ressed on my mind by every
American friend that I had "no business capacity," and, moreover, as I
greatly dreaded speaking in court, I had from the beginning a great fear
that I could never live by the law. I mention this because there are
many thousands of young men who suffer terribly from such apprehension,
and often ruin life by it. A few months' practice in a mercantile
college will go far to relieve the first apprehension, while as regards
_stage fright_, it can be easily educated out of anybody, as I have since
those days educated it out of myself, so that rising to debate or speak
inspires in me a _gaudium certaminis_, which increases with the certainty
of being attacked. Let the aspirant begin by reading papers before, let
us say, a family or school, and continue to do so frequently and at as
short intervals as possible before such societies or lyceums as will
listen to him. Then let him speak from memory or improvise and debate.
This should form a part of all education whatever, and it should be
_thorough_. It is specially needed for lawyers and divines, yet a great
proportion of both are most insufficiently trained in it; and while I was
studying law it was never mentioned to me. I was never so much as once
taken into court or _practically_ employed in any manner whatever.

I remember an amusing incident in the office. Mr. Cadwallader asked me
one day to call, returning from my lunch, on a certain Mr. Dimpfel, one
of his clients, leave a certain message and his request as follows:--"I
want you, Mr. Leland, to be _very careful_. I have observed that you are
sometimes inaccurate in such matters, therefore be sure that you give me
Mr. Dimpfel's _very words_." Mr. Cadwallader knew French and Spanish
perfectly, but not German, and was not aware that I always conversed with
Mr. Dimpfel in the latter language. When I returned my teacher said--

"Now, Mr. Leland, can you repeat accurately _word for word_ what Mr.
Dimpfel said?" I replied:

"Yes. _Der Herr Dimpfel lasst sich grussen und meldet das er Montag
kommen wird um halb drei_. _Und er sagt weiter_ . . . "

"That will do," cried Mr. Cadwallader; "you must give it in English."

"I beg your pardon," was my grave reply, "but you asked for his very
words."

I began to write for publication in 1849. Mr. John Sartain, a great
engraver, established a magazine, to which I contributed several articles
on art subjects, subsequently many more on all subje