The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23


even current, always transparent. an'
never chafed by rock or tempest. Pitt
was like mighty torrent, which WAS some
times turbid and obscure, sometimes spen
itself in Maynard digressions, but wher'
IL poured forth all its strength was ir
resistible." We are also reminded b,
Mr. Veeder Of Macaulay's aracterization
Mansfield far surpassed Pitt in correctness
OF taste. in power OF reasoning, In depth AT,
variety of knowledge. His Parliamentar,
eloquence never blazed forth into sudden
/ flashes Of dazzling brilliancy, but the clear
placid, mellow splendor was never for an
instant overclouded It Ia at the same time
recognized that Mansfield was now and Their
| lacking in moral firmness. Though want
! ing neither energy nor courage, he quailed
under the assaults Of Pitt and Camden. As
a statesman, he undoubtedly took an ex-
cessive view of the royal prerogative, espe-
cally in the dispute with the American
colonies"
In our authors estimate of Mansfield
due stress is laid upon his admirable method
and manner Of exposition. He had an
intellect essentially legal-clear In thought,
accurate in discrimination. sound in judg-
ment and strong in reasoning power. ITO
an adequate knowledge Of Jurisprudence
and large experience in the details Of prac-
tice he added u remarkable facility in the
despatch of business and extraordinary
powers of application. According to the
testimony of Lord Sandwich, his talents
were more for common use and more at
his fingers ends than were those of any
other man Of the time. He excelled par
ticularly in exposition principal feature
OF judicial composition. Burke said that
his statement was itself worth the argument
Of any other man He arranged the facts
in All order no lucid, and with 80 nice n
reference to the conclusion to be founded
on them, that his hearers fell into the very
train Of thought that he wished them to
take when they should come to consider
his argument. and inclined them TO be
convinced before they heard It. The OBJ
servations which followed seemed to suggest
trains Of thinking, rather than to draw
conclusions, and so skilfully did he conceal
his art that his hearers thought they formed
their opinion in consequence Of the work.
ings of their own minds. Omitting all UNI
necessary ideas. he seized with great acumen
on the strong points Of subject. which he
held constantly before the mind as he
moved toward the desired result" Mans
fields ascendancy over his colleagues was
like John Marshalls In only one case
during his long term Of service as Chief
Justice Of the Kings Bench was there an
irreconcilable difference OF opinion between
him and his fellow Judges. Not single
bill of exceptions was ever rendered by
counsel 70 the directions given by Chief
Justice Mansfield TO "a jury, and Of his
numerous Judgments only two were di-
rectly reversed Ninety mine times in
hundred he was right" said Lord Thurlow,
and when once in a hundred times he was
not discover it,
III.
The life of Thomas Erskine, youngest
son of the tenth Earl Of Buchan, reads like
a romance. In Mr.. Veedcr's interesting
sketch of it we are reminded that Erskine
had been midshipman in the navy and an
officer in the army before, at the age OF 20,
he natriculated at Trinity College, Cam
bridge. He had suffered many privations
and was deeply in debt when he was called
to the bar In 1878. Within few months
thereafter he became conspicuous, and in
1871 his speech in defence Of Lord George
Gordon placed him in the front rank Of
advocates By 1888 he had surpassed all
rivals and had made $45 900, besdee paving
all his debts His professional earnings
are said to have reached total Of $3.50 600,
His first speech in the House II Commons.
on the other hand, was failure. and his
subsequent Parliamentary efforts added
nothing to his reputation. Such was his
eminence at the bar however, that On the
death Of Pitt and the accession of Grenville
TO the Premiership in 1909 he was made
Lord Chancellor, and received the title of
Baron Erskine. After he left that Office
he lived the life Of an idler and man about
town, and ended his days in discredit and
in poverty. He might like Scarlett Rave
been remembered only as a successful
verdict getter, but for the political trials
in which he was engaged. These not only
handed him down to posterity as a vindi-
Gator Of his country's liberties, but, by in
spring him with the consciousness that
he was defending his country and its con-
stitution az much as IL he were ape akinR in
Parliament or fighting in the field, developed
in way that no ordinary trial could have
done the impassioned eloquence and daunt-
less courage which had often swept audi
enoe and jury and even Court along with
II. We have seen that Mr.. Leslie Stephen
excerpts Erskine from the severe Judgment
which he passes on the speeches OF law
yers. Mr.. Veeder thinks that Erskihe's
style alone, il considered apart from the
political questions which he at times dis
russed although vast improvement on
that OF his immediate predecessors and his
would not have sufflced
10 rescue his work from oblivion. at owes
it's excellence not to polish, beauty of die
ton, richness Of ornament or felicity Of
ilhIst ration though never lacking these
qualities In some degree but rather TO its
vigor and fitness TO the occasion. He en-
forces his arguments with an intentness, |
IN earnestness and an energy. often with |
a vehemence which seemed TO compel /
conviction. In his longest speeches there
IL seldom any weakness or falling OFF, the
Same animated statement, pointed expo
,ition and lively argument continue through
,ut.' Mr.. Veeder adds Such ornament
W his work Possesses is invariably that OF
sentiment rather than diction; his whole
style addresses itself to the reason and
passions, rather than 10 the taste and irraRi-
nation. In other words, his style il either
or consciously adapted to the
evel OF the audience for whichit Is intended