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56
Hereditary Genius
his political party may be out of office for a long period, at a time when he
was otherwise ripe for advancement. I cannot, however, believe that either
of these are serious obstacles in the long run. Sterling ability is sure to make
itself felt, and to lead to practice; while as to politics, the changes of party
are sufficiently frequent to give a fair chance to almost every generation.
For every man who is a judge, there may possibly be two other lawyers of
the same standing, equally fitted for the post, but it is hard to believe there
can be a larger number.
If not always the foremost, the Judges are therefore among the foremost,
of a vast body of legal men. The Census speaks of upwards of 3, 000
barristers, advocates, and special pleaders; and it must be recollected that
these do not consist of 3, 000 men taken at hap-hazard, but a large part of
them are already selected, and it is from these, by a second process of
selection, that the judges are mainly derived. When I say that a large part of
the barristers are selected men, I speak of those among them who are of
humble parentage, but have brilliant natural gifts—who attracted notice as
boys, or, it may be, even as children, and were therefore sent to a good
school. There they won exhibitions and fitted themselves for college, where
they supported themselves by obtaining scholarships. Then came
fellowships, and so they ultimately found their way to the Bar. Many of
these have risen to the Bench. The parentage of the Lord Chancellors
Justifies my statement. There have been thirty of them within the period
included in my inquiries. Of these, Lord Hardwicke was the son of a small
attorney at Dover, in narrow circumstances; Lord Eldon (whose brother
was the great Admiralty Judge, Lord Stowell) was son of a “coal fitter;”
Lord Truro was son of a sheriff's officer; and Lord St. Leonards (like Lord
Tenterden, the Chief Justice of Common Pleas) was son of a barber.
Others
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