to call on Mr. Pickwick, in Goswell Street.'

'How often have you seen her, Sir?'

'How often?'

'_Yes_, _Mr. Winkle_, _how often_? I'll repeat the question for you
a dozen times, if you require it, Sir.' And the learned gentlemen,
with a firm and steady frown, placed his hands on his hips, and
smiled suspiciously to the jury.

_On this question there arose the edifying brow-beating_, _customary
on such points_. First of all, Mr. Winkle said it was quite
impossible for him to say how many times he had seen Mrs. Bardell.
Then he was asked if he had seen her twenty times, to which he
replied, 'Certainly,--more than that.' And then he was asked whether
he hadn't seen her a hundred times--whether he couldn't swear that he
had seen her more than fifty times--whether he didn't know that he
had seen her at least seventy-five times, and so forth; the
satisfactory conclusion which was arrived at, at last, being--that he
had better take care of himself, and mind what he was about. The
witness having been, by these means, reduced to the requisite ebb of
nervous perplexity, the examination was concluded.

How excellent is this. Who has not heard the process repeated over and
over again from the young fledgeling Counsel to the old "hardbitten" and
experienced K.C.?

A young legal tyro might find profit as well as entertainment in
carefully studying others of Mr. Skimpin's adroit methods in cross
examination. They are in a manner typical of those in favour with the
more experienced members of the profession, allowing, of course, for a
little humorous exaggeration. He will note also that Boz shows clearly
how effective was the result of the processes. Here are a few useful
recipes.

_How to make a witness appear as though he wished to withhold the
truth_._ How to highly discredit a witness by an opening question_._
How to insinuate inaccuracy_._ How to suggest that the witness is
evading_._ How to deal with a statement of a particular number of
instances_._ How to take advantage of a witness' glances_._ How to
suggest another imputed meaning to a witness' statement and confuse him
into accepting it_.

Another happy and familiar form is Skimpin's interrogation of Winkle as
to his "friends"--

'Are they here?'

'Yes they are,' said Mr. Winkle, _looking very earnestly towards the
spot where his friends were stationed_.

As ev