, 1880-04-01
Lost in the Forest Of western
New York,
ny T.. Il. PROCTOR.

In the discharge of their Judicial dn'
ties the early judges of the Supreme
Court of the State of New York We're
compelled to travel-often on horseback
to the most distant counties. Their
route often lay through forests opened
by the thoroughi0rc except what were
known as "bridle paths. =,
Among these early judges was the II
lustrious James Kent, afterwards Chan'
cellor of the State and author OF those
incompatible law lectures and commen-
tories, distinguished alike for classic
elegance and deep erudication,D which
unite his name with that of Monies
ouieu, Blackstone, Coke, and other great
legal commentators. He was appointed
a Judge of the Supreme Court in Febru.
ary, l79S, Chief Justice in 1904, and
Chancellor in October 1914.
Before his elevation to the bench he
attained peerless position at the bar,
while he was equally distinguished in
literature,
AS was said of Bacon, he enlivened
and enriched every subject on which he
wrote Even flowers sprang up In his
Quincy through the "thorny paths" OF
legal investigation. =,
1t was said by discerning and lib
eral critic that no one could listen to the
speaking of Macintosh or read page OF
Fox's writing, without feeling that there
was a constant tug up hill--that the
former spoke essays and the latter read
debates. Nothing Of this kind marred
the written or oral productions Of Kent.
Everything he wrote. whether in litera-
ture or law, was the ripe fruit Of study
and meditation. He was, it is true, Of.
ten sharply criticised by that class OF
men who always find fault with any
production beyond their own mental re-
sources,-by that class who never cease
hating a man who possesses mental at
tributes they do not
Few, if any, of the early judges, made
more frequent journeys in the discharge
of his duties, to that far off region, as
Western New York was regarded in
those days, than Chancellor Kent. His
lively, charming, aud picturesque de-
scriptions of this country found their
way into the journals of the day, not
only in this country, but in the news
papers of London, Edinburgh and Dub
lin.
Chancellor Kent decided to spend his
first vacation, or part of it, with John
G. Spencer, afterwards so illustrious in
the history of the State.
Accordingly early in July, 1915, ac,
companied by his wife, he left his home
in the city of New York in a private
carriage on tour to the country Of the
Genessee, as Western New York was
then called. Though the distance which
he was to travel was less than three
hundred miles, vet the journey was re-
garied as far more dangerous and pro-
tracted than o journey now to the Rocky
Mountains.
Canandaigua was considered from
tier town, sdite on the verge of civiliza-
tion. 9T a. A-a-.ry1
q On the fifth day Of their journey the
travellers arrived at the wonder of the
age-Cayuga bridge-erected by the
Manhattan Company in 1880. From
this bridge the scenery was surprisingly
beautiful, excelling, wild as it was, the
landscape of soft Campanian realms.
Surrounded by unbroken forests, green
with the prodigal richness of June, the
Cayuga---
ain all her length far winding lay,
~ With pYoment0ry creek and bay;
I While mild aud soft the Summer breeze, =
~ Just kissed the lake Just stirred the trees.''
The profound lawyer, the learned, sa,
gacious Judge, and accomplished chancel-
lor, could hardly imagine that within a
period of fifty years the country around
him would equal in civilization, wealth
and refinement, realms long known in
history. 4 1oqIa
Crossing the bridge, the travellers, con-
tinued their journey, hoping to reach
Canandaigua before night. But, un-