The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-10-23
a Great English lawyer asid His

| work.
! VI Sir Rounded Palmer the now Lord
chancellor OF England and keeper of the
great seal, it is to be said that be has reached
an eminence at the bar to which few men
ever attain. In one Of the most Jealous of
professions nobody is found to dispute his
title TO leadership, while TO the second place
there may be dozen lawyers who could set
up plausible claim. In his capacity for
WORK; and his love of it he rivals Lord
Brougham; nor will it be said of him, as il
was OF Lord Brougham, That il he ONLY knew
a little law he wcul1 know little Of every
thing. Sir Ro';adeI Palmer does not owe
MS position TO mere forensic power, to
hts knowledge of iurica and jurors,
Us Air. Edwin James did; indeed. st tie
,hanc"ry Bar such talents rs those which
once gave hlr. Edwin James the most lucra-
i've practice ut the cUlnnon-law bur would
nave no chance to shine. Sir Rounded Pal
lhci $ knoWlcdGc vi English Jurisprudence
Is ~ complete Il any mans well can be Of n
system which Is more empirical than scicnt
| ne. lie Is understood To be unusually well
verscd also in continental systems, and has
studied law as universal whole, of which
English law is. but one part, and, except TO
| t.ngiShmcn and Americans. n rather unim-
rortant part. His practice is enormous.
| have been told 10y men whose professional
| relation; with him gave them means o: know
in-, Thru Sir Hon,,lclI never opens u bundl.
OF papers Tor le>s Illan fifty %uinGr>-tvo
hundred and fifty dollars. From that
| minimum thrre il plenty vi room
| Tor the imagination 10 exercise itself
| before you reach The maximum. Iii,
aNci'IG" income from hiS practice nj
The bur during the last i've years il csti-
mlt'd--i suppose II i only an estimate AT
! thirty thousand pnundc-saN Slin, 600: and
II j. moi IN income derived from speculative
'att,''~, nor urhHntru hy sharing The profits
1T doubtful patrntS OF huge land grants
| There are, pIesumc. American LAWYERS
ws'c d. as inuch professional work rs Sir
| Rounded Palmer, and do tai least as we'll
Mr. EEatS. Tor in>tance-but that is only Il
hall yicw. His political life is hardly less
active. and Tor many men would supply
quite rs much excitement and toll as they
| wanted. During six months out of The
| twelve such Il man is probably in his office
| III . in the morning, and either in his office
Of III court is engaged till in the most cx-
| acting ANA Ct!cn liarassn% mental work. At
! / liz goes down 10 tic House of Commons.
| or PERHAPS lie liz, had 10 20 earlier TO sit on
| = committee From till / he is in the
! ilu!i>c. very likely dimes in the House, or il
he goes hem" TO dine Is back ly ., and sit,
| from It'll! perhaps midnight, perhaps . o'cHoch;
in Tie morning: makes one or hail Il
dozen speeches, according To circumstances !;
Iprrathcs some ol the Worst iir in the world,
and goes 10 he'd after Il day Of eighteen
hoEr,' alinnst inrc>$lnt occupation, with the
prospect of getting up at 9 next morning
and beginning the same thing over again.
#. Is often happens, the business of the
House docs rot k"cpa l!ian like Sir Roundcll
Palmer in constant attendance, the pressure
Of his law business never ceases. Few men
ever reach. and fewer sill ever keep, posi-
lion OF equal distinction i'll In" House and at
dc lar. Mental abilities alone Will moi an
~wcT. i mln must have the constitution OF
I h"v>r 10 endure the mere fatigue. Most
lnvM break tl0"n under il >o"ilrr or later,
All of tlicin world hHi far the long En"Ii>!i
vacation. wiiir,I ::ivG> exhausted powers time
10 rrr,lpr.- Ser l"rh iiy&"i".