by Walter Scott
NOTE 3, p. 102
The account given by Mr. Pleydell of his sitting down in the midst of arevel to draw an appeal case was taken from a story told me by an agedgentleman of the elder President Dundas of Amiston (father of the youngerPresident and of Lord Melville). It had been thought very desirable,while that distinguished lawyer was king's counsel, that his assistanceshould be obtained in drawing an appeal case, which, as occasion for suchwritings then rarely occurred, was held to be matter of great nicety. Thesolicitor employed for the appellant, attended by my informant acting ashis clerk, went to the Lord Advocate's chambers in the Fishmarket Close,as I think. It was Saturday at noon, the Court was just dismissed, theLord Advocate had changed his dress and booted himself, and his servantand horses were at the foot of the close to carry him to Arniston. It wasscarcely possible to get him to listen to a word respecting business. Thewily agent, however, on pretence of asking one or two questions, whichwould not detain him half an hour, drew his Lordship, who was no less aneminent ban vivant than a lawyer of unequalled talent, to take a whet ata celebrated tavern, when the learned counsel became gradually involvedin a spirited discussion of the law points of the case. At length itoccurred to him that he might as well ride to Arniston in the cool of theevening. The horses were directed to be put in the stable, but not to beunsaddled. Dinner was ordered, the law was laid aside for a time, and thebottle circulated very freely. At nine o'clock at night, after he hadbeen honouring Bacchus for so many hours, the Lord Advocate ordered hishorses to be unsaddled; paper, pen, and ink were brought; he began todictate the appeal case, and continued at his task till four o'clock thenext morning. By next day's post the solicitor sent the case to London, achef-d'oeuvre of its kind; and in which, my informant assured me, it wasnot necessary on revisal to correct five words. I am not, therefore,conscious of having overstepped accuracy in describing the manner inwhich Scottish lawyers of the old time occasionally united the worship ofBacchus with that of Themis. My informant was Alexander Keith, Esq.,grandfather to my friend, the present Sir Alexander Keith of Ravelstone,and apprentice at the time to the writer who conducted the cause.
