XXX
LAW AND EDUCATION
(All India Radio, Nagpur)
In THis series of talks designed to help young men in the choice
of-a-career;-I am speaking to those who are hesitating whether to
choose the profession of thé law. The subject of the talk, however,
is Law and Education and is thus wider than the main purpose
requires. Perhaps it is advantageous in a sense because it gives
me a chance to cover a larger field.
There is something of irony in the choice of the speaker for this
talk I must admit that I did not choose this profession with much
deliberation. While waiting to be admitted to Cambridge I joined
Lincoln’s Inn because my id joined before me and 1
studied Law because I had nothing else todo. =
Iwas moved, however, a:
Roman Law as I was b ae
-Lhave since-divid y
ever since I became a j
sion in the first. The Law, it
certainly garners all your attentio
The study of Law has Firstly, you study the law for
its own sake as’ you study p! phy and, secondly, you study
it to make a living. In the English Universities this distinction
between the intellectual and professional study of the subject is
well-recognised and maintained. In our umiversities this is not
done, It is not realised that the study of the law can be an intel-
al occupation and that Law is a branch of learning. Dr. John-
Son said, “the Jaw is the last result of human wisdom acting upon
_ human experience for the benefit of the public.” It is the crystal-
- lisation of the thought and habits of society. There is a philosophy
he Ja and there are no limits to it. It is as one eminent thinker
- by. the intellectualism of
racé, Vergil and Terence.
ré-and Law;though
na considerable reces-
is a jealous mistress and it
iversities do not make any attempt to include ie asa
part of the general education, Education is understood by us in
the American rather than the English sense, As Faunce wrote to
Flexner: :
AOR Americans do value education as a business asset, buttsScanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerScanned with CamScannerLAW AND EDUCATION 317
distinction exists between civil and criminal law and you can
choose one of these two. Criminal law is easy and less extensive,
It requires more worldly wisdom than legal wisdom, more insight
into human character than law books. You may see your own
penchant and then decide.
Tf you wish to suceced as a lawyer you must, of course, possess a
good library. But make use of the books, A lawyer is not supposed:
“With books and money plac’d, for show,
Like nest-eggs, to make clients lay,
And for his false opinion pay.”
You must, therefore, keep books not for show but for study.
And now lastly, about judges. Every young man who enters
the profession of the law hopes some day to be a judge. Com-
pared with the duties of a lawyer, those of the judge are irksome.
Most of his time a judge, in the words of Emerson:
“Weighs the arguments, and puts a brave
face on the matter and, since there must
be a decision, decides as he can, and hopes
that he has done justice.”
Expedition is expected of him and it is said that though his duly,
is to administer justice, his practice is to delay it. But “how can” as
Jefferson said “expedition be expected from a body:which we have
saddled with an hundred lawyers whose trade is talking”. A judge’s
job is no bed of roses and whatever you do, do not let that weigh:
in your consideration.
I now wish you all luck and hope that I have been able to per-
suade some of you to join the honourable profession of the law.
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