[240] John Maclaurin, son of the celebrated Professor Colin Maclaurin, was admitted advocate in 1756. He enjoyed a high reputation as a lawyer, and was extensively consulted by his professional brethren. In 1788 he was raised to the bench, with the judicial title of Lord Dreghorn. He died on the 24th December, 1796, in his sixty-second year. His works, chiefly on judicial subjects, were published in 1798 in two octavo volumes. [241] David Erskine, son of the proprietor of Dun, was called to the Bar in 1698. As parliamentary representative of the county of Forfar he strongly opposed the Union. In 1710 he was appointed a Lord of Session, when he took the title of Lord Dun. He died on the 26th May, 1758, in his eighty-fifth year. Lord Dun was respected for his piety. [242] Lord President Dundas. [243] The Right Hon. Charles Townshend, styled by Lord Macaulay “the most brilliant and versatile of mankind,” was second son of the third Viscount Townshend. Entering the House of Commons in his twenty-second year, he became in Chatham’s last administration Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader of the House of Commons. He died suddenly 4th September, 1767, in his forty-fifth year. A considerable humorist, he marred his reputation by a tendency to sarcasm. [244] Henry Home, Lord Kames, author of “The Elements of Criticism” and other works, was son of George Home of Kames, Berwickshire. He passed advocate in 1723, and was elevated to the bench in 1752. He died 27th December, 1782, aged eighty-seven. [245] Second son of the Rev. Robert Wallace, D.D., George Wallace was born at Moffat in 1730. Admitted advocate in 1754, he attained considerable eminence in his profession. He published “A System of the Principles of the Law of Scotland,” vol. i., Edinb., 1760, folio; “Thoughts on the Origin of Feudal Powers, and the Descent of Ancient Peerages in Scotland,” Edinb., 1783, 4to.; “The Nature and Descent of Ancient Peerages, addressed to the Earl of Mansfield,” Edinb., 1785, 8vo.; “Prospects from Hills in Fife,” 3rd edit., Edinb., 1802, 8vo. The last work is composed in verse, the author remarking in the preface that the “Prospects” were mostly composed many years ago to afford their “author an occasional relief from the austerity and vexations of a profession very remote from poetry.” Mr. Wallace died on the 15th March, 1805, in his seventy-fifth year. His father, Dr. Robert Wallace, successively minister at Moffat and in the city of Edinburgh, was founder of the Philosophical Society, which afterwards merged into the Royal Society of Edinburgh. An expert mathematician, he assisted Dr. Alexander Webster in making calculations connected with the establishment of the Ministers Widows’ Fund. He died in 1771. [246] Andrew Balfour was admitted advocate in 1763; he practised at the bar for nearly half a century. [247] The negro’s name was Joseph Knight. (See _supra_, p. 115.)