The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-12-04

From " n COLLECTION OF Scarce and EGtudbts
Tracts" by L. soMERs-printed in TAG.
The Character of'an honest Lauv-
ger.
An honest Lawyer is the life-guard
Of our fortunes the best collateral Sc
curity for an estate. A trusty pilot to
steer one through the dangerous (and
oft-times inevitable ocean) of conten-
ton. A true priest of justice, that
neither sacrifices to fraud nor covetous-
ness, and in this outdoes those of a
higher function, that he can make peo-
pie honest, that are sermon proof. He
is an infallible anatomist of .Memn and
Tuum, that will presently search
cause to the quick, and find out the pee
cant humour, the little lurking cheat,
though masked in never so fair preten-
ces. One that practises law, so as not
TO forget the gospel; but always wears
conscience as well as a gown: he
weighs the cause more than the gold,
and if that will not bear the touch, in a
generous scorn puts back the fee
Though he knows all the criticisms of
bis faculty, and the nice Snapperado's
of practice, yet he never uses them, I'M
less in defensive way to countermine
the plots of knavery, for he affects not
the devilish skill Of out-baffling right,
nor aims at the shameful glory of MAX
ing bad cause good; but with equal
contempt hates the wolves study, and
the dogs eloquence, and disdains to
grow great by crimes, or build himself
a fortune on the spoil of the oppressed,
or the ruins Of the widows and orphans.
He has more reverence for his profess
sion than to debauch it to unrighteous
purposes; and had rather be dumb than
suffer his tongue to pimp for injustice,
or club bis parts to bolster up cheat
with the legerdemain of law-craft
He is not fac'd like Janus, to take a
retaining fee from the plaintiff, and af-
forwards back-handed bride from the
defendant; nor SO double-tongu'd, that
one may purchase his pleading, and the
other at the same or larger price, his
silence. But when he undertakes a
business, he espouses il in earnest, and
does not follow cause but manages il.
A modifying letter from the adyersary's
potent friend, a noble treat, or the rem
ora of lusty present to his wife, have
no influence to make him slacken his
proceedings; for he is so jealous for his
clients interest, that you may sooner di-
vorce the Sun from the ecliptick, than
warp him from his integrity; yet still is
his patron only usqae ad .aras, Gas far as
just, for if once he finds the business
smell rank, St. Marks treasure, the
mines of Potosi, are too small fee to
engage him one step further.
AS his profession is honorable, so his
education has been liberal and ingenious,
far different from that of some lifting
pettifoggers and purse-milking law
drivers, whose breeding, like cuck-
owls, is in the nest of another trade,
where they learn wrangliDg and knav-
cry enough in their own cause, to spoil
those Of other men, and with sweetened
ingredients of mechanick fraud, COM
pound themselves Though simple e.
nough) fit instruments for villany. But
his greener years were seasoned with
literature, and can give better proofs of
his university learning, than his reckon
ing up the colleges, and Boosting bis
name in the Buttery book. He UNDER
stands logick, the method of right rea-
soning and rhetorick, the art of per-
suasion; is well seen in history, (the
free school of prudence) and no stran-
ger to the ethicks and politicks of the
ancients. He is skilled 10 other Ian.
guages besides Declaration Latin. and
Normas Gibberish. He read Plato and
Tully before he saw either LittIeton
or the Statute book, and grounded in
The principles of nature, and customs of
nations, came (lotis manibus) to the study
Of our common municipal laws, which
he found to be multormn annorun opus,
task that requires all the nerves of
industry, and therefore employed his
fine better at the inns Of court, than
in hunting after new fashions, starting
fresh mistresses, hunting the playhouse,
or acquiring other little town accom-
plishments, which render their admirers
fine men in the opinion of fools, but e.
gregious tops in the judgment of the
wise.
In his studies, he traHicks not only
with the infantry Of epitomes, abridge-
ments. and diminutiye collectors in Uec.