Page:Letters of Junius, volume 2 (Woodfall, 1772).djvu/304

294 Barrister has not the assurance to deny it flatly; but he evades the charge, and softens the doctrine, by such poor contemptible quibbles as cannot impose upon the meanest understanding.

5°. quantity of business in the court of King's Bench proves nothing but the litigious spirit of the people, arising from the great increase of wealth and commerce. These, however, are now upon the decline, and will soon leave nothing but law suits behind them. When Junius affirms, that Lord Mansfield has laboured to alter the system of jurisprudence in the court where his Lordship presides, he speaks to those who are able to look a little farther than the vulgar. Besides, that the multitude are easily deceived by the imposing names of equity and substantial justice, it does not follow that a judge, who introduces into his court new modes of proceeding, and new principles of law, intends, in every instance, to decide unjustly. Why should he, where he has no interest?—We say, that Lord Mansfield is a bad man, and a worse judge;—but we do not say that he is a mere devil. Our adversaries would fain reduce us to the difficulty of proving too much.—This artifice