ber of the Bar of the
city of New York on the other. The New York lawyer went to
Hartford to negotiate about the case. The Hartford lawyer
had obtained the opinion of Roger Minott Sherman for his client
and held it in his hand during the conversation, labelled
on the outside, "Opinion of Roger Minott Sherman," and moved
it about under the eye of his opponent. The opinion was in
fact that the Hartford man's client had no case. But the
New York lawyer supposed that if the man had got Roger Minott
Sherman's opinion, and seemed to set so much store upon the
document, it was favorable to the party who had consulted
him. He was much alarmed and settled the case on favorable
terms to his antagonist.

Mr. Sherman was famous for his quickness of wit. A story
went the rounds of the papers in my youth, which may or may
not have any truth in it, but which I will record. It is
said that he was once arguing a case against Nathan Smith,
a very able but rather coarse lawyer. Mr. Smith had discussed
the question of law with the subtilty for which he was distinguished.
Mr. Sherman said to the court that he thought his brother
Smith's metaphysics were out of place in that discussion;
that he was not adverse to such refinement at a proper time,
and would willingly, on a fit occasion, chop logic and split
hairs with him. Smith pulled a hair out of his own head,
and holding it up, said,--"Split that." Sherman replied, quick
as lightning, "May it please your Honor, I didn't say bristles."

The following is the passage referred to from S. G. Goodrich's
"Recollections of a Lifetime":

"Roger Minott Sherman was distinguished for acute logical
powers and great elegance of diction,--words and sentences
seemed to flow from his lips as if he were reading from the
_Spectator._ He was a man of refined personal appearance
and manners; tall, stooping a little in his walk; deliberate
in his movements and speech, indicating circumspection, which
was one of his characteristics. His countenance was pale
and thoughtful, his eye remarkable for a keen penetrating
expression. Though a man of grave general aspect, he was
not destitute of humor. He was once travelling in western
Virginia, and stopping at a small tavern, was beset with questions
by the landlord, as to where he came from, whither he was
going, etc. At last said Mr. Sherman, 'Sit down, sir, and
I will tell you all about it.' The landlord sat down. 'Sir,'
said he, 'I am from th