Edward, Lord, was born at Little Ashfield in Suffolk, where his father was a clergyman of the Church of England, in 1732. Having completed his preliminary education at Canterbury school, he removed to Caius College, Cambridge, from which, however, he was "permitted to withdraw" from indecorous behaviour towards the dean. He entered the society of the Inner Temple, and in Michaelmas term, 1754, he was called to the bar. Thurlow, while preparing for the bar, had, despite his jovial habits and his loud debating at Nando's coffee-house, got up a very fair amount of law learning. His mind was quick and penetrating, and when once he had got an idea into his head he kept it. Audacity, if not his chief characteristic, was nevertheless the first feature in his disposition which an observer seized upon. With such grits, it was not difficult to prophesy the future career of Thurlow. He joined the Western Circuit, and in seven years he was King's Counsel. During the next ten years his practice increased rapidly, so that, with the exception of a few of the most eminent advocates, he had more to do than all his competitors. The preparation and arranging of the evidence in the trial of the appeal before the House of Lords in the great Douglas case, was performed in such a masterly manner by Thurlow that it had its due effect in opening his way to subsequent elevation. In 1768 he entered Parlia- ment as member for Tamworth, and attached himself to Lord North's administration. In 1770 he was made solicitor-general, and next year he was appointed attorney-general. From the firm adherence of Thurlow to the policy of his chief respecting the American colonies, which the king was known to have much at heart, he at once secured the personal regard and confidence of royalty, which did not waver for the next twenty years. In 1778 Thurlow was raised to the peerage with the title of Baron Thurlow, and was made Lord Chancellor on the resignation of Bathurst. During the Rockingham administration he held the great seal by the express command of the king, and despite all opposition he recklessly denounced the measures of the existing government as "a jumble of contradictions." His opposition did not cease with the Rockingham administration. When Pitt came to power he placed Lord Thurlow on the woolsack, where he appeared to act cordially with the cabinet until 1788, when, in consequence of the king's mental alienation and a regency seeming probable, he was suspected of carrying on intriguing communications with the Prince of Wales. Pitt and his colleagues regarded him with distrust. A breach was made which gradually widened, until Pitt informed the king that the Lord Chancellor or himself must retire. His majesty at once gave orders for Lord Thurlow to lay down the seals of office. This occurred in 1792, and the remaining years of his life are rendered in no way remarkable. Having ceased to take a personal share in politics, and having very little personal influence, he gradually sunk out of public notice. He was passionate and overbearing, and his character could not stand the test of consistency. Yet he was consulted by the royal family down until his death, which occurred at Brighton on the 12th of September 1826.