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THE RELATIVE DUTIES OF MANKIND. [Part III.

when unaccompanied by circumstantial details ; I presume, there-fore, I may be permitted to illustrate this observation, by advert-ing to a particular instance, as instructive as it is authentic.

The renown of the celebrated Roger Sherman, of Connecti-cut, is known to us all ; he was a distinguished statesman, andone of the signers of the Declaration of American Independ-ence. His biographer says of him ; ■— “ Mr. Sherman, at thefirst period of his professional elevation, could not fail to recurwith pleasing and grateful emotions to the moment when he, per-haps for the first time, appeared in the presence of a lawyer, forthe purpose of procuring his advice. A neighbour or acquaint-ance, in transacting some affairs relative to the family of a de-ceased person, required the assistance of legal counsel. AsMr. Sherman, then a young man, was going to the county town,he was commissioned to obtain it from an eminent lawyer. Toprevent embarrassment, and secure the accurate representationof the case, he committed it to paper, as well as he could, be-fore he left home. In stating the case, the gentleman with whomhe was consulting observed, that Mr. Sherman frequently re-curred to a manuscript which he held in his hand. As it wasnecessary to make an application, by way of petition, to theproper tribunal, he desired the paper to be left in his hands, pro-vided it contained a statement of the case from which the peti-tion might be framed. Mr. Sherman consented with reluctance,telling him, that it was merely a memorandum drawn up for him-self, for his own convenience. The lawyer, after reading it,remarked, with an expression of surprise, that, with a few alter-ations in form, it was equal to any petition which he could haveprepared himself, and that no other was requisite. Having thenmade some inquiries relative to Mr. Sherman’s situation andprospects in life, he advised him to devote his attention to thestudy of the law. But his circumstances and duties did notpermit him to follow this counsel ; the numerous family, whichthe recent death of his father had made, in a considerable degree,dependent on him for their support and education, required hisconstant exertions in other employments. But the intimationwhich he then received, that his mind was fitted to higher pur-suits, and that he probably possessed talents adapted to the trans-