Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-06-27
JUDGE j. L. T. SNEED TO YOUNG
LAWYERS.

Judge Jno. L. T. Sneed, of the
Supreme Bench of the State, deliv-
cred an address before the law class
at the Vanderbilt commencement
at Nashville, on Tuesday, the goth
instant. We clip the following
from an abstract that appeared in
the American of the 21st:
After sketching with a master
hand the difficulties and tempta-
tons through which all young law.
yers must pass, and giving such
wise counsel as was best calculated
to secure professional success, Judge
Sneed continued:
| might summarize the elements
which help to make up the great
lawyer, as I have discussed then
before you, as integrity, studiou
habits, common sense, stability
some literary and scientific attain
ments, ample preparation for every
professional emergency, an(
knightly intrepidity in the per
formance of every professional dut
but my task would be incomplet
if | should fail to admonish yol
that the lawyer, like the pyramit
of the Nile, must be slow in build
ing, if he would be magnificen
when built. "Genius," said 81
Isaac Newton, sis nothing but toi
at last" No fertility Of though
no fecundity of Imagination
no graces of elocution, no power
of defamation, however splendid
can supply the patient ploddini
and slow and careful thought b
which alone, the lawyer boards tn
treasures that to him and hi
country may become richer thai
the exchequer of princes. There ar
two little musical words in tn
Latin tongue that are to the law
yer so "proftable for doctrine, 70
reproof aud instruction." that it i
no matter of marvel that so gran,
a character as Sir Matthew Hal
caused them to be engraved on tn
head of his staff-Festina lentt
He had observed, he said, man
witty men run into error, becaus
they did not give themselves tim
to think-while calm and slow me-
who pass for dull could search af
ter truth and find it out-as wit
more deliberation, so with create
certaintys1There is one frailty witt
young lawyers, which Ihave know
to magnify itself into a great eyi
under the sun. 1t is a disposition
to affect a readiness of eruditio
before men by advising their client
about important concerns withou
thought or examination. No law
yer should ever advise a client upo
the streets, or away from his book
about any matter of which he
not absolutely certain. If he doe
he should charge the client VII
has the temerity to seek counst
under such circumstances a soun
fee for the advice, and then
sounder fee for the risk the cour
selor runs of self-stultifcatiol
Kink George III could not hay
paid the English bar a higher con
: pliment than when he said, "
. have in my dominions the CREATE
lawyers in the world, yet when
want an opinion the best Of thel
has to fly to his books"
Woe unto you lawyers, was NJ
spoken in the sense Of denouncir
a curse against the lawyer, said
great expounder Of the law, if n,
a great commentator on the bibl
q but it was spoken in "quadrup
dantic sense" as the plowms
speaks to his horse or mule whC
= he goes too fast. Festina lent,
I Hasten slowly as a student. Haste
slowly as a counselor. Haste
slowly in the preparation Of yo'
; causes and your arguments-ar
these beautiful girls may not thar
> me, when / venture to advise "
to hasten slowly in finding a Swet
heart. But let them waitamomer
Y and see how l will make ament
r. Hasten slowly in everything tn
pertains to your life as a lawyer e
oa,of ia laaHno iuctlv with all m