Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-02-27
From Moore's Rural New Yorker.
The Triumph Of Truth,
4 "REMINISCENCES OF THE RAR.

NJ EDWARD WEBSTER, ESQ.
In all and in each of the pursuits of human
HE, there are, atvarlous points along our path
way, obstacles which oppose our progress, and
which call for strength of will and steadrness
OF purpose TO overcome-saent points, that
PROJECT IN sharp angles across our way, to turn
} us from our purpose, or to conceal the objects
that lie before us in our future course. Every
man, unless he Is more than usually fortunate
or possesses more than the usual amount o.
prudence and foresight, must expect to mee
with reverses and disappontments
Young professional men have, perhaps, more
to meet in the way of opposition and discour.
I agcmcnt than any other class in community
The wares and merchandise of sliilful m :
chanc, II really superior, will recommend them.
, selves. lie has only 10 manufacture and on,
pose for sale. and his goods will tell their owl
, story but the professional man, before he car
, act, must wait until he is called. No man oI
common prudence desires TO risk his life OF
fortune in the hands of an unskillful or dishon.
I est man; and hence frequently. the modest and
retiring, though really competent and deserv-
ing young Attorney or Physician, has often to
wait for employment until he is tempted to aban-
don his profession in despair.
Nor are the instances Of sudden and rapid
rise as frequent as we are led TO suppose. The
ability to combat successfully in the intellect
ual arena Is not intutive. However brilliant
may be the mental qualifications of a man, they
: must be trained and disciplined: and when we
see one of those rare minds elevating its pos
scssor, step by step. above his fellow men, we
are apt to forget the many years of preliminary
mental discipline through which he has passed
-years Of toll, perhaps of poverty, and almost
Of despair.
have III my mind, at tins moment. a case in
point. Counsellor N late Of the MasSa-
chusCtts bar, Tor long time enjoyed an eylable
reputation and lucrative pracuce-was hon
orcd by his constituents with many important
trusts and has often been cited as an example
OF rapid progress and quick success. Nothing.
however. Is really wider from the truth, than
that Counsellor 81. rose rapidly IN his profess
sion; and little do the world at large know of
the slow and painful manner in which he pur-
sued his preliminary literary and professional
course; and little DO they suspect that he was
Il sound and Practical lawyer, and had been ten
, years in the profession, before the circumstance
occurred that called INN INTO public notice,
rave HIM an extensive reputation, and INTRO
duccd INN INTO higher and more lucrative
sphere Of practice.
His office, at that time. was located IN the
great manufacturing city OF New England.
some twonty five miles from Boston. He was
scaed one day in his office, examining ra-
cent volume Ct Reports, and comparing the
cases it contained with the principles Of the
English common law, when Il young man en-
: tered whom he remembered to have seen in
some way connected with one oithc manuac-
turing corporations. lie was an intelligent.
good looking man, apparently Of about the are
OF twenty-five years, and dressed IN the rarb OF