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Mr. Quirk," said Gammon, with an air of disgust. "But I really must get on with the brief I'm drawing; so, Mr. Quirk, we can talk about Titmouse to-morrow!" The brief he was drawing up was for a defendant who was going to nonsuit the plaintiff, (a man with a large family, who had kindly lent the defendant a considerable sum of money,) solely because of the _want of a stamp_. Quirk differed in opinion with Gammon, and, as he resumed his seat at his desk, he could not help writing the words, "_Quirk and Snap_," and thinking how well such a firm would sound and work--for Snap was verily a chip of the old block! There will probably never be wanting those who will join in abusing and ridiculing attorneys and solicitors. Why? In almost every action at law, or suit in equity, or proceeding which may, or may not, lead to one, each client conceives a natural dislike for his opponent's attorney or solicitor. _If the plaintiff succeeds_, he hates the defendant's attorney for putting him (the said plaintiff) to so much expense, and causing him so much vexation and danger; and, when he comes to settle with his own attorney, there is not a little heart-burning in looking at his bill of costs, however reasonable. _If the plaintiff fails_, of course it is through the ignorance and unskilfulness of his attorney or solicitor! and he hates almost equally his own, and his opponent's attorney!--Precisely so is it with a successful or unsuccessful _defendant_. In fact, an attorney or solicitor is almost always obliged to be acting _adversely to some one_ of whom he at once makes an enemy; for an attorney's weapons must necessarily be pointed almost invariably at our pockets! He is necessarily, also, called into action in cases when all the worst passions of our nature--our hatred and revenge, and our self-interest--are set in motion. Consider the mischief which might be constantly done on a grand scale in society, if the vast majority of attorneys and solicitors were not honorable, and able men! Conceive them, for a moment, disposed everywhere to stir up litigation, by availing themselves of their perfect acquaintance with almost all men's circumstances--artfully inflaming irritable and vindictive clients, kindling, instead of stifling, family dissensions, and fomenting public strife--why, were they to do only a hundredth part of what it is thus in their power to do, our courts of justice would soon be doubled, together with the number
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