james otis the pre-revolutionist-第14部分

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himself　is　to　be　found　in　the　files　of　the　Supreme　Judicial　Court　of　Massachusetts；　along　with　Robinson's　written　acknowledgment　and　apology。　

Next　to　his　impetuous　devotion　to　the　true　relations　of　things；　the　source　of　Otis's　power　lay　in　his　adequate　preparation　for　the　life　of　an　advocate。　　Bred　to　the　law　at　a　time　long　before　the　pathway　had　been　smoothed　by　the　multiplication　of　elementary　works　and　other　modern　improvements；　he　yet　fully　mastered　that　abstruse　science；　which　perhaps　does　more　to　quicken　and　invigorate　the　understanding　than　many　of　the　other　kinds　of　learning　put　together。　　As　a　sufficient　foundation　for　his　later　legal　studies　he　had　pursued　at　Harvard；　the　foremost　college　in　the　colonies；　not　only　the　regular　undergraduate　classical　course；　but　also　the　three　years　of　work　required　for　the　Master's　degree。　　Moreover；　in　conformity　with　his　views　on　the　necessity　of　a　generous　and　comprehensive　culture　of　the　mind　as　a　means　of　success　at　the　bar；　or　in　any　professional　career；　Otis　did　not　plunge　at　once　from　his　collegiate　courses　into　the　routine　of　the　legal　office；　but　allowed　himself　two　years　of　self…directed　general　study　with　a　view　toward　further　disciplining　his　mind　and　widening　his　information。　　The　subjects　thus　pursued　and　the　general　culture　which　he　acquired　served　to　open　and　to　liberalize　his　mind　in　nearly　the　same　proportion　as　the　assiduous　study　of　the　law　was　next　to　invigorate　and　quicken　it。　　In　conversation　with　his　brother　he　remarked；　〃that　Blackstone's　Commentaries　would　have　saved　him　seven　years'　labor　pouring　over　and　delving　in　black　letter。〃　　He　appears　to　have　formed　a　very　correct　judgment　respecting　the　nature　of　professional　education　and　the　best　means　of　mastering　its　abstruse　details。　　He　constantly　inculcated　upon　the　young　men　who　came　to　study　in　his　office　the　maxim；　〃that　a　lawyer　ought　never　to　be　without　a　volume　of　natural　or　public　law；　or　moral　philosophy；　on　his　table　or　in　his　pocket。〃

After　two　years　of　practice　in　Plymouth；　he　removed　to　Boston　（1750）；　where　he　found　the　larger　field　which　was　demanded　by　his　superior　training　and　abilities；　and　he　very　soon　rose　to　the　front　rank　of　his　profession。

The　regard　which　he　entertained　for　his　master　in　the　law　is　well　shown　by　his　conduct　as　the　opposing　advocate　during　the　hearing　on　the　Writs　of　Assistance；　when　Otis　having　resigned　his　post　of　Advocate…General　of　the　Province　in　order　to　champion　the　people's　cause；　the　vacancy　was　filled　by　the　appointment　of　Gridley。　　Otis　held　the　character　and　abilities　of　his　former　teacher　in　very　high　respect；　and　allowed　this　differential　feeling　to　appear　throughout　the　trial。　　〃It　was；〃　says　John　Adams；　who　was　present　on　this　occasion；　and　from　whom　nearly　all　the　details　of　the　course　of　this　affair　are　derived；　〃it　was　a　moral　spectacle　more　affecting　to　me　than　any　I　have　ever　seen　upon　the　stage；　to　observe　a　pupil　treating　his　master　with　all　the　deference；　respect；　esteem；　and　affection　of　a　son　to　a　father；　and　that　without　the　least　affectation；　while　he　baffled　and　confounded　all　his　authorities；　confuted　all　his　arguments；　and　reduced　him　to　silence。〃　　Nor　was　a　suitable　return　wanting　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Gridley；　who　〃seemed　to　me　to　exult　inwardly　at　the　glory　and　triumph　of　his　pupil。〃

Though　he　made　no　pretensions　to　scholarship；　some　of　his　writings　showed　a　cultivated　taste　and　a　love　of　literary　pursuits；　which　were　gratified　so　far　as　his　numerous　engagements　in　public　service　would　permit。　　With　a　literary　taste　formed　and　matured　by　the　study　of　Latin　and　Greek　prosidy　as　constituted　in　the　best　models　of　antiquity；　it　is　not　surprising　that　his　opinions　on　matters　of　criticism　and　scholarship　were　those　of　the　Odd　school；　and　that　he　decried　all　the　forms　of　innovation　in　letters　which　had　begun　to　show　themselves　in　his　day；　and　which　he　regarded　as　affectations。　　His　constant　advice　to　young　people　was　if　you　want　to　read　poetry；　read　Shakespeare；　Milton；　Dryden；　and　Pope；　throw　all　the　rest　in　the　fire。　　And　with　the　addition　of　but　one　or　two　names　which　have　appeared　since　his　time；　such　counsel　is　judicious　advice　even　to…day。　

His　abilities　were；　perhaps；　somewhat　overrated　in　the　admiring　judgment　of　his　contemporaries。　　His　style　as　a　writer　was　copious　and　energetic；　but　it　was　sometimes　careless；　coarse　and　even　incorrect。　　His　eloquence　was　better　adapted　to　popular　assemblies　than　to　the　graver　occasions　of　legislative　debate；　in　the　halls　of　justice；　it　produced　a　greater　effect　on　the　jury　than　on　the　judge。　　〃The　few　fragments　of　his　speeches　that　were　reported　and　are　now　extant　give　no　idea　of　the　enthusiasm　that　was　created　by　their　delivery。　　The　elevation　of　his　mind；　and　the　known　integrity　of　his　purposes；　enabled　him　to　speak　with　decision　and　dignity；　and　commanded　the　respect　as　well　as　the　admiration　of　his　audience。〃　　While　his　arguments　were　sometimes　comprehensive　and　varied；　they　generally　related　only　to　a　few　points　which　they　placed　in　a　very　clear　and　convincing　light。　　His　object　was　immediate　effect。　　He　had　studied　the　art　of　clear　expression　and　forcible　argument　in　order　to　act　with　facility　and　force　upon　the　minds　of　others　to　such　an　extent　as　to　convince　them；　and　then　to　convert　their　conviction　into　action。　　He　employed　the　facility　and　the　power　thus　gained　not　for　any　personal　agrandizement；　but　to　advocate　political　reform　for　the　good　of　the　whole　people。

In　the　latter　part　of　his　speech　on　the　Writs　of　Assistance；　he　discussed　the　incompatibility　of　the　acts　of　trade　as　lately　adopted　by　the　English　Ministry　with　the　charter　of　the　colony。　　In　so　doing　〃he　reproached　the　nation；　Parliament；　and　King；〃　says　John　Adams；　〃with　injustice；　illiberality；　ingratitude；　and　oppression；　in　their　conduct　towards　the　people　of　this　country；　in　a　style　of　oratory　that　I　never　heard　equalled　in　this　or　any　other　country。〃　　As　to　the　effect　of　this　oration　in　increasing　the　courage　of　the　colonists；　inciting　them　to　scrutinize　more　closely　and　resist　more　strenuously；　the　claims　of　the　British　Ministry　and　Parliament；　we　have　Adams's　significant　statement；　〃I　do　say　in　the　most　solemn　manner　that　Mr。　Otis's　oration　against　Writs　of　Assistance　breathed　into　this　nation　the　breath　of　life。〃

The　longest　and　most　elaborate　production　from　his　pen　is　the　pamphlet　on　the　〃Rights　of　the　Colonies。〃　　It　affords　a　fair　specimen　of　his　impetuous　and　inaccurate　rhetoric；　his　rapid　and　eager　manner　of　accumulating　facts；　arguments；　and　daring　assertions；　and　the　〃glowing　earnestness　and　depth　of　patriotic　feeling　with　which　all　his　compositions　are　animated。〃　　It　is　not　surprising　that　a　book　written　in　this　style　caused　the　author　to　be　suspected　of　wildness　and　even　of　madness。　　But　there　was；　as　Bowen　remarks；　a　method　and　a　good　deal　of　logical　power　in　his　madness。

The　pamphlet　was　reprinted；　circulated；　and　read　in　Great　Britain　and　even　attracted　the　attention　of　the　House　of　Lords。　　In　February；　1766；　during　a　debate　in　that　body　on　the　disturbances　in　America；　Lord　Littleton　made　some　allusion　to　the　peculiar　opinions　of　Mr。　Otis；　and　spoke　slightingly　of　his　book。　　Lord　Mansfield　replied；　〃With　respect　to　what　has　been　said；　or　written；　upon　this　subject；　I　differ　from　the　noble　Lord；　who　spoke　of　Mr。　Otis　and　his　book　with　contempt；　though　he　maintained　the　same　doctrine　in　some　points；　although；　in　others；　he　carried　it　further　than　Otis　himself；　who　allows　everywhere　the　supremacy　of　the　crown　over　the　colonies。　　No　man　on　such　a　subject　is　contemptible。　　Otis　is　a　man　of　consequence　among　the　people　there。　　They　have　chosen　him　for　one　of　their　deputies　at　the　Congress；　and　general　meeting　from　the　respective　governments。　　It　was　said　the　man　is　mad。　　What　then？　　One　madman　often　makes　many。　　Massaniello　was　mad；　no　body　doubts；　yet　for　all　that；　he　overturned　the　government　of　Naples。　　Madness　is　catching　in　all　popular　assemblies；　and　upon　all　popular　matters。

The　book　is　full　of　wildness。　　I　never　read　it　till　a　few　days　ago；　for　I　seldom　look　into　such　things。〃

In　some　of　his　arguments　he　lays　down　general　principles　with　a　quaint　extravagance　which　marks　the　peculiar　humor　of　the　man。　　〃No　government　has　the　right　to　make　hobby…horses；　asses；　and　slaves　of　the　subject；　nature　having　made　sufficient　of　the　two　former；　for　all　the　lawful　purposes　of　man；　from　the　harmless　peasant　in　the　field　to　the　most　refined　politician　in　the　cabinet；　but　none　of　the　last；　which　infallibly　proves　that　they　are　unnecessary。〃　　〃The　British　constitution　of　government　as　now　established　in　his　Majesty's　person　and　family；　is　the　wisest　and　best　in　the　world。　　The　King　of　Great　Britain　is　the　best　as　well　as　the　most　glorious　monarch　upon　the　globe；　and　his　subjects　the　happiest　in　the　universe。　　The　French　King　is　a　despotic；　arbitrary　prince；　and；　consequently；　his　subjects　are　very　miserable。〃　　The　last　specimen　which　we　shall　quote　comes　from　his　defence　of　the　objectionable　passage　in　the　remonstrance　drawn　up　by　Otis　on　behalf　of　the　Assembly　of　1762　against　Governor　Bernard's　conduct　in　increasing　the　expenses　of　the　colony　without　previously　obtaining　the　consent　of　the　Legislature。　　This　passage　was　as　follows：　　〃No　necessity　can　be　sufficient　to　justify　a　House　of　Representatives　in　giving　up　such　a　privilege；　for　it　would　be　of　little　consequence　to　the　people；　whether　they　were　subject　to　George　or　Louis；　the　King　of　Great　Britain　or　the　French　King；　if　both　were　arbitrary；　as　both　would　be；　if　both　could　levy　taxes　without　Parliament。〃　　Afterwards　in　commenting　on　this　passage　he　made　the　following　defense　of　its　apparent　unpatriotic　sentiment。　　〃It　may　be　objected；　that　there　are　some　differences　between　arbitrary　princes；　in　this　respect；　at　least；　that　some　are　more　rigorous　than　others。　　It　is　granted；　but；　then；　let　it　be　remembered；　that　the　life　of　man　is　a　vapor　that　soon　vanisheth　away；　and　we　know　not　who　may　come　after　him；　a　wise　man　or　a　fool；　though　the　chances；　before　and　since　Solomon；　have　ever　been　in　favor　of　the　latter。〃〃That　I　should　die　very　soon　after　my　head　should　be　struck　off；　whether　by　a　sabre　or　a　broadsword；　whether　chopped　off　to　gratify　a　tyrant　by　the