as it proceeded he changed his views and
finally decided for the defendant, Mr. Nangle. On arriving home the
judge's first question was, "Are the cattle all safe?"--"Perfectly, my
lord."--"Where are the beasts I received on leaving for the Cork
Assizes?"--"They are where you left them, my lord."--"Where I left
them--that is impossible," exclaimed the judge. "I left them on the
road." The steward looked puzzled. "I'll have a look at them myself,"
said Chief Justice Pyne. The steward led the way, and pointed out the
twenty-five fine heifers presented by Mr. Weller, the plaintiff. "But
where are the shorthorns that came after I left home?"--"Bedad, the
long and the short of it is, them's all the cattle on the land, except
what we have bred ourselves, my lord." And so it was. Mr. Nangle, the
defendant, had so arranged his gift to meet the judge on the road, but
as soon as his lordship's coach was out of sight the cattle were driven
back to their familiar fields. The Chief Justice had been outwitted and
had no power of showing resentment.

In the manners and customs of the legal profession of Ireland in the
latter part of the eighteenth century, there is also a strong similarity
between the members of the Scottish Bench and their Irish brethren, in
that they were heavy port drinkers; and did not hesitate to indulge in
it while sitting on the Bench. It is reported of one Irish judge that he
had a specially constructed metal tube like a penholder, through which
he sucked his favourite liquor, from what appeared to the audience to be
a metal inkstand. Another judge on being asked if, at a social
gathering, he had seen a learned brother dance, "Yes," he replied, "I
saw him in a _reel_"; while Curran referring to a third judge, who had
condemned a prisoner to death, said, "He did not weep, but he had a drop
in his eye."

* * * * *

Unblushing effrontery and a bronzed visage gained for John Scott (Lord
Clonmel) while at the Bar the sobriquet of "Copper-faced Jack." He took
the popular side in politics, which ordinarily would not have led to
promotion in his profession; but his outstanding ability attracted the
attention of Lord Chancellor Lifford, and through his influence Scott
was offered a place under the Government. On accepting it at the hands
of Lord Townshend, he said, "My lord, you have spoiled a good patriot."
Some time after he met Flood, a co-patriot, and addressed him: "Well, I
suppose