Bill through the Houses. There could be no want of men capable of filling these Courts, as it would give such encouragement to the study of our Laws, that many more than do at present, (if the proposed plan be adopted) would diligently apply themselves thereto. The expence may be objected to; in reply, I must observe, we cannot pay too high for the blessings of a strict and speedy administration of Justice. A resource might be found in abolishing the establishment of his Majesty's Chapel Royal in Scotland, which appears to me as worse than useless, as it may endanger our happy Constitution, in Church and State, as at present by Law established. It strikes me to be as absurd in his Majesty to have Presbyterian Chaplains, as it would be in the Grand Signior to make choice of a priest of the Greek Church for that porpose; the Great Lama to appoint a Haldanite to say mass in his chapel; the Pope of Rome to prefer a Mufti to said office; or were the Great Mogul to employ a Jewish Rabbi as his Chaplain. I am persuaded long ere now this country had been blessed with the presence of our beloved Sovereign, had not his conscience revolted at receiving the Sacrament from the hands of his Scotch Chaplains. which it would have been expected he must have done, had he visited his ancient kingdom. These Courts to be numbered one, two, three, &c. the Pursuer and Defender to toss up a halfpenny; whoever turns up head or tail, as might be agreed on by the litigants, to have the choice of the Court his suit is to commence in. If the parties

start from No. 1. they are to go through them in regular order; if from No. 2. the same ending with No. 1. and so on, if they start from any other No. An unanimous decision required from any one Court, which is to be final; and I, with submission, must think, that in some one or other of foresaid Courts, the Judges might all understand how the Law applied to the cause in hand; it is no more than is required of English Juries, regarding matters of fact, which one would think more difficult to be determined unanimously by unlearned men, than a point of Law should be ascertained by learned Judges. If the first Court, before whom the suit were brought, could not, in a given time, (say a week) fasten their teeth in it, so as to be able clearly to take up the difference betwixt the parties, and be able to right it, it must be turned over to next Court in order; and so on, till it come into a Court which had so clear an understanding of the case, as to be able to give an unanimous judgment thereon. The devil must be in a cause, if in passing through so many Courts, none of these Courts could make head or tail of it, or find out who was in the right. A cause can with difficulty be conceived so intricate, as to perplex and puzzle all the foresaid Courts; but in some few causes, both parties may be in the right; and in some few causes both parties may be also in the wrong. These causes, I propose turning over to a court of Equity, composed of three of the wisest, most ancient Members of this College of

Justice, men fearing GoD, and hating iniquity. It were not amiss to name an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman; and I would have them of three different political parties. When a cause is brought before this Court, it must instantly be decided.

The method proposed-Let one of this honourable Court take up a box and dice, throw for pursuer and defender, the others to reckon the numbers turned up, and decide accordingly. That there may not remain the smallest suspicion of partiality, it were not amiss the presiding Judge, who takes the box in his hands, were blindfolded by his learned brethren. This expeditious mode of dispensing Justice, attended with so little cost to the lieges, which I have the honour of laying before the public, must give universal satisfaction, and meet with the approbation of all good men.

I have long ago read in a book of travels, (it is not now at hand, so I cannot quote the chapter,) of a nation of Idol-worshippers, when they meet with any mortification, they blame their gods; in solemn procession they kick, cuff, spit on, and p-s on, and d-g on the former objects of their adoration, throw them on a dunghill; but as they must have idols, they have a bunch ready to supply their place; they then, with due solemnity, instantly install the new idols in the vacant temples. No bad hint to our idolaters. His godship might then march over the Tollohill, and retire to Mearnshire, and get the ap

pointment of one of Melville's Dei Minores. He has long, long looked up to him as the dispenser of blessings, with the most sincere adoration. He most readily would pay him the compliment his idolaters were ever ready and willing to confer on him.

Many, many years ago, when Pitt and Dundass, in order to blind the nation, from observing the gross peculations, in which my Lord Melville, at that time was engaged, involved this country in a war with France, which they sagaciously imagined must take off the attention of the nation from the gross abuses at that time existing, and made a common cause with the despots, all of whom are now gone to another country, to answer for their good deeds in this. They wished to partition that country; this drove the French to desperation, and has been the occasion of all the evils with which Europe has since been cursed. In the house of Principal Chal-` mers, had I then the honour of, dining with him; the Principal, his lady, I, and mine, were all the company. There was he beyond measure shocked, when I let fly an imprecation or two at Pitt and Dundas. He could not have been more so, had I cursed our Gracious Sovereign, or blasphemed my Maker. It was soon after reported, I had, place and time aforesaid, been guilty of all these abominations. This report was very prevalent when the Volunteers in Old Aberdeen were raised; I at that time had the honour of being Chief Magistrate of that ancient city; and though it was during the suspension of Habeas

Corpus, as I conceived the Volunteering Scheme at that period as a Ministerial humbug, I was not ambitious of displaying my loyalty towards Pitt and Co. In this respectable corps, the very Revd. Dr Gerard was appointed a Lieutenant, and from his great services, at length rose to the rank of Major Commandant.

It was at that period proposed by many good, well-intentioned men, to bring me to condign punishment, to deter others from committing the like crimes in time to come.

My insignificance only, during the suspension of my good friend Habby, was my protection. If my Lord Melville, as is to be hoped, gets the supreme direction, he may recommend him to his Independent Mearnshire Voters, as a fit representative; and he can have no difficulty to unpriest him, (only Presbyterian Order,) when he gets the vote of censure erased from the Resolutions of the Honourable House of Commons. From his long and continued devotion to that great man, Immaculate, no appointment, however high, can exceed his deserts, and in which he will not advantage himself, and his country.