Judgment

Judgment Warped by Personal Considerations. — We have heard, I dare say, the story of the lawyer who was waited upon by a farmer, to ask him what would be the penalty for a man whose horse was always getting into his neighbor’s field and eating his corn, whether it would be heavy; he had warned him several times, and he always would do it, and it was his fence, and he ought to have mended it. The lawyer said of course there would be a considerable fine, no doubt, and so on. “Well,” said he, “sir, it is your horse that has done this.” “Oh!” said our friend, the solicitor, “that is quite a different question; I did not know it was my horse before I gave my opinion.” So it is, generally, with regard to anything that is done amiss, if it hurts you, or if it hurts me, we always feel very indignant about it, but if it only offends the Majesty of heaven we make light of it.