The Washington herald., 1912-10-06

When we consider Dickens short clerk
hip in an attorneys ONCE and his limited
experience as a law reporter 1t Is as
lonishing, says a writer In the Green Bag,
with what familiarity he uses legal
phraseology and describes legal customs
Ills delineations of lawyers, too. though
betraying the satirist, have the touch Of
! master.
How many lawyers have not appreciat-
ed what a difiicult witness Sam Weller Is
In his cross-examination by Sergt. Bug
tug? Dickens has introduced almost forty
men of law into his different romances.
every one a distinct type of the legal
confraternity. 1t is remarkable, too. that
they are all sharply individualized. from
the low shyster type OF Sampson Brass to
the bland and dignifed Lord Chancellor
himself
Besides these there are innumerable
lawyers clerks, some of whom are IA
nous to us as quaint characters aside
from their professional association. There
is our old friend Dick Swiveller, always
getting those 'inscrutaole and unmiti-
gated staggerers" at the mysterious con-
duct of his lawyer employers
There is Tom Pinch. who tries to draw
out Mr. fps as to the identity OF MS
employer, but gets for his pains only the
equivocal answer. BE careful how you
go: it's rather dark" There Is Jonh
fore his employer, Jaggers, VIII .ais
with a client and who never permits
hint or mention of the aged Parent
or the castle while in the ONCE.
There is the smart and 'spoffish law
student Percy Noakes. And there Is
Bazzard. who has written the Ihorn
of Anxiety" a tragedy which, ike a
thorn In the flesh, will not come out
Dickens himself was frank to confess
that he exaggerated these types.
There is Criah Heep in David Cop
perfeld," the sly, oily villain. always
humble and deprecatory, but weaving all
things to his own purposes. There are
Sampson Brass and Mr. sally Brass,
in ''Old Curiosity Shop the lowest types
of shysters. who in the end meet with
the retribution they deserve. There is
the yellow haired Mr.. Rugg In Little
Dorrit." whose round white visage look
ed as If all his bushes had been drawn
out long ago.
some of the Types.
William Stryver in the Tale of Two
Cities is sharply drawn as type OF the
elbowing windbag and demagogue. stout
loud. red. bluff. and free from any draw
back of delicacy. 1t is said that Stryver
is patterned after Lord Thurlow. who
when he needed the law he lacked had
many jackals of the sydney Carton type
to look il up for him. Among these as
sfstants of Thurlow were John Scott
who after became the famous Lord Chan-
cellor Eldon, and the Welsh lawyer, who
became eminent as Lord Chief Justice
Kenyon.
Mr.. Kenge, of the firm of Kenge &
Carboy, in Bleak House" stands for the
charlatan and pettifogger. He is called
Conversation" Kenge, because he enjoys
beyond everything the sound of his rich
mellow voice. He is portly. import
ant looking gentleman. dressed all In
black with white cravat. gold watch
seals, gold eyeglasses and large seal
ring. He always listens to himself with
obvious satisfaction and sometimes gent
" beats time to his own music with
his head or rounds a sentence with his
hand.
MIR. Vholes. also in Bleak House." the
chancery lawyer. is, we are told. type
OF the placid treasurers and presidents
of mining. agricultural. commercial, and
railroad companies, who preserve, on the
strength OF salaries VIGOROUSLY dispro-
portioned to their abilities. a calm. mys-
terious sublimity of expression while
comforting inquiring stockholders with
the vague assurance that all will be right
in the end.
Mr.. Tulkinghorn, another lawyer In
Bleak House" is one of the malignant
types of the Dickens lawyer, yet unique
in its malignancy. Too passionless tc
be either a friend or an enemy, he l:
mechanically faithful. without attach.
ment, to his clients. Ever vigilaht OF
their interests. he is absolutely devoic
of pity. conjunction or any of the
softer emotions
His one passion in life. If such mar
can be said to have a passion, is tho
ACQUISITION of aristocratic secrets and
the holding possession of such power a:
they give him. with no sharer or op-
ponent in It, The family skeletons, diff
fculties, mortgages, and delicate anall
of the oeau monde are all treasured ur
within his old black satin waistcoat He
is, therefore, Jealous of the profit. priv
lege. and reputation or peing master Of
the mysteries of great houses He is ar
oyster Of the "old school whom nobody
can open.
A good type of the criminal lawyer. a.
Dickens saw him. is Mr. Jaggers In
Great Expectations" He had a manner
expressive OF knowing something secret
" disparaging about every one. IL he
only chose to mention it. He had the
habit of biting the side of his great fore
finger as he bullied and eross-examined
witnesses. and he always insisted upor
the categorical answer Yes or NO
to his questions. He cross-examined ev'
erything. everybody-his clients, his food
his wine, and glass. his books; and his
entire conversation was ever guided by
the strictest rules of evidence.
One who Never Laughed.
He never laughed But he wore great
bright, creaking boots, and in posing
himself on these boots. with his large
head bent down and his eyebrows Joined
together, awaiting an answer to one OF
his cross-questions, he sometimes caused
the boots to creak. as If they laughed
in a dry and suspicious manner. To his
clerk. wemmick, he always seemed as II
he had set a man trap and was watching
it Suddenly, click, you're caught" Tc
others he gave the idea that they must
have committed a felony and somehow
forgotten the details OF It.
In trying a case. If anybody of what
soever degree, said a word that Jag
gers didn't approve OF. he instantly re-
quired to have 1t taken down" II
ANYBODY wouldn't make an admission. he
said. I'll have II out of you!'' and II
ANYBODY made an admission he said
Now I've got you" The magistrate
shivered under a single bite of his finger;
and thieves and thief takers hung in
dread rapture on his words. and shrank
when a hair of his eyebrows turned in
their direction.
He always carried an expressive pocket
handkerchief of rich silk and imposing
proportions, which was of great value tc
him in his profession. He would terrify
a client or a witness by tremendously
unfolding 1t as If he were Immediately
going to blow his nose. and then pausins