ant Succession vindicated," in answer to a late book, the well known Hereditary Right of the Crown of England asserted. In 1718, he was sent to Scotland, to assist in carrying on the prosecutions for high treason, which impolicy had instituted, and the firmness of the grand juries disappointed, by throwing out the bills. He was nominated attorney-general, in December 1733, when sir Philip Yorke was made chief-justice of England; and he was appointed, in January 1737, the chief-justice of the common pleas: he died in 1761. His Reports were published, in 1799, by Dornford, extending from 1737 to 1758.

47. Doctor Paul, of the commons, the king's advocate.

48. Sir Dudley Ryder became solicitor-general, in December 1753, on the promotion of Mr. Talbot; and attorney-general, in January 1737; and chiefjustice of England, on the death of sir William Lee, in April 1754: he died on the 25th of April 1756. He was to have waited upon his majesty, the day before, on account of his being created a peer, by the title of lord Ryder of Harrowby, Lincolnshire; but his indisposition pre

vented his having that honour, which he had merited, by his talents, and services.

49. Sir John Strange became solicitor-general on the promotion of sir Dudley Ryder. He was chosen recorder of London, in November 1739; and he was appointed master of the rolls, in January 1750: he died in 1754. He is remembered for his Reports, which were published, by his son, in 1755.

50. The honorable William Murray, the fourth son of David, viscount of Stormont, was born at Perth, in 1705; and was educated at Westminster School, and Christ's Church, Oxford*. Returning

* He was admitted to St. Peter's College, Westminster, in 1719, at the age of fourteen; and in 1723, was elected to Oxford. It is curious to remark, that the college registrar, being probably somewhat dull of hearing, recorded the admission of Mr. Murray, aged eighteen, born at Bath, in the county of Somerset. Sir William Blackstone, dining with lord Mansfield, and saying, that he could prove, by record evidence, that his lordship was not a Scotchman born, but an Englishman, produced a copy, from the college matriculation book, which made his lordship laugh very much; and he explained the mistake, by supposing that the person, who stated his place of birth, to have pronounced Perth, with a broad accent, which the registrar mistook for Bath.

from his travels, he entered into Lincoln's Inn, where he was called to the bar, in 1781. Here his abilities soon became known, both as a lawyer, and an orator, and he immediately came into full business of the highest kind. In November 1742, he was appointed solicitor-general, on the resignation of sir John Strange; and he was, immediately after, chosen into parliament, for Boroughbridge, and for it served till he was appointed chief-justice: this is an important fact; as it shows, that he obtained his first preferment, from Westminster-hall, and not from the Senate-house; and he was not even a king's counsel till November 1742. How much he was now consulted by the Pelhams, and how much his advice was followed by them, we may learn from Doddington's Diary. He was, of course, appointed one of the managers for the commons, on lord Lovat's impeachment; and such was at once the moderation of his manner, the candour of his spirit, and the efficacy of his eloquence, that he was thanked, both by the culprit, and the court. He was long solicitor, not being appointed attorneygeneral, till April 1754; this furnishes another point of instruction, that perseverance, in an inferior station, generally leads on to the highest; and it

evinces, also, his unassuming gentleness. When sir Dudley Ryder sunk under his infirmities, the attorney-general Murray was immediately appointed chief-justice; he was created lord Mansfield, on the 8th of November, 1756; and he was of course called into the privy council. Of his conduct, during two and thirty years, as chief-justice, the juridical Reports are the Records, and the Commentaries. During the political contests of the year 1757, he acted, officially, as chancellor of the exchequer, in the room of Mr. Legge. In 1774, he went to Paris, on a private embassy, and on his private affairs, probably, lord Stormont, his nephew and heir, being then ambassador at the French court. He was three times offered the great seal, which he as often declined.

an earldom, in October 1776

He was advanced to

and by a new grant,

the remainder, after failure of his own issue male, was limited to his heir, the viscount of Stormont. During the tumults of 1780, his house in Bloomsbury Square was burnt, by the mob, with his books, and manuscripts: with his usual delicacy, he declined all compensation, as he knew, that he could not be compensated. He repaid the popular insult, by an augmented assiduity, in the labours

of his high trust, for the popular good. At length, his infirmities induced him to resign his office, in January 1788; when he was followed, by the regrets of the profession, and the genuine respect of an enlightened public. He died at Caenwood, on the 20th of March 1793, aged eighty-eight; leaving a very great fortune, the necessary effects of prudent management, throughout so many years. His fine intellect, and retentive memory, remained to the last; though he had lived, for several years, under great debility of person. In April 1784, he lost his wife, lady Elizabeth Finch, to whom he was married in 1738, yet by whom he had no issue. On the morning of the 28th of March, he was buried, in the same vault with his late countess, in Westminster Abbey. The judges of the several courts, and the most eminent lawyers, intended to have followed to the tomb the remains of this illustrious jurist; but they were assured, by lord Stormont, that it was the particular request of the late earl, that his funeral should be as private as possible. A monument has been erected to his memory, by the singular affection of a private person, in the same abbey, that is crowded with monu