that and in other respects." Scott told him that he must lose by it
about L2000 a-year; and on the king expressing surprise, he said "That
the attention of the law-officers was called to matters of international
law, public law, and revenue law--matters which, as they were not
familiar to them, took up a good deal of their time, and that the fee
usually given to the solicitor-general with the government cases was
only three guineas, while those from private cases were from ten to
twenty-five." "Oh!" said the king, "then for the first time I comprehend
what I never could understand, why it has always been so difficult to
get any opinion from my law-officers."

At the close of the session of 1792, Lord Thurlow gave up the great
seal. "What it was," said Lord Eldon afterwards, "that occasioned the
rupture between Lord Thurlow and his colleagues, I never could find
out." We here see an instance of the ignorance in which a high official
was content to remain, on a subject which might naturally and fairly
excite his curiosity. It is obvious that he wished to keep himself out
of the melee and took the best probable way of doing so, by asking no
questions. But a dilemma arose out of this resignation to Scott himself.
Pitt sent for him, and said, "I have a circumstance to mention to you,
which, on account of your personal and political connexion with Lord
Thurlow, I wish that you should first hear from myself. Lord Thurlow and
I have quarreled, and I have signified to him his Majesty's commands
that he should resign the great seal." Scott replied, that he was not at
all surprised at the event which had taken place; but added, that he
owed too great obligations to Lord Thurlow to reconcile it to himself to
act in political hostility to him, and he had also been too long in
political connexion with the minister to join any party against him; so
that nothing was left but to resign his office, and make his bow to the
House of Commons. Pitt argued against this, and finally induced him to
consult Lord Thurlow. Thurlow at once told him, that to resign would be
a foolish thing; adding in the spirit of a prediction, which was
afterwards strikingly realized, "it is very possible that Mr Pitt, from
party and political motives, at this moment may overlook your
pretensions; but, sooner or later, you, _must_ hold the great seal. I
know no man but yourself qualified for its duties."

If the ex-chancellor was complimentary to Scott, it notorio