al. Experience, however, has
materially altered all this. The field from which the expert may be
cited has been vastly broadened, whilst at the same time his testimony
is accepted with much more caution, and less credence. The causes
which have operated towards this state of things are manifold, but I
need not explain them here. Wherever there is any sort of specialty,
from the blacking of boots, to the highest scientific pursuits, we now
have experts who go upon the stand, and dogmatically inform us that
their opinions are the true and only accepted finality upon the
subject presented. But we have found, that however positive one, or
two, or three experts may be in asseverating what they claim to be a
fact, an equal number, of equally scientific, equally experienced, and
equally trustworthy experts, may be found whose testimony will be
equally as positive, though diametrically opposed. Indeed, so true is
this, that I may quote the wise words of that eminent jurist Lord
Campbell, who says: 'Skilled witnesses come with such a bias on their
minds to support the cause in which they are embarked, that hardly any
weight should be given to their evidence.' These are strong words, but
what does Lord Campbell mean? That an eminent scientist would go upon
the witness stand, and perjure himself merely because he has been
engaged to substantiate a given proposition? Not at all. Of all
experts, I may be permitted to say perhaps, that the most eminent are
those connected with the professions, for we must rank the professions
higher than the arts, just as the arts are above the trades. We have
three great professions, to wit, the Ministry, Medicine, and Law. If
we could have before us the most prominent Minister, the most
celebrated Physician, and the most eminent Lawyer, we would probably
have three men standing equally high in public esteem. Then let us
suppose that this most eminent lawyer were engaged as counsel in some
great suit. Suppose that some intricate technicality of law should
arise, upon which the presiding judge should ask for argument and
precedents. Suppose, then, that associate counsel should place this
most eminent lawyer upon the stand as an expert witness? Remembering
that he had been paid for advocating the cause in behalf of which he
was testifying, how much weight would his evidence have? I think you
will agree that it would be very slight indeed! Yet is it not the same
with the expert physician? Is not the ski