At the moment that the influence of the Bedford party was visibly triumphant, it was announced amid universal astonishment that Dunning—the intimate friend of Shelburne, and now member for Calne—had been raised to the post of Solicitor-General, vacant by the resignation of Sir Edward Willes.[1] He had been appointed Recorder of Bristol, was the most shining pleader at the bar, and had greatly distinguished himself as counsel for Wilkes. "Though his manner was insufferably bad, coughing and spitting at every word," says Hannah More, speaking of his great forensic victory at the trial of the Duchess of Kingston, "yet was his matter pointed to the last degree." "His words were always pure, and always elegant, and the best words dropped easily from his lips into the best places with a fluency at all times astonishing, and when he had perfect health"—which was rarely the case—"really melodious."[2] But it was not merely as an advocate that Dunning obtained applause. The almost unanimous voice of his contemporaries pointed to him as one of the few eminent lawyers who were as great in statesmanship as at the bar. Chatham, who as a rule hated lawyers, declared him to be "another man from any he had known in the profession. I will sum up his character" he said "as it strikes me. Mr. Dunning is not a lawyer, at the same time that he is the law itself"; and he told Shelburne that among the many things for which he was indebted to him, an introduction to Dunning held the highest place.[3] "If Mr. Dunning," he said on another occasion, "can for a time forgo the bar, he may live long, and prolong the life of the declining constitution of our country, and most probably will one day raise up again the Great Seal.[4] How many professors of the law he may chance to outlive gives me no solicitude; I only pray he may not 'outlive the law itself,' to use Serjeant Maynard's words."[5] Such
- ↑ Walpole, Memoirs of the Reign of George III., iii. 146.
- ↑ Stanhope, v. 292. Sir W. Jones, Works, iv. 577.
- ↑ Chatham to Shelburne, December 3rd, 1770.
- ↑ Chatham to Shelburne, January 5th, 1773.
- ↑ The Prince of Orange is said to have told the aged Serjeant Maynard that he must have outlived almost all the great lawyers of his time. "Yes, sir," is said to
