one day, when nobody was present but Lord Kenyon and
myself, Lord Thurlow said, 'Taffy,[P] I decided a cause this morning,
and I saw from Scott's face he doubted whether I was right.' Thurlow
then stated his view of the case, and Kenyon instantly said, 'Your
decision was quite right.' 'What say you to that?' asked the Chancellor.
I said, 'I did not presume to form a judgment upon a case in which they
both agreed. But I think a fact has not been mentioned, which may be
material.' I was about to state the fact, and my reasons. Kenyon,
however, broke in upon me, and, with some warmth, stated that I was
always so obstinate, there was no dealing with me. 'Nay,' interposed
Thurlow, 'that's not fair. You, Taffy, are obstinate, and give no
reasons; you, Jack Scott, are obstinate, too; but then you give your
reasons, and d----d bad ones they are!'"

* * * * *

"In Thurlow's time, the habit of profane swearing was unhappily so
common, that Bishop Horsley, and other right reverend prelates, are said
not to have been entirely exempt from it; but Thurlow indulged in it to
a degree that admits of no excuse. I have been told by an old gentleman,
who was standing behind the woolsack at the time that Sir Ilay Campbell,
then Lord Advocate, arguing a Scotch appeal to the bar in a very tedious
manner, said, 'I will noo, my lords, proceed to my seevent pownt.' 'I'll
be d----d if you do,' cried Lord Thurlow, so as to be heard by all
present; 'this house is adjourned till Monday next,' and off he
scampered. Sir James Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,
used to relate that, while he and several other legal characters were
dining with Lord Chancellor Thurlow, his lordship happening to swear at
his Swiss valet, when retiring from the room, the man returned, just put
his head in, and exclaimed, 'I von't be d----d for you, Milor;' which
caused the noble host and all his guests to burst out into a roar of
laughter. From another valet he received a still more cutting retort.
Having scolded this meek man for some time without receiving any answer,
he concluded by saying, 'I wish you were in hell.' The terrified valet
at last exclaimed, 'I wish I was, my lord! I wish I was!'

"Sir Thomas Davenport, a great _nisi prius_ leader, had been intimate
with Thurlow, and long flattered himself with the hopes of succeeding to
some valuable appointment in the law; but, several good things passing
by, he lost his p