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ABERCROMBY, THE HONOURABLE ALEXANDER (Lord
Abercromby), a distinguished lawyer of the latter part of the 18th
century, and an elegant occasional writer, was the youngest son of George
Abercromby of Tullibody, in Clackmannanshire, and brother of the
celebrated Sir Ralph Abercromby. He was born on the 15th of October, 1745.
While his elder brothers were destined for the army, Alexander chose the
profession of the law, which was more consistent with his gentle and
studious character. After going through the ordinary course of classes at
the university of Edinburgh, he became, in 1766, a member of the Faculty
of Advocates. He was at this early period of his life the favourite of all
who knew him, not only for the uncommon handsomeness of his person, but
for the extreme sweetness of his disposition. Being given to the gaieties
of fashionable life, he had little relish for laborious employment; so
that, for some years after his admission into the Faculty of Advocates,
his splendid abilities were well-nigh obscured by indolence or frivolity.
Roused at length to exertion, he engaged with ardour in all the duties of
his profession, and soon became eminent for professional skill, and
distinguished as a most eloquent pleader. His reputation and business
rapidly increased, and soon raised him to the first rank at the Scottish
bar. In May, 1792, he was appointed one of the judges of the Court of
Session, when, in compliance with the custom of the Scottish judges, he
adopted the title of Lord Abercromby; and, in December following, he was
called to a seat in the Court of Justiciary. "In his judicial
capacity he was distinguished by a profound knowledge of law, a patient
attention, a clearness of discernment, and an unbiased impartiality which
excited general admiration." His literary performances and character
are thus summed up by his friend, Henry Mackenzie, who, after his death,
undertook the task of recording his virtues and merits for the Royal
Society: - "The laborious employments of his profession did not so
entirely engross him, as to preclude his indulging in the elegant
amusements of polite literature. He was one of that society of gentlemen
who, in 1779, set on foot the periodical paper, published at Edinburgh
during that and the subsequent year, under the title of the Mirror; and
who afterwards gave to the world another work of a similar kind, the
Lounger, published in 1785 and 1786. To these papers he was a very
valuable contributor, being the author of ten papers in the Mirror, and
nine in the Lounger. His papers are distinguished by an ease and
gentlemanlike turn of expression, by a delicate and polished irony, by a
strain of manly, honourable, and virtuous sentiment." Mackenzie
states that they are also characterized by an unaffected tenderness, which
he had displayed even in his speeches as a barrister, and adduces the
following specimen: - "There is one circumstance," says Mr
Abercromby, in debating whether long or short life be most desirable,
"which with me is alone sufficient to decide the question. If there
be anything that can compensate the unavoidable evils with which this life
is attended, and the numberless calamities to which mankind are subject,
it is the pleasure arising from the society of those we love and esteem.
Friendship is the cordial of life. Without it, who would wish to exist an
hour? But everyone who arrives at extreme old age, must make his account
with surviving the greater part, perhaps the whole, of his friends. He
must see them fall from him by degrees, while he is left alone, single and
unsupported, like a leafless trunk, exposed to every storm, and shrinking
from every blast." Such was not destined to be the fate of Lord
Abercromby, who, after exemplifying almost every virtue, and acting for
some years in a public situation with the undivided applause of the world,
was cut off by a pulmonary complaint, at Falmouth, whither he had gone for
the sake of his health, on the 17th of November, 1795.
Picture of Lord & Lady Abercromby (at top of
picture) taken with their staff.
Picture sent into us by Don H
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