in, as the phrase is, no _injury_ is done. I
_may_ have my reasons. Possibly I may think that I am a better judge of
painting than my neighbours, and that I have detected in the picture the
touch of Raphael or Correggio. It would be hard to prevent me from
buying it, and hard to prevent my neighbour from making the best of his
property, provided he do not take me in by telling me a false story
about it. Accordingly, in the absence of fraud, mere _inadequacy_ of
consideration is no ground for avoiding a contract."[8]

[8] Pp. 88-96.

Those who are acquainted with the practical difficulties of this
subject, will best appreciate the cautious accuracy, and yet elementary
simplicity and clearness, which characterised his teaching: he being
then, be it remembered, little more than twenty-eight years of age.

His writings having thus led to his being placed in a situation where he
had ample opportunities for exhibiting legitimately to the profession
his great legal acquirements and abilities, it was not long before he
became sensible of making his way, but gradually, nevertheless, into
business. He had given up practising at sessions some time before, and
resolved thenceforth to address himself entirely to civil business in
London, and at the Assizes. The late Mr. Robert Vaughan Richards,
Q.C.,[9] then one of the leaders of the Oxford Circuit, and himself an
eminent lawyer and accomplished scholar, was one of the earliest to
detect the superior qualifications of Mr. Smith, and lost no fair and
legitimate opportunity of enabling him to exhibit his abilities, by
naming him as an arbitrator, when the most important causes at the
Assizes had been agreed to be so disposed of; and he invariably gave the
highest satisfaction to both parties--the counsel before him, in
arbitrations both in town and country, finding it necessary to conduct
their cases as carefully as if they were before one of the astutest
judges on the bench. Though many important causes were thus referred to
him, and were attended by some of the most experienced members of the
bar, I am not aware of any instance in which his decisions were
afterwards reversed by, or even questioned before, the courts. When once
he had obtained a fair "start" on his circuit, he quickly overcame the
disadvantages of a person and manner which one _might_ characterise more
strongly than as unprepossessing. Few cases of great importance were
tried, in which Mr. Smith was not early