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266 familiar with the every-day practice of the law. But this is a defect, which, if it exists at all, would require keener eyes than ours to discover. On the contrary, without presuming to dogmatise on such a subject, we should be inclined to say, that we have met with no Scottish law book, which appears to us to contain a more clear and intelligible exposition, both of the theory and practice of the law, or in which the authorities cited are digested and analysed with more care and success.

Mr Erskine died at Cardross on the 1st of March, 1768, in the 73d year of his age. He had been twice married; first to Miss Melville, of the noble family of Leven and Melville, by whom he left the celebrated John Erskine, D. D., one of the ministers of Edinburgh; secondly, to Anne, second daughter of Mr Stirling of Keir, by whom he had four sons and two daughters. In the year 1746, Mr Erskine had purchased, at a judicial sale, the estate of Cardross, which formerly had belonged to his grandfather, lord Cardross, and he was possessed, besides, of very considerable landed property, the greater part of which devolved on James Erskine of Cardross, the eldest son of his second marriage, who died at Cardross on the 27th of March, 1802.

ERSKINE,, was born on the 2nd of June, 1721. He was the eldest son of John Erskine of Carnock, the celebrated author of the Institutes of the Law of Scotland, a younger branch of the noble family of Buchan. His mother was Margaret, daughter of the honourable James Melville of Bargarvie, of the family of Leven and Melville. Young Erskine was taught the elementary branches of his education by private tuition, and was placed, towards the close of the year 1734, at the university of Edinburgh, where he acquired a great fund of classical knowledge, and made himself master of the principles of philosophy and law. He was originally intended for the profession of the law, in which his father had been so much distinguished; hut a natural meditative and religious disposition inclined him towards the church. This peculiar turn of mind had displayed itself at a very early age, when, instead of joining in the games and amusements suitable to the period of boyhood, he was retired and solitary, and preferred the more exalted pleasures of religious meditation; so that while his companions were pursuing their youthful sports, he would be found shut up in his closet, employed in the study of the scriptures, and in exercises of devotion. Although his taste thus led him towards the sacred profession, yet in compliance with the wishes of his parents, he repressed his own inclinations, and passed through the greater part of that course of discipline prescribed in Scotland, in former times, as preparatory to entering the faculty of advocates. But at length, deeply impressed with the conviction that it was his duty to devote himself to the service of religion, he communicated to his father his intention to study divinity. This resolution met with the decided opposition of his family. They conceived that the clerical office was at best but ill suited for the display of those talents which they knew him to possess, while the very moderate provision made for the clergy of the church of Scotland, has always been a prudential obstacle with the parents and guardians of young men of family or consideration in this country. In spite, however, of every opposition, Erskine persevered in the prosecution of his theological studies, and on their completion, in the year 1743, he was licensed to preach, by the presbytery of Dumblane.

Prior to the commencement of Dr Erskine's classical education, an ardent desire to cultivate literature and philosophy had manifested itself in Scotland, and the professors of the college of Edinburgh, some of them men of the most distinguished talents, had contributed greatly to promote and cherish the spirit which animated the nation. Among those early benefactors of Scottish litcra-