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the price corresponded with the estimate. Scraping together about three hundred pounds sterling, Francis " bought his life" in a corner chamber, one pair of stairs up. It was a dismal hole and dark, where his near relations first sought him out. He was once asked if he took fees from these. " Yes," he said; "they come to do me a kindness, and what kindness have I if I refuse their money?" Our good friend Roger, as he goes along, lets in much light upon the ways of the prom inent members of the bar, among other things showing the finesse to which they resorted in humoring the judges. He is not slow to assert that a judge for the most part thinks that person the best lawyer that respects most his opinion. The bar acted upon that theory. Francis North frequently gave up a point that went against the grain of a judge, hoping that on some later occa sion of more importance he would gain credit to mislead him. The same thing is reported of old Sergeant Maynard, then of singular repute for honesty and integrity. Such artifices as these would be scarcely creditable in our time. This and other like facts lead us to rejoice in the belief that there is going on in social affairs an ethical evolution. The ways of Francis North outwardly prospered. From a humble beginner he soon became " cock of the circuit," and every one that had a trial rejoiced to have him on his side. At an early stage of his career he met with a serious mishap which nearly cost him his life. Though a sober man, he had be come on one occasion very drunk. This happened through the agency of an enter tainer, — a judge, it is true, but of that silly class who think it the very mystery of hospi tality to lay their guests under the table. Poor North in his intoxicated condition was sent home upon a very sprightly nag, which in the end left his rider in a frog-pond, who but for a timely rescue would have lost his life. Roger North, with his usual good judgment,

yet in advance of his age, records the follow ing sensible comment : " As for such enter tainments as these, it is a great pity that the tokens of barbarity should yet remain; and much more that the consequences, often fatal, should be as braves [boasts] of con quests, with a people who would take it ill not to be accounted civilized, wise, and learned." For the utterance of such a sen timent, Roger North was no doubt deemed visionary and a " crank " in his day; but now, two hundred and more years later, it finds a most hearty and responsive echo in the breast of every truly civilized man. As a rule, however, Francis North was free from every vice that interfered with a rapid rise in the profession. He was a devoted student. For example, he made it a rule to read Littleton (that is, the pure Littleton, without Coke's comment) through every Christmas during the whole time of his prac tice. He treated this work as a legal clas sic, and as the foundation of conveyancing, and judged it necessary that it should be re membered with exactness. There were reasons for his professional ad vancement beyond his legal merits. Though educated as a Puritan and Presbyterian, he became a thorough-paced courtier, with no excessive scruples. It was to be expected that he would advance rapidly to the position of King's Counsel; and then to that of Soli citor-General, and in the end to higher honors. At the turning-point in his career he thinks it well to be married. Marriage is not treated either by him or his biographer as a matter of affection, but rather as a means of gaining social status and personal advan tage. In the final analysis, it is a question of rent-roll. That mercenary arrangement in England known as a " marriage settle ment " comes into operation. It is treated as a matter of hard cash on the part of the lady or her friends, balanced on his side against brilliant prospects. Roger North at the bottom of his heart is dissatisfied with such views. In apologetic words he dis