The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-03 00:00:00

good authority to be living and prospering on the profes
sion, which is calculated as low as 501.
From the gross number of banisters, a large number no
doubt must be taken, in order to obtain an estimate of the
numbers resident or practising in England. Thus there
are over 500 occupying public employments that debar
them from practising, as well as about 300 resident in the
colonies and in Ireland, leaving about 3,235 as the number
to whom the profession is open in this country.
The number of barristers, therefore, who raise fortunes,
or even competence, isexceedingly small. Thus, from 120
to.llo barristers attend the circuit at Liverpool, and cer-
tainly not more than thirty of these ever hold a brief except
by mere accident; an even smaller proportion obtain
practice on other circuits, anti there can be little doubt that
out of the 1
.OJO gentlemen bona fide practising as common-
law advocates, only twenty-five per cent. ere living on the
emoluments of their profession. As this example may be
taken as a fair test of the whole profession ( placing the
practising body of common-law advocates, as above stated,
at Lain ), 1 believe that not more than 250 are profitably
employed in the practice of that branch of the law. If to
these we add 250 as successful equity lawyers, conveyancers,
and advocates in Doctors' Commons, it may be fairly
said that the country, in its present condition, supports only
540 advocates. That number is daily diminishing; the
sweeping away by legislative changes of mtny avenues of
practice has seriously diminished their number.
There are thus 1,500 unsuccessful advocates, eachanxious
to rise, each conteuding for the next opening to practice
that may occur by the promotion, retirement, or dtath of
any senior member.

Mr. Thomson has collected much special in•
formation on the Bar which will be of use to
the young law student. On the relation be-
tween academical distinction and success at
the Bar, the author observes :
On the list are to be found, among many other less
known names, those of Lord ( the first Lord) Ellenborough,
Copley, Tindal, Littledale, Shadwell, Bickersteth, Pollock,
Parke, Alderson, &c. On the other hand, an equal
or greater number of eminent judges and advocates never
received the benefit of an Oxford or Cambridge education,
or made any effort at distinction whilst at the university.
Kenyon, Thurlowe, Dunning, Erskine, Scarlet, Gitiord,
Shepherd, Romilly, Kelly, Follett, Willes, and almost all
the undisputed leaders of the profession in England at the
present moment, belong to one orjother of these two
categories.
The author is mistaken as t 3 Mr. Justice
Willes. That eminent personage did not re-
ceive " the benefit of an Oxford or Cambridge
education," but he was a most distinguished
member of Trinity College, Dublin, where he
carried high mathematical distinctions.

Mr. Thomson is of opinion that the lower
walks of the Bar require very moderate
ability; but he might say the same of the
"lower walks" of any pursuit. He is extremely
eloquent on the trials which await a junior:—
Can you live alone? Can you keep away from tempta-
tion in the midst of forced idleness, or can you create occu-
pation for yourself? Can you live for years without the
daily solace of household affections ? Can you bear up
against trial and sorrow without aid or sympathy? Can
.on sit patiently for years in court or chambers, and see
younger men passing you? Can you bear to see inferior
men succeed, when you, a man of talent, have never been
afforded an opportunity? Can you go on believing,
until you are greyheaded, " that there is a good time
coming, wait a little longer " ? Can you do all this without
becoming intemperate, bluer, soured, or misanthropical ? If
you can do all this you may safely go to the Bar, for with
such qualities you might conquer an empire. Neverthe.
less,ac,reer at the Bar will try you in all these points; and
rare man you will he indeed if you pass through the ordeal
without some marks of the fire.

And he then well observes :
With such a view before him, no one of a vacillating,
uncertain, or fastidious temperament, however brilliant his
talents, ought to try this profession—he is a predicted
failure. A man of a very warm, ardent, affectionate tem•
perament ou ht to think twice, as, even though he may
not fail, he will meet with many things to try his better
feelings, and disgdst may unexpectedly terminate his
career. A cold, intellectual, firm, but hopeful disposition,
with a large amount of self•esteem, is generally considered
the best for a lawyer. Though, if anch a man breaks down,
his fall will be lower than that of others.
Theso remarks are excellent, and he adds
what is true of nearly all the professions :

' Mach of this trial will be mitigated if the young lawyer
takes a sensible view of the profession lie is entering.
Supposing hi.n to commence with fair prospects of sup.
port, let him, too, a moment consider that he is not
entering the profession for the ordinary purpose of gaining
a livelihood, but he is in fact playing for a high stake, which
will /noire years to win. Let him accustom himself to
look upon this success as a deferred annuity, of which be
has no right to expect the first payment for a certain time;
let him therefore regard the intermediate period not as a
f tilnre, but as a probation, during which the interest on his
future fortune is accumulating, and regard any accidental
business, or any acceleration of success, as a providential
favour, and not as a right fulfilment of a just expectation.
The mithor of this volume is a man of
abilities, and we can recommend his treatise
to book-clubs. Such a volume cannot fail to
be useful, though in some respects it is not
adequate to its subject.