PREFACE. THIS work treats only of the dead, with the exception of the last chapter, which is devoted to observations upon the characters of eminent living lawyers who are more than three score and ten years of age; and in its preparation the author has sought to present accurate sketches of the distinguished jurists and lawyers who have graced the jurisprudence of Mississippi, together with an exposition of the peculiar traits of character by which they rose to eminence. It is not assumed, however, that this work comprises the mention of every good man, or good lawyer of local repute, but only of such as, owing to their varied pre-eminent qualities, are justly entitled to the fee of eminence. There were many, very many, of the former class whose characters are fully worthy of the most meritorious mention, and even a compendium. of whose deserts would fill the pages of many volumes; but it has been the design of the author to embrace only those whose professional careers were characterized by transcendent genius, and which gave marked dignity and elevation to Mississippi jurisprudence. If he has omitted any of this class, the oversight was due to a lack of information respecting their characteristics, and their friends must take upon themselves, in part, the responsibility, if such there be, of withholding intimations which would have led to a thorough inquiry. The lives of lawyers are generally monotonous, and void of noticeable event. They leave, as a general thing, but little record of their merits, and a work devoted exclusively to professional incidents must depend largely upon oral evidence and traditional testimony; and the only question, in those cases, is, to whom did the concurrence of the bar and the voice of the people accord the meed of eminence? It is true that the latter test subjects, arbitrarily, all claims to merit to the measure of success, which cannot, in all cases, be accepted as a just criterion, for in this respect there is often a vice versa relation; yet it is the plumb-line by which the edifice must be mainly erected, |