskine's Appearance

as a Witness. Defence of Earl Thanet and Mr. Ferguson. That

Gentleman's just Eulogium on his noble Advocate.

Pages 1-44

CHAPTER II,

LIFE OF LORD ERSKINE CONTINUED.

Trial of Hadfield for High Treason. Examples of Erskine's Ingenuity

and Eloquence. Serjeant Talfourd's Criticism on Erskine. Compared

with Curran. Instances of their Independence; Sensibility; Pathos;

Imagination; Humour; Readiness. Unlucky Promotion of each.

Erskine's Pamphlet on the War. Offered the Post of Attorney-

General. Visit to Paris at Bonaparte's Levee. Erskine's Opinions

on Points of Law. Elected Lord Chancellor and Baron Erskine.

Specimens of his Judgments. Lofty and graceful Demeanour at Lord

Melville's Trial. His Courtesy and Good-nature.

the Seals, and Mortification. Speech and Letter.

Debater in the House of Lords. History of his Bill

His yielding up

Considered as a

against Cruelty

to Animals. Anecdotes of him in Retirement. His Armata. Ex-

tracts from the Work. His pathetic Praise of Fox

45-95