there were three great advocates before all others, Bethel [Lord Westbury], Palmer [Lord Selborne], Cairns. Each of them had his own points of superiority, though each fras very good at all points. Cairns excel led in strong common sense and broad, lucid
the flank of a hostile position taken up by the court, such as Bethel would have attacked in front; rounding off an angle here, atten uating a difference there; bringing some previously neglected portion of the case into relief, relegating others to the background,
lord o'hagan.
arrangement of facts; Bethel in force of exposition and direct attack on his opponent, whether counsel or judge; Palmer in power of work, in knowledge of his briefs, in ready memory and vast resources of case law, in subtlety and great skill in addressing himself to unforeseen emergencies. He could per form the most difficult operations of strategy, changing front in the face of the enemy. It was an admirable sight to see him turning
and so restoring the battle. What gave Palmer the superiority in these movements (apart from the great versatility and adap tability of his mind and his complete com mand of temper) was above all his perfectly accurate and ready knowledge of every de tail of his case." His marked characteristic as a judge was his profound knowledge of case law and his masterly dealing with it. In this respect he
