strong.] 1^ [Jan. 6, 



of the large success for which he had waited so long, 

 and for which he had made such thorough prepara- 

 tion. The insurance business was never, perhaps, 

 better, at any time, or at any bar, than it was in Phila- 

 delphia, from 1807 to 181 7, including the ten years 

 between his substantial entrance into practice, and 

 his attainment of the full reputation and employment 

 which he held undiminished during his continuance in 

 professional life. 



In these years, pressingly engaged as he was in pro- 

 fessional duties, he prepared and published his six 

 volumes of reported decisions of the Supreme court of 

 Pennsylvania, covering the period from 1799 to 18 14. 

 To this work he was invited by Chief Justice Tilghman, 

 soon after his return from the legislature. That he 

 received the invitation from such a source, before he 

 had obtained any considerable practice, and when he 

 was only twenty-seven years old, was a very high tes- 

 timonial to the confidence which his abilities, his cul- 

 ture, his habits and his character had won for him in 

 the best quarters. Mr. Edward Tilghman's faith in 

 him, as exhibited in the incident to which I have re- 

 ferred, illustrates the respect he had gained from the 

 leaders of the " Old Bar," whose judgment was not 

 likely to err. Of his reports I must make only brief 

 mention. Fortunate would it be for any court of last 

 resort, and fortunate for the legal profession, if all re- 

 ports had equal merits. Certainly throughout the six 

 volumes the reporter gave irrefragable proofs of his 



