esent hour has failed to rob him
of, was perhaps less assailable by his pleasing manner and florid
speech than any of his brothers of the bar, and his ejaculations not
always of the most complimentary nature, were sometimes loud and
frequent. We have seen the son on such occasions always the first to
smile at his father's petulance, and the last to express any sense of
the impropriety of the interruption. We have seen the old gentleman,
in the midst of his son's argument, write to the opposing counsel
suggesting authorities and giving references and precedents against
him, all with the most perfect good humour on both sides; and the
greatest triumph he could boast was to defeat his son upon a point of
law: on such occasions he would put his hands behind his back, and
moving round with a chuckle, exclaim, "Something to learn yet, Harry!"
The father's delight and pride in his superior legal knowledge over
his son, became at last a standing joke with the barristers of the
Court. The death of Lord Erskine blighted Henry Cooper's hopes to a
seat in Parliament, where his eloquence and sarcasm would have made
him powerful as an ally, and feared as an antagonist; liberal in his
opinions to the present exclusive system of the church, he was a
decided enemy, and a thorough reformer in the state. His services at
a crisis like the present, would have been of incalculable benefit to
his country.

From the period of the loss of his friend, till his own untimely end,
he devoted himself more than he had ever before, to literary pursuits
and the labours of his profession. A life of Lord Erskine was nearly
arranged for the press at the time of his decease, and it is to be
regretted that as yet his labours have not been given, imperfect as
they are, to the world; no one could have had better opportunities or
have been better calculated for the task; alike the counsellor in his
difficulties, the companion of his mirthful hours, the springs of
action, the feelings of his breast, must have appeared unveiled before
him; Death, however, prevented the completion of his task and removed
him too early from the world his talents ornamented."

I had forgotten to say, that on his return from Bermudas he became and
continued very intimate with the Cockburn family, and often prophesied
the future success of the late Attorney General, now Chief Justice