ty displayed by the judges, and by their complete subserviency
to the wishes of the Executive, as expressed by their forensic
mouthpiece, Attorney-General Robinson. On account, as he believed, of
his political opinions, he had been forced to contend against the
persistent hostility of the judiciary. His triumphs at the bar had been
won by reason of his power over juries, and in spite of one-sided
charges from the bench. Of the understanding and judicial integrity of
Mr. Sherwood he had formed a very low estimate. Hagerman, who
temporarily succeeded Judge Willis, was an abler man, but his political
feelings were so strong that Rolph would not imperil the interests of
his clients by appearing before him. Upon the accession of
Attorney-General Robinson to the bench the state of affairs from Rolph's
point of view was not much improved. Mr. Robinson and he had so long
fought each other at the bar and on the floor of the Assembly that they
had come to regard each other as personal enemies. Rolph, rightly or
wrongly, came to the conclusion that he could no longer hope to obtain
any measure of justice. The necessary consequence of such a conclusion
was a resolve to abandon the practice of law, and to resume that of
medicine, which latter, indeed, he had never wholly abandoned. This
resolution was not fully carried out until more than two years after it
had been formed, though he meanwhile accepted no new suits, and steadily
prepared himself for the impending change. The decisive step does not
appear to have been taken until 1832, when he transferred his legal
practice to his brother George. Thenceforward John Rolph never again
appeared in a Court of justice in the capacity of an advocate. It was a
momentous decision, for he had a fine legal practice, and enjoyed the
reputation of being the most eloquent man at the Upper Canadian bar. He
had outlived the exuberance of youth, and was at this time nearly forty
years old--an age at which few men would have had the courage to abandon
a pursuit which had been followed with signal success for many years. He
resumed the practice of medicine and surgery, and was thenceforward
known as "Doctor" Rolph. For some years before this time he had resided
at Dundas. He now removed to the capital, where he was well known, and
where he continued to reside until the breaking out of the Rebellion
towards the close of 1837. He soon won a distinguished place in the
ranks of his new calling, and reached