of a very fortunate
Crown lawyer in the next generation. Without imputing motives the
present writer, may venture to say that Lord Eldon's assertions with
regard to his earnings at the bar, and his judicial incomes, were not in
strict accordance with the evidence of his private accounts. He used to
say that his first year's earnings in his profession amounted to
half-a-guinea, but there is conclusive proof that he had a considerable
quantity of lucrative business in the same year. "When I was called to
the bar," it was his humor to say, "Bessie and I thought all our
troubles were over, business was to pour in, and we were to be rich
almost immediately. So I made a bargain with her that during the
following year all the money I should receive in the first eleven
months should be mine, and whatever I should get in the twelfth month
should be hers. That was our agreement, and how do you think it turned
out? In the twelfth month I received half-a-guinea--eighteenpence went
for charity, and Bessy got nine shillings. In the other eleven months I
got one shilling." John Scott, be it remembered, was called to the bar
on February 9, 1776, and on October 2, of the same year, William Scott
wrote to his brother Henry--"My brother Jack seems highly pleased with
his circuit business. I hope it is only the beginning of future
triumphs. All appearances speak strongly in his favor." There is no need
to call evidence to show that Eldon's success was more than respectable
from the outset of his career, and that he had not been called many
years before he was in the foremost rank of his profession. His fee-book
gives the following account of his receipts in thirteen successive
years:--1786, 6833_l._ 7_s._; 1787, 7600_l._ 7_s._; 1788, 8419_l._
14_s._; 1789, 9559_l._ 10_s._; 1790, 9684_l._ 15_s._; 1791, 10,213_l._
13_s._ 6_d._; 1792, 9080_l._ 9_s._; 1793, 10,330_l._ 1_s._ 4_d._; 1794,
11,592_l._; 1795, 11,149_l._ 15_s._ 4_d._; 1796, 12,140_l._ 15_s._
8_d._; 1797, 10,861_l._ 5_s._ 8_d_; 1798, 10,557_l._ 17_s._ During the
last six of the above-mentioned years he was Attorney General, and
during the preceding four years Solicitor General.

Although General Retainers are much less general than formerly, they are
by no means obsolete. Noblemen could be mentioned who at the present
time engage counsel with periodical payments, special fees of course
being also paid for each professional service. But the custom is dying
out, and it is probable tha