Imagine the feelings of surprise that would be called forth were the present Justice-Clerk to adopt such imagery in describing the process of preparing _his_ legal judgment on a difficult case in his court! In regard to the wit of the Scottish _bar_ .-- It is a subject which I do not pretend to illustrate.

It would require a volume for itself.

One anecdote, however, I cannot resist, and I record it as forming a striking example of the class of Scottish humour which, with our dialect, has lost its distinctive characteristics.

John Clerk (afterwards a judge by the title of Lord Eldin) was arguing a Scotch appeal case before the House of Lords.

His client claimed the use of a mill-stream by a prescriptive right.