The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-10-25
Law IND Ia WYERS.

LAW AND LAWYERS.
From the Baltimore sun.
Mr.. Richard DevereuX Doyle, prom
inent member of the Norfolk (Va.) bar,
contributes to the Southern Magazine
an artical entitled MY Impressions of
Law and Lawyers, (which will prove IN
! teresting to layInen, as well as 10 men,
bers of the legal profession. Mr.. Doyle
discusses his theme iustructively. enter
tainingly and with judicial inpartiality
and candor. He refers to the Con
| fessions of Junior Barrister," by the
| brilliant Richard Lalor Shiel, as EN-
| bodying the early experiences of many
hopeful and talented young lawyers.
How many" says Mr.. Doyle, have
/ passed through similar course OF
study and preparation, perhaps grad
uating in the humanities, as well as the
| law, bearing away the prize for elocu-
| ton and oratory at some of our great
| institutions of learning? How many
have thought that such talents as theirs
were sure to command early, If not
immediate, success, and. alas, how
many have been disappointed" differ
ing, it may be added. in this respect
from Shiel, who passed safely through
the depressing period of waiting and
probating, which tries the soul of the
ordinary legal neophyte, and who
won the distinction of which he
had dreamed at the outset of his
career. Many of this grand
army of the disappointed fail, Mr..
Doyle thinks, not because they are
lacking in genuine talent" which is
Frequently of high order" but ''be-
cause there are so many other elements
that should, but do not, enter into the
calculation" of the youthful aspirant.
Youth, for one thing, sis too sanguine
and expects too much. Some fail be-
cause of their bad personal habits;
some by infirm health and too hard
study and confinement are stricken
down, like poor Kirk White, when life
is in its SPRING Some are not polite
enough to WOO the world but hold
proudly aloof. trusting to their talents
and knowledge, while the busy world
Toes bustling by without stopping to
look at their credentials" Some stray
into the pleasant and fowery paths of
literature and some into the seductive
field of politics. "A literary reputa-
ton Mr.. DOYLE declares, lis. perhaps,
more dangerous than political one,
especially if one is given, like Mr..
} Wegg, to dropping into poetry. The
age is too practical for successful
combination of law and literature. \
lawyer may and should be cultivated.
T S,,r J, l.,
teur or poet" Nor will it do for the
young lawyer to seek to make himself
known by going into politics. To do
so is d risky venture for one who in
tends to make law the profession of d
lifetime, and even Il reputation for po-
litical oratorv is of little il any benefit
to lawyer. The public soon come 70
regard him as politician and may be
willing TO vote with him or for him,
but not to give him business"
Turning from the causes of failure
to the qualities important to what is
ordinarily deemed success, Mr.. Doyle
summarizes them as follows: Love OF
the profession and evident desire to get
business, and attention to IL when in
hand; industry and the appearance Of
Industry and good native sense; with
an aggressive and partisan tempera-
ment. Fluency Of speech, eloquence
of diction and genuine oratorical talent
are useful, but not essential" This par
hssn and aggressive spirit, which is
I akin to what Lord Bacon calls bold
ness" Mr.. Doyle considers psrticu-
iarly important element of success
Men hire lawyers. as the expression Is
among plain people, TO attend 70 their
. business and fight their battles, right
1r wrong. and the lawyer who goes in
/ 10 a case thoroughly imbued with the
clients feelings. believing or making
believe that he IS certainly right and
the other party an unmitigated rascal,
! IS sure 10 please
As 70 the ethical side of the law, Mr..
( Doyle admits that much may De sad
/ pro and con. One Of the demorahZing
/ features OF the profession Is that a
I lawyer cannot choose his cases" lie
/ ts sometimes on the wrong side. the
/ side OF falsehood and injustice. and
/ when on the wrong side there = a.
most irresistible temptation 20 express
! belief IN the justice OF his cause, and
/ lawyers too often yield to II. thus
Z giving some ground for the popular ac-
-UsatIon that lawyers lie for their
+ CLIENTS After al. whether the law
/ i a noble and eievatiag profession
depends upon the man There =
nothing N The nature % ais profession
which compeis = lawyer 20 De radical
+ Il has is temptations. but % has every
othe- business. Many lard things
have been said OF lawyers. but the se-
eouzt J. nearly balanced by tBe con-
2ljmeRtary things tAa; theg have sad
/ ~ themselves and OK their profession
SIR Edward Coke speaks ot the glad-
! some light Of jurisp-udence. and