The National tribune., 1882-04-15
JUSTIN YITALI'S CLIENT.

u y ~ 4 j ILL ~ NILa A4AN I .
a man on whose prospects success seemed
TO shine most sunnily was Justin Vital, of
the Bar of M. At the age of thirty he had
already achieved a reputation rs a learned
lawyer and an eloquent pleader. Withoutin-
fluential connections to help him on-labOT-
ing under the drawback of being a Corsican,
which is not a title of merit in the eyes of
French barristers who dislike the politics of
their insuiar brethren, addicted, moreover,
TO solitary study, which kept him from
cumming with his fellows or going out
into society and making friends OF the sort
who often do more for barTister than pro-
fessional merit does, Justin Eitai had,
nevertheless, attracted attention much
quicker than if he had recourse to ambi-
tious acts. He was just the sort of man
whom solicitors appreciate He had the gift
of listening 1t has been said that conyersa-
ton has become lost art in these our times
because every man reflects on what he shall
answer instead of paying attention TO what
he hears; Vital, on the contrary, hearkened
with all his ears, and his memory was so
retentive that he often surprised a client by
reminding him Of a cuTsoTy remark which
had been uttered without any intention that
IT should be remembered. 1t was maxim
Of his that the merits of case are ascer-
tained less by what q client says than by
whaa lre lets slip; and he had a tact of
drawing on a speaker to be communicative
by 81 a~pearance OF tacitly acQuiescing in
all his observations. This power of con-
centrated attention brought to bear an the
reading of his briefs lent Vitali Il
which an advocate must needs acqu
speaks with 4 full knowledge of b
and it made him a dangerous oppo
leading baTrsters Of large practice WI
into court having but SKINNED the
l. got TO be said that when eminent counsel
knew they were to be pitted against Justin
Nitali they took care 10 master their facts
and charged heavier fee fer the trouble
But, though other barristefs might by fits
and starts emulate the Corsican's industry
few could compete with the Unborn gifts
which made him an orator. He was a
muscular man of middle height, with a
swarthy complication, black hair which he
wore long and brushed off his high forehead
without any parting, thick black whisllers
trimmed short, and dark eyes, large and
piercing. In his Ordir2Ty attire he might
have been taken for a provincial farmer in
Sunday dress, for he wore ill-cut, baggy
clothes of rough cloth, and was not careful
about dusting them; but in court his
gown and cambria fall became him well,
and as soon as he bad put them on he was
another man. In this atmosphere of justice,
which was his real sphere, he thawed; the
cold expression Of his features gave place to
a look of ardent interest In all that was going
on; he would turn his eyes with prompt,
inquiring flashes on judges, witnesses, and
on the jury if it were a criminal case, and
casual spectators who did not know his ways
might have thought that ne was continually
tempted to spring on to his legs before the
time. But this excitement was only out
ward, for when Vitali rose to speak his i'm
pulses were always under his control; they
were like a steam-machine which child's
hand can guide. He despised tricks of
rhetoric, declamatory gestures, and sensa-
tiOnal phrases, his eloquence being the
natural oUtpOuring of full mind and heart
flowing like torrent from subterraneous
lake. lie had clear and melodiOUs voice;
ms gestures were few and graceful, and his
Corsican imagination tinged his speeches
with warm coloring, with happy meta
phors and with occasional beauties of true
poetlcal pathos, more especially when he
was pleading in cases in which his own
sensibilities were greatly stirred.
This very frequently happened, for Vital
had laid down for himself singular rule
OF conscience: he would plead no causes
which he did not sincerely believe to be just.
well-known Scotch professor of iurispru-
dence being asked to deal with the question
as to whether an advocate were justified in
pleading iniquit0us causes, answered that
counsel is a mouthpiece not judge, and
that it is merely his function 10 place his
clients case before the bench in the manner
IN which the client himself would have
stated it had ne possessed the requisite
oratoricaI ability and legal knowledge
Vital tool. different view of an advocates
duties, and contended that q man has no
right to place his talents and his learning
4; the service of a person who is endeavor-
ing 10 Go wrong. CAS- WE'LL" said he,
might a locksmith argue that he was iusti-
fed q aiding a burglar TO break into house
SO long as he took 10 share in the proceeds
OF The robbery" And on another occasion,
smiling at somebody who had styled bar
risters the defenders of the widow and the
orphan" he replied dryly, Yes, but if sone
barristers defend the widow and orphan it
is presumably because others attack then;
therefore the bar contains as many assailants
as champions of the widow and orphan"
Often when he had read brief through,
Vital returned it with a note to the effect
that he thought the cause untenable. And