“I know that I have not enjoyed such advantages, sir; but I have read law very diligently for the last three years, and with what memory and understanding I possess, I have profited by my reading.”

“But that is not like a regular course of study at a law school.”

“Perhaps not, sir; but in addition to my reading, I have had a considerable experience while acting as your clerk.”

“So you have; and you have profited by all the experience you have gained while with me.  I have seen that; you have acquitted yourself unusually well, and been of very great service to me; but still I insist that law-office business and law-book knowledge is not everything; there is more required to make a good lawyer.”

“I know there is, sir; very much more, and I have taken steps to acquire it.  For nearly two years I have regularly attended the sessions of the courts, both in St. Mary’s county and here in the city, and in that time have learned something of the practice of law,” persisted Ishmael.

“All very well, so far as it goes, young man; but it would have been better if you had graduated at some first-class law school,” insisted the old-fashioned, conservative judge.

“Excuse me, sir, if I venture to differ with you, so far as to say, that I do not think a degree absolutely necessary to success; or indeed of much consequence one way or the other,” modestly replied Ishmael.

The judge opened his eyes to their widest extent.

“What reason have you for such an opinion as that, Ishmael?” he inquired.

“Observation, sir.  In my attendance upon the sessions of the courts I have observed some gentlemen of the legal profession who were graduates of distinguished law schools, but yet made very poor barristers.  I have noticed others who never saw the inside of a law school, but yet made very able barristers.”

“But with all this, you must admit that the great majority of distinguished lawyers have been graduates of first-class law schools.”

“Oh, yes, sir; I admit that.  I admit also—­for who, in his senses, could deny them?—­the very great advantages of these schools as facilities; I only contend that they cannot insure success to any law student who has not talent, industry, perseverance, and a taste for the profession; and that, to one who has all these elements of success, a diploma from the schools is not necessary.  I think it is the same in every branch of human usefulness.  Look at the science of war.  Remember the Revolutionary times.  Were the great generals of that epoch graduates of any military academy?  No, they came from the plow, the workshop, and the counting house.  No doubt it would have been highly advantageous to them had they been graduates of some first-class military academy; I only say it was found not to be absolutely necessary to their success as great generals; and in our later wars, we have not found the graduates of West Point, who had a great theoretic knowledge