ING THE BENCH--LORD BRAMPTON.

At length the time came when I was to bid good-bye to the Queen's
Bench and the Court No. 5 in which I had so long presided, where I had
met and made so many friends, all more or less learned in the law. I
had been a Judge since the year 1876, and Time, in its never-ceasing
progress, had whispered to me more than once, "Tarry not too long upon
the scene of your old labours, where your presence has made you a
familiar object to all the members of every branch of your great and
responsible profession; and while health and vigour and intelligence
still, by God's blessing, remain to you, apparently unimpaired by
lapse of years, take some of that rest and repose which you have
earned, ere it be too late."

Thereupon, without any needless ceremony of leave-taking, at the close
of the year 1898 I took my leave of the Bench with a simple bow.
Silently, but with real affection for all I was leaving behind me, I
quitted my occupation on the Bench. I considered this to be a far more
dignified way of making my exit than meeting face to face the whole of
the court and its practitioners and officers, and leaving it to the
eloquent and friendly speech of the Attorney-General to flatter me far
beyond my deserts in the customary farewell address which he would
have offered to me. I thought it better to rely upon the expressions
and conduct of those who knew me well, and to feel that they
appreciated the discharge of the many arduous duties which I had been
called on to perform. As some evidence of this, I would point to the
good wishes from all kinds and classes of people which have followed
me into private life, and the numerous letters which every post
brought me, and which would fill a volume in themselves.

But the crowning honour was graciously conferred upon me by her late
Majesty Queen Victoria on January 1, 1899, through the then Marquis of
Salisbury, who signified that her Majesty intended to raise me to the
peerage. His lordship's letter announcing the gracious act I recall
with feelings of pleasure and gratitude, and I need not say that it
will, while life lasts, be my greatest pride. I was subsequently sworn
of her Majesty's Privy Council, and for more than two years attended
pretty regularly in the Final Court of Appeal.

It does not behove me to say more on this subject than that the
acknowledgment of my long services by the Sovereign must ever be my
greatest pride and satisfaction.