Francis, better known as one of the Lords of Session in Scotland, under the title of Lord Gardenstone, was born at Edinburgh on the 24th of June, in the year 1721. His father was Alexander Garden of Troup, an opulent landholder in Aberdeenshire; and his mother Jane, daughter of Sir Francis Grant of Cullen. After passing through the usual course of liberal education at the school and the university, he betook himself to the study of law; and in the year 1744 was admitted a member of the Faculty of Advocates.

In his practice as advocate he soon began to be distinguished by a native rectitude of understanding; by that vivacity of apprehension and imagination which is commonly denominated genius; by manly candour in argument, often more persuasive than subtlety and sophistical artifice; and by powers which, with diligence, might easily have conducted him to the highest eminence in the profession. But the same strength, openness, and ardour of mind, which distinguished him so advantageously at the bar, tended to give him a fondness for the gay enjoyments of convivial intercourse, which was unfavourable to his progress in juridical erudition. Shining in the social and convivial circle, he became less ambitious than he might otherwise have been, of the character of an eloquent advocate, or of a profound and learned lawyer. The vivacity of his genius was averse from austere and plodding study, whilst it was captivated by the fascinations of polite learning and of the fine arts. He, however, became, in 1764, his majesty's solicitor-general for Scotland; and he was afterwards elevated to the bench, as a judge both in the Courts of Session and Justiciary.

In the year 1762 he purchased the estate of Johnston, in the county of Kincardine; and a few years afterwards

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1 Since the eclogues of John of the Escena, pastoral poetry had not made any progress in Spain. Garcilaso imitated the eclogues of Virgil and of Sannazzaro, and in this imitation established the character of romantic poetry with the correctness of the ancients, so that his eclogues, one of which is a masterpiece, greatly surpass all the Italian pieces of the same description, if we except the Arcades of Sannazzaro. (Littérature Espagnole, tome i. p. 251.)