Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-12-11

nineni,iea whi,h confroni rouar mar
riaters iisu L-iieniorr ana roiities ar
f.et the taestra rrcspeets-ue need
not Nece.eariy 10 3 Resell
MI. Richard Dcscfcuz Doyie APRON.
inent member az tho Norfolk bar.
CONTRIBUTES to Tho Southern Maga-
ziue on article entitled "My impress
aions Of Law and Lawycrs'' which viii
prove very interesting to laymen as
woll a. to members OF tho legal pro-
Mr.. Doyle discusses his thomo
instruoiiveiy, ent~ertainingly and with
judicial impartiality aud caudur. lie
to Tho Confessions of a Junior
Barristor. " BY the brilliant Richard
Labor Shiel, as c%mbodying the early OK
perienccs Of many hopeful and talented
young lawyers
''How many, +" says M Doyle. "havo
passed through similar course Of study
aud preparation. perhaps graduating
iu tho ~humunitics as we'll as the law,
bearing away tho prize for elocution
aud Oratory ct some of u great insti-
tutions Of learningi How many have
Thought that such talents as theirs woro
sure { command early If not immodi-
ate success. and, alasl how many haze
been disappointed differing, IL may
DO added, in this respect from Shiel,
who passed safely through tho doprcss-
ing period Of waiting ard probation
which tries the soul Of the ordinary
legal n~eophyte, and who won this dis
tinction of which ho had dreamed nt
the outset Of his career
Many Of this grand army of the dis
appointed fail, Mr.. Doyle thinks, not
becauso they arc lacking in genuine
talent" which Is frequently Of a high
order, - but because there are so many
other elements hat should but do not
enter into the calculation OF the youth
ful aspirant. Youth, for one thing, sis
too snnguire and expects too much.
Some fail because Of their bad %personal
habits; some by infrm health and too
hard study and confinement are stricken
down, like poor Kirk White, when life
IS in It's spring. some are not polite
enough 90 WOO the world, but hold
proudly aloof, Trusting TO their talents
AAn AAANM AhNAHNf WIN Aub DAnI WI ~
goes bustling by without stopping to
look at their credentials. Some stray
into tho pleasant aud iowery paths Of
literature and some into the seductive
field of politics.
"A literary reputation, " Mr.. Doyle
declares sis perhaps more dangerous
than a political one, especially if one is
given, like Mr.. Wegg, to dropping into
poetry. The age is too practical for q
successful combination of law and litor-
ature. A lawyer may and should be
cultivated, but ho must not DO known
rs a litteratcur or q poet" Nor will it
do for tho young lawyer to seek to make
himself known by going into politics.
To do so is a risky venture for one
who intends TO mako law the profession
Of a lifetime, and even q reputation for
political oratory is Of little if any bone
~ to a lawyer. The public 500 come
20 regard him as q politician and may
be willing 20 vote with him or for him,
LEt not TO give him business.
Tuning from tho GAUGES Of failure to
thN qualities important to what is ordi-
narily deemed success, Mr.. Doyle sum
mmizos them as follows; Love Of the
profession and evident desire to gel
business and attention TO it when IN
hand; industry and the appearance oil
industry and good native sense, with an
aggressive and partisan temperament.
Fluency Of speech, eloquonce of dictioI
and genuine %oratorical talent are use
ful, but not essential. This partisan
and aggressive spirit, which is akin L
what Lord Bacon calls GOODNESS, " Mr.
Doyle considers a particularly impor
tant element Of success. "MCn hire
lawyers, as the expression is among thu
people, to attend to their business ant
To fight their battles, right or wrong
and the lawyer who goes into o cas-
thoroughly imbucd with tho client
feelings, believing OF making believe
that lao is certainly right and the othc
party an unmitigatod rascal, is sure Il
please
As to the ethical side of tho law, Mr.
DOylo admits that much may be salt
pro and con. One Of the demoralizini
features Of tho profession is that q
lawyer cannot choose his cases" III
is sometimes on the wrong side, th
side of falsehoOd and injustice. an'
whom ON the wrong side there is al
most Irresistible temptation to expires
belief in the justice Of his cause, AM
lawyers too often yield TO it, thus Civ
ing some ground for the popular accu
sation that lawyers lilo for their clientR
After all. whether ''the Laws is q nobl
and olevating profession" depend
upon tho man. " ThOro is nothing in tn
nature Of his profession which cOmpels
lawyer 20 be a rascal IL has is temp
tntiona. but so has every other business
Many hard things have been said @
lawyers, but the account is nearly bal
anccd by tho complimentary things tina
they have said OF themselves and G
their profession. Sir Edward Cox
speaks Of THE 81 Idsomo light Of iuris
prudence. and a lack Of self apprecia
lion is not ia general one Of the defect
Of the disciples Of the law. They have
however, the consolation Of KNOWN.
that in spite Of all tho abuse to whicI
they have been subjected by satirica
writers aud poets they are not only use
ful but essential members Of society
aud that those who abuse Thorn most az
generally tho very first 10 rush 70 th'
lawyers Ia avongo % protect them Il
their hour Of nced.-baltimOre sun.
Theta Orionis.
Ia the constellation Of Orion there i