e his ignorance of Scotch and English law than to
shew his knowledge. He feared his own deficiencies in 'the forms, quirks
and quiddities,' which he saw could be learned only by early habit. He
even doubted whether he should not be satisfied with being simply baron
of Auchinleck with a good income in Scotland; but he felt that such a
course could not 'deaden the ambition which has raged in my veins like a
fever.' The Horatian motto inscribed on the front of Auchinleck House,
telling of the peace of mind dearer than all to be found everywhere, if
the mind itself is in its own place, was never appreciated, however, by
the new laird.

His ignorance of law was soon shewn at the Lancaster assizes. Mr Leslie
Stephen is inclined to view the story as being not very credible. Yet we
fear the authority is indisputable. 'We found Jemmy Boswell,' writes
Lord Eldon, 'lying upon the pavement--inebriated. We subscribed at
supper a guinea for him and half a guinea for his clerk, and sent him
next morning a brief with instructions to move for the writ of _Quare
adhaesit pavimento_, with observations calculated to induce him to think
that it required great learning to explain the necessity of granting it.
He sent all round the town to attorneys for books, but in vain. He
moved, however, for the writ, making the best use he could of the
observations in the brief. The judge was astonished, and the audience
amazed. The judge said, 'I never heard of such a writ--what can it be
that adheres _pavimento_? Are any of you gentlemen at the bar able to
explain this?' The Bar laughed. At last one of them said, 'My Lord, Mr
Boswell last night _adhaesit pavimento_. There was no moving him for some
time. At last he was carried to bed, and he has been dreaming about
himself and the pavement.' Lord Jeffrey once assisted Bozzy to bed in
similar circumstances. 'You are a promising lad,' he told him next
morning, 'and if you go on as you have begun, you may be a Bozzy
yourself yet.' No wonder that we find him hesitating about going on the
spring northern circuit, which would cost him, he says, fifty pounds,
and oblige him to be in rough company for four weeks.

His only piece of promotion came from Lord Lonsdale. Pitt had been
brought in by this nobleman for the pocket-borough of Appleby, and Bozzy
had hopes of a Parliamentary introduction that way. Carlyle of Inveresk
found this worthless patron of the unfortunate office seeker 'more
detested than any man