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The Life of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, Bart., K.C.S.I. A Judge of the High Court of Justice By: Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) |
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[Illustration: Walker & Boutalls Ph. Sc. J F Stephen From a drawing by G. F. Watts. R. A. 1863. ] London. Published by Smith Elder & C^o. 15 Waterloo Place.
THE LIFE OF SIR JAMES FITZJAMES STEPHEN, BART., K.C.S.I. A Judge of the High Court of Justice by his brother LESLIE STEPHEN With Two Portraits London
Smith, Elder, & Co., 15 Waterloo Place
1895 [All rights reserved]
PREFACE
In writing the following pages I have felt very strongly one
disqualification for my task. The life of my brother, Sir J. F. STEPHEN,
was chiefly devoted to work which requires some legal knowledge for its
full appreciation. I am no lawyer; and I should have considered this
fact to be a sufficient reason for silence, had it been essential to
give any adequate estimate of the labours in question. My purpose,
however, is a different one. I have wished to describe the man rather
than to give any history of what he did. What I have said of the value
of his performances must be taken as mainly a judgment at second hand.
But in writing of the man himself I have advantages which, from the
nature of the case, are not shared by others. For more than sixty years
he was my elder brother; and a brother in whose character and fortunes I
took the strongest interest from the earliest period at which I was
capable of reflection or observation. I think that brothers have
generally certain analogies of temperament, intellectual and moral,
which enable them, however widely they may differ in many respects, to
place themselves at each other's point of view, and to be so far
capable of that sympathetic appreciation which is essential to
satisfactory biography. I believe that this is true of my brother and
myself. Moreover, as we were brought up under the same roof, I have an
intimate knowledge now, alas! almost peculiar to myself of the little
home circle whose characteristics had a profound influence upon his
development. I have thought it desirable to give a fuller account of
those characteristics, and of their origin in previous circumstances,
than can well be given by any one but myself. This is partly because I
recognise the importance of the influence exerted upon him; and partly,
I will admit, for another reason. My brother took a great interest, and,
I may add, an interest not unmixed with pride, in our little family
history. I confess that I share his feelings, and think, at any rate,
that two or three of the persons of whom I have spoken deserve a fuller
notice than has as yet been made public. What I have said may, I hope,
serve as a small contribution to the history of one of the rivulets
which helped to compose the great current of national life in the
earlier part of this century. I could not have attempted to write the life of my brother without the
approval and the help of my sister in law, Lady Stephen. She has
provided me with materials essential to the narrative, and has kindly
read what I have written. I am, of course, entirely responsible for
everything that is here said; and I feel the responsibility all the more
because I have had the advantage of her suggestions throughout. I have
also to thank my brother's children, who have been in various ways very
helpful. My nephews, in particular, have helped me in regard to various
legal matters. To my sister, Miss Stephen, I owe a debt of gratitude
which for reasons which she will understand I shall not attempt to
discharge by any full acknowledgment. I have especially to thank Sir H. S. Cunningham and Lady Egerton, Lady
Stephen's brother and sister, for permitting me to read my brother's
letters to them, and for various suggestions. Some other correspondence
has been placed in my hands, and especially two important collections.
Lady Grant Duff has been good enough to show me a number of letters
written to her, and Lady Lytton has communicated letters written to the
late Lord Lytton. I have spoken of these letters in the text, and have
in the last chapter given my reasons for confining my use of them to
occasional extracts... Continue reading book >>
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