JET. 30.] PERSONAL PROSPECTS. 401 



and thus to go the next northern circuit which I 

 prefer to any other, as being the largest field, and in 

 every respect the first thing in that way. I shall do 

 this at the present moment, because from my recent 

 intercourse with Liverpool and Manchester folks, 

 the iron in that quarter is hot, and should be struck 

 before it cools. I set out with too slender a provision 

 of law, no doubt, and may very possibly never see a 

 jury until I have to address it, my stock of practice 

 being so slender that I never yet saw a nisi-prius 

 trial. But the points of law are few on a circuit, and 

 by good fortune none of any difficulty may fall on 

 me, and as there are no great wizards go the northern 

 circuit, I may push through the thing with a little 

 presence of mind and quickness. Besides, nothing 

 was ever done without risk, and nothing great with- 

 out much danger. Therefore I have taken my deter- 

 mination, and shall be ready to set out for York 

 when the circuit commences. 



" In short, being so fairly in for it, I must make 

 the best of an indifferent bargain, and addict myself 

 to whatever will carry me upwards at the bar. There 

 are many openings no formidable obstacles ; and 

 one may hope in time to make the profession a little 

 more like what it used to be of old, when mercenary 

 views were out of the question, and it was certainly 

 the finest of all civil pursuits. 



" The worst of all this is, that it forces me to give 

 up everything political, and in prudence should keep 

 me clear of all party views and connections, for these, 



VOL. i. 2 c 



