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terful mind was able to meet such emer gencies; and although the domain had been previously unexplored, he fearlessly entered upon it with true statesmanlike views which have rarely been surpassed by any jurist either at home or abroad. Judge Perley was a law-giver in the completest meaning of the word, and his opin ions hold a high place in the judicial history

of the country. He was not wholly happy at nisi prius, for his temper was quick, and easily irritated. His powers of tonguestinging have never been surpassed, and the victim of his wrath never ventured to invite a repetition. He was utterly unable to conceal his feelings, and sometimes this weakness caused him much sorrow. On the other hand, it was just this weakness that made him so unique among men. Once a miserly old landlord called on him for advice, and in stat ing his case went on LEWIS W. to tell how he had cunningly overreached a debtor, and made him pay twice; and chuckling at his shrewdness, asked the Judge his opinion. "My opinion is that you are a damned rascal." " What 's your fee? " whined the client. " Five dollars," answered the irate counsellor. Thus did he always deal with fraud and dishonesty wherever he found it. His mental operations possessed the ra pidity of lightning, causing him to strike off his opinions at white heat. He was so full of law that he never knew what it was to incubate and elaborate. His associates all

testify to his wonderful readiness, and relate how he could talk in the consulting-room much better than he ever wrote. But his opinions are superb models for students, — chaste and pure, with idiomatic English and exhaustive learning. Among his best are The Dublin Case, 38 N. H.; Horn v. Cole, 51 N. H.; Bowker v. Smith, 48 N. H.; East man v. Meredith, 36 N. H.; and Lock Co. v. R. R., 48 N. H. Judge Perley was an admirable whistplayer, — playing the game precisely as he worked at law, — tol erating no idle chat ter, but insisting on strict discipline and attention. With him whist was merely an other mental process. He enjoyed good sto ries, and in his earlier days a song by Coun sellor Perley was one of the treats of the evening. There was no lover of country more devoted than he; the strongest patri otism dominated his body and soul, and in the darkness of re CLARK. bellion his voice and purse were his coun try's. He believed that voting was the supreme duty of the citizen, and in the per formance of that duty he never failed. With timeservers, especially in the war period, he had no patience, but denounced them one and all in his vigorous sentences, regardless of their standing in the community. When ex-President Pierce, whose position during war times was hardly as pronounced as his own, proffered a contribution to a soldier's charity, the Judge testily exclaimed, " Late, reluctant, and unimportant." In 1859 Judge Perley left the bench and