interrupted by the inquiry, "Do you spell water
with two t's in the north, Mr. Clerk?"--"No, my lord, but we spell
mainners wi' twa n's." And there is the well-known one of his use of the
word "enough," which in old Scots was pronounced "enow." His repetition
of the word in the latter form drew from the Lord Chancellor the remark
that at the English Courts the word was pronounced "enough." "Very well,
my lord," replied Clerk, and he proceeded with his address till coming
to describe his client, who was a ploughman, and his client's claim, he
went on: "My lords, my client is a pluffman, who pluffs a pluff gang o'
land in the parish of," &c. "Oh! just go on with your own pronunciation,
Mr. Clerk," remarked the Lord Chancellor.

His encounters with members of the Scottish Bench were of a more
personal character. Indeed, for years he appears to have held most of
them in unfeigned contempt. A junior counsel on hearing their lordships
give judgment against his client exclaimed that he was surprised at such
a decision. This was construed into contempt of Court, and he was
ordered to attend at the Bar next morning. Fearing the consequences of
his rash remark, he consulted John Clerk, who offered to apologise for
him in a way that would avert any unpleasant result. Accordingly, when
the name of the delinquent was called, John Clerk rose and addressed the
Bench: "I am sorry, my lords, that my young friend so far forgot
himself as to treat your lordships with disrespect. He is extremely
penitent, and you will kindly ascribe his unintentional insult to his
ignorance. You will see at once that it did not originate in that: he
said he was surprised at the decision of your lordships. Now, if he had
not been very ignorant of what takes place in this Court every day; had
he known your lordships but half so long as I have done, he would not be
surprised at anything you did."

Two judges, father and son, sat on the Scottish Bench, in succession,
under the title of Lord Meadowbank. The second Lord Meadowbank was by no
means such a powerful judge as his father. In his Court, Clerk was
pressing his construction of some words in a conveyance, and contrasting
the use of the word "also" with the use of the word "likewise."

"Surely, Mr. Clerk," said his lordship, "you cannot seriously argue that
'also' means anything different from 'likewise'! They mean precisely the
same thing; and it matters not which of them is preferred."--"Not at
all, my